stage effect

American  

noun

1. a highly spectacular or artificial device or means, especially for attracting attention.

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stage effect British  

noun

1. a special effect created on the stage by lighting, sound, etc

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Etymology

Origin of stage effect

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

We didn’t get the blood to reliably seep through the fabric in time for it to be a stage effect.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s a kind of theme-park gratification to the practical stage effects involved in each murder, from explosions to electrocutions to falling chandeliers.

From Seattle Times

A sweet stage effect embroiders the evening’s final moments, as Celie’s happiness reaches full flower.

From Washington Post

But while Dorrance dancers are exquisitely skilled tappers, their stage effects are not limited to percussive footwork.

From Washington Post

The theater, especially the technologically sophisticated Paris Opéra, offered aspects of both — heightened moments of great dramatic conflict and sumptuous visions of landscape in its backdrops and stage effects.

From Washington Post