Pyrotechnics, mutant spiders, 20-foot puppets and 3D effects are just some of the visuals that were to be featured in Jackson’s final dates, according to people involved in the production.
Magician Ed Alonzo, who was developing an illusion for the performances, told USA Today the show was “just days away from being perfected. It was incredible … Every song he was doing was not just singing, but surrounded by huge production – gigantic spiders and 20-foot puppets. I feel I was so blessed to see the only performance of this concert.”
A crew of roughly 80 people worked to fine-tune the production during Jackson’s final rehearsal at the Staples Center June 24, the paper said.
“He was trying, and succeeding, in structuring the biggest, most spectacular live production ever seen,” Johnny Caswell, co-owner of CenterStaging in Burbank, told USA Today. Jackson used the facility to polish the performance from March to early June.
“By the time he left my facility, he had graduated through several studios and was on a soundstage taking up 10,000 square feet,” Caswell said. “They moved to The Forum, outgrew that and needed the height at Staples. The show was getting so damn big, they couldn’t finish it in time. That’s why they had to delay.”
The show also included a hovering orb and a flaming bed, according to the article.
While the rehearsal was filmed, it’s still unclear whether the performance will be released publicly.
Click here for the entire USA Today article.