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Dimming of the Marquee Lights

An interesting thing has been occurring in New York City. On the Great White Way, the lights are dimmed for one minute before returning to their brilliant glow. It’s not a random electricity problem, but actually a long-standing honor that has been around for (some say) over a hundred years!

A lot of Broadway legends have unfortunately passed away this past year. Robin Williams, Joan Rivers, and Sir Geoffrey Holder are some of the most recent of these deaths. One tradition that happens whenever someone of significance to the Broadway community passes is the dimming of the Broadway lights.

Nobody is completely certain when this tradition began. Some claim that it has been in affect for over a hundred years. Others say that the first dimming was in 1952 for Gertrude Lawrence. Either way, it’s practically an ancient tradition that has grown more popular since it has begun.

When a prominent person of the theater community moves on, their name is submitted to the Broadway League, the trade association for the Broadway theater industry, where they review the lives and works of those submitted. They have criteria they’ve kept under wraps for years! Based on that secret criteria, they decide whether or not the person will have the lights dimmed in their honor or not. It’s an extremely special thing to be honored this way and incredibly hard to be accepted!

If they decide to dim the lights, the Broadway League releases a press release before hand and notifies all prominent theater owners such as the Nederlanders, Shuberts, etc. The theater owners then notify the managers of each theater to turn off all lights at eight P.M. sharp! Why eight P.M.? Seven is usually the curtain time for a show and that was the typical time until complications with daylight savings time (which pushed the curtain time back during the Summer) made things more difficult. They recently decided that eight P.M. was the best option for every theater. The lights are off for a solid minute and no announcements are made. Then the show goes on as always.

The dimming of the lights is a sad, yet beautiful tradition. When all the glorious marquees shut off, the grief of the community is definitely felt amongst New York City and other parts of the world. However, when you see the light shining bright again, the feeling of hope and joy fill fellow theater-lovers. There are several videos of the tradition on YouTube and I recommend looking it up to see a spectacular sight!

Trimmer and Slimmer: Broadway Sit-Downs

For Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, you truly can’t stop the beat. If you’re not cruise-savvy, Royal Caribbean (affectionately phrased as RCCL) is a luxury cruise line notorious for providing cruises that include activities and entertainment that pleases all ages. Their latest hand at theatre? Mounting a production of Hairspray, one of Broadway’s most successful movie-musicals of all time onto the biggest cruise ship in America, the Oasis of the Seas. Condensed to only ninety-minutes, the trimmed production omits “(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs”, “Cooties” and “The Big Dollhouse”. The show runs several times a cruise and was a hit among audiences. RCCL set out to produce a Broadway musical on their ship purely due to the power and overall appeal that Broadway sends, specifically Hairspray. The show came to attention when The Tony Awards announced they would broadcast a performance from the production. While some Broadway “megafans” might criticize the shorter (and, to some, less satisfying version of ‘Spray), it inspired a trend — the company’s sister ship, the Allure of Seas, which opened with another huge Broadway smash – CHICAGO. Hairspray enjoyed several years on the Oasis, consistently bringing Hairspray veterans from the National Tours and past productions to replace performers in the show. The ships will usher in new productions in the next year, most notably “Cats”. Norwegian Cruise Line has followed suit, debuting their production of Legally Blonde the Musical last May to success (albeit less publicity than RCCL’s Hairspray).

While RCCL was certainly smart to add Broadway to their continually growing list of impressive offerings on it’s ships, they weren’t the first vacation hotspot to add a Broadway musical to their strip of guest offerings. In recent years, Las Vegas has become a haven for Broadway musicals to set up camp. Think of it as a “mini-Broadway!” Successful shows bring a duplicate production to Vegas, sometimes condensing the show to appeal to the fast-paced nature of Vegas patrons and create a performance schedule. No closing date is set (in normal cases), because the intention is to run the show for as long as audiences want to see it. Right now, Jersey Boys is enjoying a successful run in Vegas. Audiences love the music and romance of the production, which remains as-is from the Broadway production. But not all Vegas runs have happy endings – take Avenue Q, the “little show that could” that won the Tony for Best Musical over blockbuster WICKED. Avenue Q’s stay in Vegas was clipped after just 9 months – which seems pretty good, in comparison to Hairspray’s four month run. “Q” debuted with an updated ninety-minute book. Avenue Q, WICKED, Jersey Boys… three Broadway smashes that took their productions to Vegas to build a nest to house new audiences, but all three productions would be jealous of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom, which enjoyed a six year run in Vegas in a custom-built theatre in a simplified ninety-five minute form.

Other shows have ventured to other tourist locations, too — WICKED had a lengthy stay in Chicago and Billy Elliot had a quick run (much to the producer’s wallets, the production did not find an audience and closed shortly after opening, to a presumed loss, although the same production went on the travel america as a National Tour). But whether or not the productions found success, it’s important to commend the Producers for one thing we should all be thankful for – bringing the magic of Broadway to the rest of the world.

For Rainy Weekends and Halloween: An Autumn Broadway Playlist

Creating seasonal playlists is one of my favorite things, and I’m always really excited when I get to come up with a new one. But as it turns out, there really aren’t that many showtunes about fall! I don’t understand why people don’t like writing songs about rain, and fog, and being back to school… Someone should just write Sweaters and Homework: The Musical already! I know literally every high school and college student ever would love that.

For the time being, however, here are a few songs from musicals that are somehow related to the season anyway. Some of them are about fall, others just feel appropriate for quiet afternoons when it’s just cold enough for a sweater and you feel ready and willing to consume your body weight in tea and pumpkin spice lattes. I’ve also included some Halloween tunes to get you thinking about costumes and theme parties! I know Halloween’s a month away but it’s never too early to get excited, right? Plus, it makes getting through the dreary October so much easier!

“Autumn” from Titanic: The Musical
I know, that’s a really sad song! Honestly, it kind of gives me chills in a way that’s pretty autumnal itself. But what I like to focus on is the first verse because the lyrics are so beautiful and hopeful. Despite the fact that the rest of the song, and frankly – the entire musical – are really, really sad, somehow the words “still, perhaps this autumn love won’t retreat in the autumn, all that we have won’t be past” are a good way to open a fall playlist.
“A Little Fall of Rain” from Les Misérables
No, I’m not out to make everyone cry two songs into the playlist. I know that this song isn’t exactly relatable, thankfully, but there’s still something really fun about sob-singing “a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now-w-w” on that one day when it starts raining while you’re on your way home and you somehow managed to forget your umbrella. You and I both know that’s happened at least once!
“Magic to Do” from Pippin
You might be asking yourself how is that a fall song, but hear me out! A Pippin-themed Halloween party! Think about all the glitter and circus-themed decorations, and about the costumes that you and your friends could come up with. There’s practically no way to go wrong with the Pippin aesthetic around Halloween. And the lyrics to “Magic to Do” make an absolutely perfect party invite.
“Halloween” from Rent
This really isn’t what I meant when I said “Halloween tunes” but this song from Rent is undeniably a must for every fall-related showtune mix. It’s heartbreaking and gloomy and it’s bound to make you sad every time you hear it but at the same time, Halloween’s a time for parties and celebrating, right? After all, it was Angel’s favorite holiday.
“Gold“ from Once
Truth be told, Once is my personal favorite fall musical. This son’s very color scheme implies an autumnal mood in and of itself, and it’s such a fantastic song about love as well. This entire score absolutely perfect for a day where all you want is to curl up with a hot beverage of your choice, and listen to some acoustic music and beautiful harmonies, and maybe cry a little. Watching the movie that the musical is based on is also a great idea for a rainy afternoon, or even an evening shared with a couple of friends!
“Illness as a Metaphor” from Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Similarly to “A Little Fall of Rain”, this song is all you need for your overdramatic moments this fall. Yes, maybe you’re not president Andrew Jackson but I can assure you, from experience, that singing about your fever’s being your pain transformed into art, and a representation of your feelings, is actually hilarious. Trust me, it will make any seasonal cold or the flu a lot more bearable, and it could double as a love song as well! Also, emo Andrew Jackson is a good Halloween costume, don’t you think? It’s all metaphorical, you see.
“Say the Word” from The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown
This song always reminds me of falling in love in high school, and of cold October evenings spent outside talking to your crush. It might be the verse about windy nights that gives me that autumnal feeling, and every time I listen to this song, I think of that strange, gloomy melancholy that usually accompanies nighttime in the fall. High school romances and melancholy are essential for autumn, and in a way, they go hand in hand.
“Forever Autumn” from War of the Worlds
Yet another song about autumn which toes the line between being creepy and being a love song. Everything from the arrangement to the narrative in this song create that perfect balance and make it absolutely ideal for rainy afternoons where feeling a little sad is just perfectly acceptable. But on another note, why are love songs about autumn always so sad?
“When You’re an Addams” from The Addams Family
To end this mix on a more positive note, I give you the quintessential Halloween song. I could’ve just given you the Addams Family tune (*snap – snap*) but I feel like this song can be all you need to get motivated and start thinking about your Halloween costume. Let the “how to be an Addams 101” guide inspire you, and go crazy with too-pale face makeup and slightly gothic clothes in black velvet, and there you’d have it: a Halloween costume which is both a classic, and musical theater related!

Costumes – A Wordless Way of Discovering a Character

By Sami DeSocio

To an actor, a costume is part of discovering the character and for some it is really the only way they know how to ‘step into their character’. It takes on a whole new meaning when you’re asked to provide part of the costume yourself out of your own wardrobe.

After the show ends, it always feels so weird to me to wear the piece or pieces of clothing that I wore onstage. They take on a whole new meaning and the clothes that once meant they were just my clothes and an option to wear, are now flooded with memories of an awesome show, and some great people.

While this is seen and practiced more in community theater (budgets, people!), I’ve also seen it occur on Broadway. For example, the plaid coat Mark Cohen wears in Rent was actually a coat that Anthony Rapp owned and wore onstage. If I’m right, I believe he gave his coat to the show when he left.

It works just the opposite, when you get to keep a piece of a costume you wore onstage. When I played Maria in The Heiress, I was offered to keep the boots I wore in the show. While I declined the offer graciously (after really considering it), It would have been cool to own a pair of shoes I had worn onstage that for me had memories of a wonderful run!

Half of the fun of a show is getting to costume day and seeing everyone for the first time in their costumes. When I was in Rent and I saw the guy playing Roger dressed as him for the first time, I dropped to my knees in shock. Not only was I living a dream to be cast in the show, but with the flannel pants and shirt he had selected as his costume, he became Roger when he put them on. I was floored.

On the other side, costumes can be used to change a significant part of a production. Last year, a theatre in St. Petersburg, Florida, did a production of Spring Awakening, in which the characters wore modern clothing, but the adults wore period clothing, as a way to show the juxtaposition between the children going through learning about themselves and the parents inhibiting them.

Costumes are a big part of any show-they help set the time period, personality of the character, and tells you a lot about a character before they speak onstage. Being able to bring something of your own to the costume makes you even closer to the character-and it makes your clothes cooler than they were before.

What kind of costume pieces have you contributed to shows? What show was it?

The 2014 Broadway Flea Market

By Brenna Corporal

A week ago, I wrote an article all about the upcoming annual BC/EFA Broadway Flea Market. Here is my follow up article- I’ll share my experiences at the Flea Market today!

The entire street is decked out in tables with merchandise and Broadway stars alike. There is even an area in the heart of Times Square dedicated to the Flea Market. There were tables for Les Miserables, Aladdin, Wicked, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Newsies, Cinderella, The Book of Mormon, Matilda, Pippin. The Phantom of the Opera, and many, many more. Cast and crew members from the shows were working behind the tables to sell merchandise and help raise money for BC/EFA.

It was a little overwhelming- there was so much to choose from! I ended up buying a Billy Elliot souvenir program, the updated 10th Anniversary Wicked souvenir program, The Glass Menagerie souvenir program (hey, they were only $5! I couldn’t resist!), a Billy Elliot folder, a Newsies magnet, some Sutton Foster temporary tattoos (because who wouldn’t want to have Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney on their arm?), “wooden nickels” from the final performance of Newsies, a limited edition piece of artwork, which is a smaller version of the piece that was given to Lesli Margherita and Gabriel Ebert which portrays them as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood in Matilda the Musical (if you’ve seen Looks Not Books, you know what I’m talking about), and I spent $10 to take a picture with some Newsies: Tommy Bracco, Andy Richardson, Luca Padovan, Adam Kaplan, and, one of my ultimate Broadway crushes, Corey Cott. (insert fansie squeals here) If you read my Newsies article, you’ll know that I met him a few years ago, and that he even wrote me a letter, so you’ll know how excited I was to see him again. I even got to hug him!! I also found former Newsie and Maggot Clay Thompson (who I also couldn’t resist hugging) and “Breaking Down the Riffs” star Natalie Weiss!

My friends and I dined at Juniors, the restaurant which hosts the Autograph Table and Photo Booth, so we got some good views of a lot of stars: Lesli Margherita, Adam Jacobs, Alice Ripley, Sebastian Arcelus, and his wife, a very pregnant and adorable Stephanie J. Block, among others. So many fans were lined up to meet their favorite stars! And they were all so gracious and kind to the fans, as well.

After browsing around and shopping, we realized it was 5:30 and most of the shows around Shubert Alley were letting out, so we waited at the stage door of Pippin and met Rachel Bay Jones (MEGA ADORABLENESS) and Kyle Dean Massey (ALSO MEGA ADORABLENESS). Then we ran over to the Imperial where Les Miz is playing and I even got a picture with Jean Valjean himself, the amazing and extremely well-dressed Ramin Karimloo! (Seriously- he wore a suit and everything! After playing JVJ for 3 hours, you’d think he would be in sweats and a tee shirt, but nope! He’s so professional and adorable. Four for you, Ramin, you go, Ramin!)

All in all, it was basically one of the best days of my entire life. I got to spend a fun day with my friends, interact with my favorite Broadway performers, meet new friends, and shop for fun theatre merchandise! This year’s Broadway Flea Market was of course one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I cannot wait until next year!

Matilda Wormwood, Pint-Sized Character, Gigantic Role

By Eric Gelb

The title role of Matilda in the critically acclaimed musical of the same name is just as daunting as it sounds. Many know of Matilda as a movie, or perhaps a book, but in musical form, Matilda is front and center in this adaptation. Not only does Matilda sing, act and dance — she does quite a bit of it. If you’re a fact and figures kind of person, what I’m going to say next will appeal to you. Out of the nearly three hour musical, the pint sized powerhouse will sing two solo songs and deliver several impressive monologues.

Additionally, Matilda will speak in Russian and recite several times tables throughout the course of the show. Don’t forget that Matilda is from the UK! Each Matilda will have to master the accent as they will be speaking it it for the duration of the show. And if you thought I forgot about dancing – I didn’t! Matilda dances in a majority of the numbers, as well as her own choreography in the sassy “Naughty“. Matilda will maneuver around towering set pieces, manage quick changes and handle emotionally heavy plot lines and scenes.

The character Matilda is subject to abuse from her family, and the girl playing her must emotionally display a mighty sense of understanding of the story she lives in. While the role is often compared to Annie or the Sound of Music kids, but that is far from the truth – the role of Matilda is physically, mentally and vocally challenging, especially for such a young girl. She is onstage for most of the show, and the subject matter requires much more character development and acting skill than the others. She jumps, leaps, shouts and runs her way across the stage during the show and by the end of the show, she has the entire audience rooting for her.

Now, if you’ve already started to think “Wow, that IS a lot for such a young girl!” It is. The role of Matilda is shared by four other girls, each of them performing two shows a week and standing by backstage for another two. Initially, the role was split between with three other girls but was expanded to four when the show moved to the London’s West End. But, it seems that each Matilda’s run with the show ends far too quickly, for even if she is still short enough to play the role, no Matilda stays with the show longer than a year.

The youngest Matilda is eight years old! Each girl is cast out of hundreds of others after going through several callbacks. The show maintains a strict no social media or stage door rule: the girls cannot pose for pictures or sign autographs. This is done for the safety (and privacy) of the young girls being thrust into the Broadway spotlight.

The current Broadway production has just ushered in four “Newtildas” – Gabriella Pizzolo, Brooklyn Shuck, Fina Strazza and Ava Ulloa. Brooklyn was in the recent Annie revival, but the other three girls are making their Broadway debuts with Matilda. It’s incredible that these girls are going to appear on a Broadway stage for the first time in such a challenging but wonderful role.

To keep the experience a positive part of each girl’s life, the girls playing the title role do not stay with the production for over a year. It’s better that they leave happy to have done it, rather than sick of doing it. Sticking with theme of keeping the experience positive, the girls are never sent alone for press events. No girl gets more media time than the other – it’s equally divided, or they all appear. And although the Tony committee deemed the four girls ineligible to win Best Actress, they did honor the originals with Tony Honors for their performances in the show. Although Matilda might love to be a little bit “naughty”, we’re glad these talented young girls have gotten so much training that they have the honor of bringing to life the character eight times a week on Broadway!

Broadway ComicCon

It’s not a new idea. I’m definitely not the first person to think of it, and I’m sure I’m not at all the only one who thinks it’d be the greatest thing, the absolute dream weekend for any musical theater lover. Yes, I am talking about a convention dedicated to Broadway and all things musical theater. We all know that conventions such as LeakyCon and the various ComicCons all over the world always attract huge crowds of all sorts of nerds: Harry Potter nerds, anime nerds, nerds who can sit you down and discuss the finer points of every single Marvel alternate universe— so why isn’t there a convention for theater nerds? Let’s all be real here, you and I both know it’d attract a huge crowd, and the things that could happen at what I’ve decided to call MusiCon would be just as cool as any other convention out there.

Only, you know. Cooler. Because ours would have showtunes.

Just in case you’re not completely hyped up about it already, here are a couple of things that could go down if MusiCon was a real convention:

1. Opening and closing ceremonies
Similarly to any other event, the convention would have big ceremonies to celebrate the start and the end of the weekend. I imagine those would include a few guest speakers, as well as — most importantly — musical numbers written specifically for the occasion. Yes, I’m talking Tony-like opening numbers. Someone get Lin-Manuel Miranda on the line and tell him he has to pen the lyrics, please!

2. Panels and Q&As
Of course, there would be all kinds of panels happening over the course of the convention. I imagine some of them would be somewhat professional, like audition prep or stage makeup 101 talks given by theater professionals, while others would focus more on the fandom side of theater. Because who wouldn’t sit at an hour-long panel about how cool Andy Mientus’ Les Mis Vines are? Also, naturally, I imagine it’d be fantastic to have Q&A sessions with the casts of various shows. If ComicCon can get the full cast of Supernatural for a panel, then surely, my MusiCon could have a great Q&A with the cast of Hedwig, for example.

3. Photo-Ops and autographs
Since I’ve already specified that the entire cast of Hedwig would be invited to my convention, it’d be kind of stupid to get them there and not offer fans to queue up for an hour to take a picture with their favorite actors, right? Ideally, both actors who are currently in shows and all time fan-favorites would be invited, and their fans would have a chance to chat with them, and even possibly take selfies with them. Perfect, right?

4. Performances
No, I don’t just mean getting all of the guest actors to perform at a cabaret-style concert during the convention, although that’d be both inevitable and absolutely amazing. I also mean getting the con attendees to sing, in both cabaret gigs and maybe even something like a karaoke contest. Just imagine 20 people you’ve never met singing along to La Vie Boheme with you! It’s the dream. Literally, the dream. All you need is a karaoke track and a microphone.

5. A cosplay contest
Any self-respecting nerd could tell you that 99% of what makes conventions as fun as they are is the huge amount of cosplaying that happens during the event. Now, in most cases, that would mean 30 Supermen meeting up with at least two dozen people dressed up as various incarnations of the Doctor, but naturally, MusiCon would be different, and the cosplaying would be on a whole new level. Yes, I’m talking DIY Glinda dresses and almost perfect replicas of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder costumes made entirely out of your grandmother’s old curtains. A cosplay group dressed up as the full Les Mis ensemble, including every single Barricade boy. I’m talking 10 guys in Mark Cohen sweaters hanging out with a bunch of newsies, and did you see that girl who’s cosplaying Kate Monster? No, not a puppeteer, she’s the actual puppet!

Don’t tell me you’re not planning your costume already. I know I am, and I’m pretty much budgeting how much of my money would be spent on various shows’ merch, and how much I’d give for autographs and photo ops. I’m definitely also thinking about all of the singing that would happen, the pictures I’d take, and all of the great memories that would be made.

I know. It’s a fantastic idea. Someone get a Kickstarter going already, and I promise I’ll back it.

Broadway Flea Market 2014

By Brenna Corporal

It’s that time of year again! Time for the BC/EFA BROADWAY FLEA MARKET!!!!! THE (in my opinion) BEST BROADWAY FAN EVENT OF THE YEAR! If you can only get to one Broadway fan event all year, try your best to get to this year’s Broadway Flea Market on Sunday, September 21, 2014 in Shubert Alley at 10AM. Why is Broadway having a flea market, you may ask? To raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, the Broadway community’s outstanding charity that benefits people living with Aids and other diseases, as well as victims of poverty. (If you can’t get to the Flea Market, I highly encourage you to donate anyway if you can- it is a GREAT cause.) The Broadway Flea Market was started in 1986 as a way to benefit BC/EFA. It has now grown into an annual event, drawing thousands of Broadway fans.

What can you find at the Broadway Flea Market? EVERYTHING. From Playbills dating back to the mid 1900’s, to actual props from Broadway shows, to tee shirts and posters, and even Broadway stars! There’s an Autograph Table and Photo Booth. (Last year, I was THISCLOSE to meeting Jeremy Jordan at the Photo Booth, but the line was cut off right before i was up. Fingers crossed for this year!)

There are live auctions and silent auctions going on all day with fabulous items to be bought- tickets to Broadway shows, signed memorabilia, and even walk on roles in some Broadway shows! But one of the best parts of the day is being able to meet and interact with so many Broadway fans just like yourself- you find someone who freaks out over the prop from Newsies or the poster of Gypsy just like you did and you realize that there are so many theatre fans out there that you automatically feel connected to.

As I mentioned, the Flea Market was created to benefit BC/EFA. Last year, the Flea Market raised an incredible $631,222, all for charity. I was there, and I bought a BC/EFA tee shirt, a pack of Newsies trading cards, an actual newspaper used in Newsies, and a signed prop from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella– an invitation to the banquet! Everywhere you turned, you saw someone you recognized- I saw Jeremy Jordan, Kara Lindsay, Zachary Levi, Stark Sands, Annaleigh Ashford, Rachel Bay Jones, Matthew J. Thomas, Greg Hildreth, Paul Wontorek, and basically the entire male ensemble of Newsies! And perhaps my favorite moment- my mother bumped into Billy Porter (!!!) and he looked down at her and said, “Well hello!!!” How cool is that?! You can’t find it anywhere else but the Broadway Flea Market.

To watch a video of highlights from last year, click here. You’ll see just how much fun this event is. I hope you can make it this year! I know I’ll be there!

Hello From the Pit Orchestra!

Hey there. Yes, you, up there on the stage. No, bit lower. Not the auditorium. Below the footlights. Ah yes. Hello. It’s the pit orchestra speaking.

I understand if we’ve never spoken before. Vaguely threatening entities who came in late to rehearsals, sitting in the corner to not talk to anyone who wasn’t also dressed in black (MD’s excepted, usually), pit band musicians are a strange bunch. Just like the actors who are carrying on above us, we tend to be a bit clique-y, loaded down with strange-shaped instrument cases and jokes about violas. (For those who don’t understand viola jokes: violas are an essential part of an orchestra, providing a depth of tone to the string section of which neither a violin nor a cello are capable. Some people find this amusing.) But cut us some slack, if you will. It’s a tough job playing down beneath your feet.

1. Time.

For start, we’re not always given half as much time to rehearse as the actors up above. I’ve been in shows where we were given the music the day of the performance. Sometimes the afternoon of the performance. Once or twice, during the interval of the performance. Whilst the musical director may have been an intricate part of the proceedings from day one, much of the orchestra will have been drafted in last-minute. This goes all the way through the hierarchy: from school shows, where the school’s one bassoonist has decided they’d much rather be part of the chorus, all the way up to professional shows, where pit bands are often lacking in one crucial instrument (it’s always the harp), who has to be found on a moment’s notice. It’s not uncommon for the orchestra not to arrive before the sitzprobe, and if they’re professional gigging musicians, they won’t have had a month in advance to practise. Essentially, those who cannot sight-read need not apply.

2. Space.

Have you ever looked down into an orchestra pit? They’re not very nice things, to put it politely. Dark, cramped, and usually desperately short of headroom, an orchestra pit is not a place for expansive arm gestures. But who, I hear you ask, needs to make expansive arm gestures in an orchestra pit? Violinists, that’s who. And cellists. Being elbowed in the face is not uncommon amongst string players regardless, but in a little dark space full of squished musicians, it’s almost inevitable. Whilst lots can be done nowadays in terms of mic-ing up instruments, there’s nothing that can beat the sound of a full string section. One violin turned up very loud is never going to sound like twenty violins playing normally, which means, quelle suprise, that there are going to be as many violins as the budget can afford/pit can fit.

3. Cuts.

I’m not going to pin this one entirely on you, actors, because it’s the director’s fault as well, but have you ever thought about how much your production differs from the original written text? Yes, you may well be doing all the songs in all the right order, but there’s a reason everyone should always bring a pencil to rehearsal. Directors cut lines, actors decide to sing their song in a different key, and the dance break is fifteen seconds longer than the original track. This may be all well and good for you, but think about the poor orchestra. It’s tough enough if you’ve come in at the last minute, but to be told that the score in front of you is wrong in about thirty different places is exhausting. Last-minute scribblings in margins, badly-printed sheet music written in Sibelius half an hour before curtain-up, the occasional GO BACK TO BAR 47 written in as dark a pencil as the lending library will let you get away with, on top of the fact that you may not have seen this music more than 48 hours ago, is a difficult balancing act.

So be nice to the orchestra accompanying you. The sad truth, having been on both sides of the curtain, is that the only times the orchestra gets noticed is during the overture, during the entr’acte, and when the trombone player drops his mute onto the cymbal during Fantine’s death scene. If we’re lucky, we get a separate round of applause from the lighting desk. But maybe don’t feel too sorry for us. After all, in many amateur productions, we’re the only ones getting paid. And the fact that if an actor is particularly unpleasant, we can always play their solo a semitone up or two.