stage illusions
Theatrical deception acts
Stage illusions are large-scale magic tricks performed in theaters, typically involving elaborate apparatus and one or more assistants.
The classic examples—sawing a woman in half, making someone vanish from a cabinet, levitating a person—rely on specially constructed props, trapdoors, mirrors, and misdirection rather than sleight of hand.
Distinguished from close-up magic by their scale and theatrical presentation: The show featured stage illusions with tigers and helicopters.
- vanishing actsStaged or sudden disappearances
- trapdoorsConcealed floor openings
- levitationUnsupported aerial suspension
- misdirectionIntentional focus manipulation
- disappearanceAct of going missing
smoke and mirrors · close-up magic · illusionism · mirrors · apparatus · smoke machines · conjuring · forced perspective · duplication · teleportation · prestidigitation · Harry Houdini · optical illusions · trick · box · sleight of hand · cabinet · David Copperfield
stage illusionsCGI
Digital movie imagery
special effects · film editing · digital manipulation · digital effects · computer-generated imagery