Entertainment Project Services (EPS), a full-service design development company specialising in mechanical design and project management within the entertainment industry, has provided the signature effects for The Wizard of Oz at Sphere in Las Vegas.
The new reimagining of The Wizard of Oz for this iconic venue offers audiences a unique cinematic and theatrical experience.
In addition to the film itself, the production includes pre- and post-show activations that immerse visitors in Kansas and in Oz.
EPS was engaged to design and deliver two of the most memorable technical moments of the journey: the apple gag and the Wizard's hot air balloon.
Bringing a classic scene to life
A cherished scene in The Wizard of Oz is when the Scarecrow shakes the apple tree, and the orchard comes to life.
For the Sphere production, the creative team aimed to bring this moment into the audience's world. Instead of simply watching apples fall on-screen, visitors in the Sphere experience apples dropping directly into the theatre from the ceiling.
This posed a challenge in scale and precision.
EPS needed to develop machines that could drop hundreds of foam apples from the top of the Sphere in a way that appeared natural within the scene, ensured audience safety, and could be reliably repeated across multiple shows each day.
Its engineering solution combines precisely synchronised mechanical reliability and theatrical timing. This ensures that when the Scarecrow pulls on the tree, apples fall onto the audience.
The gag has turned into a highlight of the show. The apples rapidly became sought-after souvenirs, so much so that early attendees were reselling them online for several hundred dollars.
Real-time lobby transformation
The experience continues after the credits roll. Guests exiting the theatre step into a lobby that transforms from the black-and-white tones of Kansas to the colourful vibrancy of Oz.
The highlight of this reveal is a life-sized hot-air balloon, a striking symbol of Emerald City and one of the film's most memorable images.
Whilst the Sphere’s lobby is large enough to house a hot air balloon of accurate scale, the operational requirements made the effect particularly complicated.
With several shows staged daily, the hot air balloon needed to load and unload swiftly, leaving minimal to no trace when not in use.
EPS designed a bespoke rigging solution that enabled the hot air balloon to deploy rapidly, suspend securely, and vanish just as quickly, all while keeping the lobby pristine for the next reset.
In a further significant visual feature for the lobby, the company installed a large LED wall made of fans, providing a dynamic, ever-changing scenic backdrop.
This feature anchors both the Kansas and Emerald City looks, adding depth and movement that seamlessly guides visitors between the worlds.
Together, these activations showcase EPS’s ability to combine storytelling with engineering.
The falling apples show how a clever, practical effect can enhance a beloved cinematic moment, while the Wizard’s hot air balloon illustrates how engineering innovation can transform a venue in real time, without compromising operations.
Both effects have become signature touchpoints of the Sphere’s Wizard of Oz experience. Visitors watch the film, and feel as if they are part of it, catching apples in the theatre and taking photos underneath a hot-air balloon in Emerald City.
Earlier this week, EPS shared details of its ship-ready stunt MotoGlobe for the show lineup aboard Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas.
