Primarily, I'm a makeup artist.  Have been a theater actor, director, techie, etc., etc.  BUT my first love is theatrical makeup and film makeup special effects work.  I've spent a long time learning how to do this.  The thing you may have experienced with WHY the audience was so enthralled is due in large part to the fact that audiences have come to EXPECT good makeup work to be done because they're presented with it practically with every movie you see nowadays.  And they expect to see it with stage work too or whatever they watch in entertainment like this. Films have created some incredible makeup effects and it seems to spill over to theater now.  As a matter of fact, there are numerous "special makeup" theatrical productions and the use of special makeup for these things is becoming more and more prevelant.  I really don't know to what degree, but I seem to see it more and more - simply because it's available, it's not rocket science and lots of people who like doing makeup have developed skills that make using special makeup work even for stage (when required) so much easier and accessible.  I mean it IS A HIGHLY specialized and ever evolving and growing craft that MUST be studied and learned for a LIFETIME.  But it's a matter of learning by doing, experimenting and working to improve constantly.