Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: STRINGS IN THE ORCHESTRA?

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Jennifer
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Topic: STRINGS IN THE ORCHESTRA?
Posted: 10/17/06 at 11:42am

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum, but I am very excited to find it and be able to share ideas. I am asking for some thoughts on my situation....

I am a music teater in a public school, and just started as stage director for our high school musicals last year. I have also worked in other aspects (stage manager, assistant director, pit orchestra player). The orchetra conductor and I have been butting heads about our "philosphies". He belives ALL of his string students should play in the pit, even if some are much better players, and others can barely play at all.

This leaves us very restricted in both our choice of shows (since he wants string to participate), and in our artistic quality of the whole show itself (tempos end up slower, orchestra is out of tune, etc.). It can be very frustrating at times!

But, I am wondering if anyone else has this situation, and if there are any suggestions for me. Also, is it "illegal" to write string parts for a show if there are none to rent from the publisher? (i.e. "Little Shop of Horrors"; "Joseph...Dreamcoat", etc.)

Thank you ahead of time for your responses!

Jennifer

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B-M-D
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 12:46pm

I don't know about the legality of excluding the string parts out of a show but you might want to check with the company that owns the rights and see what thoughts they have on it.

As to your other dilema, I'm in the camp that says do the best possible show you can do. If that means not including some of the less talented or experienced players then so be it. Let them learn and rise the level expected rather than sacrifice the quality of the show.

Granted some of them are learning but let them learn the craft well enough before a paying audience has to sit through an out of tune or barely discernable overture.

Your orchestra conductor is not doing these kids any favors by allowing the less talented or expeienced players participate. They may "feel good" by playing and you might avoid some perterbed parents but the worst thing you could possibley do is give in to the lowest common denominator mentality of your conductor.

Unfortunately I don't have a compromise solution for you. I'm not much on compromise when it comes to things like this. If I were in the same postion I'd pull rank and say I'm the director this is how it's going to be (in the nicest possible way of course).

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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Joan54
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 1:45pm

I wonder why it is that sport coaches can play their best players but the music teacher thinks everyone should "have a chance". I think the musicians for the theater should try out for their "roles" the same way that the actors do.

"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

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tristanrobin
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 3:07pm

[QUOTE=Joan54] I wonder why it is that sport coaches can play their best
players but the music teacher thinks everyone should "have a chance".? [/
QUOTE]

spot on target

why in the world should every child on stage and in the orchestra be
hampered because the conductor wants to play the great equalizer?

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Mike Polo
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 3:28pm

"...and all of the children are above average"

Garrison Keillor

I don't know why the above quote kicked in, but it seems appropriate.

Maybe arts teachers and band leaders worry more about "self-esteem" than athletic coaches do... though honestly, giving a child an unrealistic idea of their own abilities only postpones the blow to the self-esteem, rather than doing any real good, in my opinion.

Mike Polo
Community Theater Green Room
http://www.communitytheater.org

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eveharrington
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 5:18pm

If the show is an extra-curricular activity and not attached to a class, then you should pick the shows you think will do the best in your situation and audition everyone who will be performing, including musicians. As for having parts for every type of instrument...., well the HS I went to only did one musical a year, and only musicals because it was an extra and the chorus teacher had to volunteer to direct in order to make it happen at all. I am what you call tone-deaf so there was not much for me to do in these shows and I was not the only one, this was disappointing but I found ways to be involved and that's just how it goes. If the other person insists then pick music for the pre and post show that will include all his orchestra.

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

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eveharrington
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Posted: 10/17/06 at 5:20pm

Also (sorry) how would he like to have to accomodate every student who showed up to auditions with a line and a song.

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

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Gaafa
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Posted: 10/22/06 at 2:25am

Originally posted by eveharrington

Also (sorry) how would he like to have to accomodate every student who showed up to auditions with a line and a song.

Gawd that reminds me when I was called in by the local principle of a Primary school in the bush.
Where the music teacher wanted to put on a musical using all his music students in the school.
He had little or no idea, yet wanted to hire the local professional performing arts venue, for a single performance season.
Although there was only 5 principle roles & 10 chorus parts in, this cobbled together generic musical, which I have forgotten the name of.
Each rehearsal he would split up a characters dialogue, to give a line each to more students he added in.
The Principal was worried that the venue hire was going to be around $2500 with no chance of covering all the costs.
Unfortunately this teacher thought by adding almost the whole student body, this would guarantee to fill the house.
I spent a lot of time trying to point out he was pushing it up hill with his nose & at the end of the day, he would be left wearing the aroma as a deodorant.
But to no avail, so I suggested what he should do the show as it is, as a special performance for an assembly at the school. Watching his ego take over he agreed? Needless to say it was less than pathetic & he realised it would be better if he pulled the pin on it.
The script wasn?t that bad but it was one of those generic ones churned out. That are available cheaply for schools, more as a class room exercise than a theatrical production.

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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John Luzaich
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Posted: 3/06/08 at 12:35pm

(responding to Jennifers original post)

The original off-broadway production of Joseph... only had one violin. Joseph... was one of the first shows to replace strings with a synthisizer that was used throughout the show.

Little Shop is more of a rock & roll band sound. (also with a synthisizer). A bunch of strings would ruin the sound of the show.

John
cfct@cfu.net
http://www.osterregent.org
http://www.facebook.com/osterregent

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theatreforlife
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Posted: 3/08/08 at 8:36pm

As a string player (cellist) I am required to try out for any musical playing positions in the musicals we perform, as long as I'm not the only one interested. Not everyone who plays an instrument is interested in theatre and musicals, the music instructor should realize this. This also keeps the less musically inclined (the worse) string players from messing up the music.

Oh, and hi by the way, I'm new to the threads.

Being in theatre is very similar to be being unemployed.

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Topic: STRINGS IN THE ORCHESTRA?( Topic Closed)