The New Look of Stage Design

The Times profile of Brit designer William Dudley and his work on Woman in White is a good introduction to what will surely become a more widespread use of "scenic projections." Dudley's work in this area may be new to New York--and it took an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to bring it here!--but he's been at it for a while. (The Times, as always is behind the times.) I saw his magic at work three years ago in London for the Stoppard "Russian trilogy" The Coast of Utopia. Believe me, it's not just another gimmick. For better or worse, Dudley (and his colleagues in the field) have brought a new cinematic level to stagecraft. In the hands of a great director like Trevor Nunn, the results can be breathtaking and emminently theatrical. Once Disney gets a hold of it, however, who know...