Nunsense orchestration
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Topic: Nunsense orchestration
Posted By: drewnkc
Subject: Nunsense orchestration
Date Posted: 3/09/08 at 10:13pm
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I'm in a bit of a pickle. we are trying to do Nunsense in our small community theater; however, the council will not approve it unless we can use a full orchestra. they want to appease the regular musicans that work on the summer musical, so they will come back year after year.
Does anyone know of an arrangement of the score for Nunsense that includes a larger orchestra? Everything that I have found is for a small four or five piece band.
thanks for any help you can offer.
Drew
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Replies:
Posted By: gaftpres
Date Posted: 3/21/08 at 5:44pm
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We just did Nunsense II and it played great with a small band. I couldn't imagine an orchestra. I suggest telling the "council" that you would be happy to accomodate them if "they can find the orchestration for you. If not, well, in a small community I am sure directors don't live around every corner, perhaps they will conform for you. ------------- Old volunteers never die, they just get recycled! |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:28pm
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Put to the muso's & get thier take on it, which i doubt they would object anyway, as these days they are easily replaced with DVD's anyway! ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: drewnkc
Date Posted: 3/21/08 at 9:55pm
| Thanks to both for your responses. Unfortunately, the council already decided not to do Nunsense. They just didn't think the musicians would come back next year if we didn't use them this year. These are very closed minded folks will little vision. They say they want to promote the arts but only if it was written by Rogers and Hammerstein (not that there's anything wrong with R&H, but come on). |
Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 3/22/08 at 2:45am
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Our local City Council also loves to promote the arts - so long as it's only the visual or static arts & not the performing arts.
Me thinks you may need to get voted on your theatre council?
Best of luck! ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 3/23/08 at 11:27am
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Your "council" has allowed themselves to be victims of themselves. Did they even talk to the musicians before deciding this? The smart thing for them to do would have been to talk with them. They then should have infomed them of what they intended to do, that it had nothing to do with them and that they want them for future productions that NEED a full up orchestra. Is the relationship that tenuious to not survive doing show that doesn't require that many musicians?
By the way: my ct is doing Nunsense next season and we're relieved that we don't need a full orchestra for it. ------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: SherrieAnne
Date Posted: 3/23/08 at 2:15pm
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We did NUNSENSE with just a piano, NUNSENSE II with keyboards & drum set. You might add a bass, but much more than that would be pretty overwhelming. ------------- There's a little bit of diva in all of us. Some just have a larger helping than others. |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 3/27/08 at 1:36pm
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the entire POINT of "Nunsense" is that it's being performed on a shoe-string with the pit band from a catholic school band left over playing for "Grease." a full orchestration would COMPLETELY go against what the play is ABOUT |
Posted By: SDstoryteller
Date Posted: 3/27/08 at 6:22pm
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THANK YOU tristanrobin!! As I scrolled down reading these responses I was wondering why no-one had pointed out the GROSSLY OBVIOUS!
Not that the other points made here aren't worthy, because they are! Very!
It's just...what about the intent of the SHOW?! ------------- Watching someone struggle to maintain control is far more fascinating than watching them lose it. |
Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 3/30/08 at 10:47am
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I'm brand new to this board, but not to theater. I've been actively involved in it since 1974.
That being said, all of the NUNSENSE musicals were written for a small orchestra. To do differently would go against your contract. I suggest you contact the author(via his website) and get his feedback. He's highly approachable and might be able to offer you a sound argument to counter your council's 'suggestion' Charlie |
Posted By: dramafreak21
Date Posted: 3/31/08 at 2:07pm
| we just finished up nunsense and we used a keyboard and drums and it worked out really well. i think the show would sound silly with full orchestration (not to mention, as spikesgirl pointed out, it would go against the contract). anyway, just my two cents. :) |