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Re: Pit Orchestra Parts: Elimination to Save Dollars

Author: grifffinity
Date: 2010-06-08 14:50

In my experience with musical theatre, most MD's I've worked with have no idea what books are important. Full scores either don't exist or they only have access to the piano/vocal score that may have orch cues and a CD. At the local and even non-equity tour level (of which I've played) many MD's are vocalists/pianists who have very little interest in full orchestrations or are restrained by budgets limiting them to hiring a certain number of musicians.

I recently played in a production of Fiddler on the Roof where the MD and AD had no idea that the clarinet was an important part of the score. I kid you not - I was the only wind player in the pit comprised of a drummer, piano and strings.

I also did the non-equity tour of Bye-Bye Birdie which was "arranged" by the MD. Turns out most of the stuff was doubled in keyboard II which was so loud you could not hear the live winds in tutti parts. Nothing like having to tune to synthed sax in Telephone hour.

Post Edited (2010-06-08 14:53)

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