Re: [Harp-L] How Musical Theater differs from Blues gigs and jams

[George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx>]

Robert, you've hit the nail on the head.

I played the show at two different venues in the 90s--one was a HS with
VERY limited budget for professional musicians, the second was a
semi-professional playhouse.  For the HS gig, I was  given the piano score
and instructed to play all cues everytime  that the harmonica part was
tacet.  For the playhouse gig, I was given selected parts to cover,
and think I played chord harmonica to fill.

At the moment, I'm playing electric bass for Wizard of Oz.  So yes, I
always have my Post-It-Notes, a dozen of sharpened pencils, and
HIGHLIGHTERS (only because I always photocopy my music and shred it at the
end of the show.  Also I am able to avert bad page turns with fold out
pages since playing electric bass, I don't have a hand to spare!

George

On Sunday, April 6, 2014, Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Working Harmonica this month in a  Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix) production of
> "Big River, the story of Huckleberry Finn" (11 songs by Roger Miller - Dang
> me)
>
>    1. Lotsa rehearsal! Three 3-hour weekly rehearsals preceding show open,
>    plus tech-week run throughs with full cast and dialog
>    2. Lots of sitting quietly and waiting for your cues. Lots.
>    3. Helps to be a treble clef reader (Gotta count those measures when
>    laying out!)
>    4. Read it, play it correctly, and do it every night
>    5. Try not to sneeze or cough (we are not in an orchestra pit, but
>    visible to the audience throughout, and mic'd)
>    6. Be agreeable to frequent changes right before each show -  "play
>    more, play less, improvise" where there is no score to read
>    7. Bring sticky tabs and pencils - Directors will add repeats or cut
>    sections out of your book. Then you must erase it all when you return
> the
>    rental books
>    8. Sight read and sing tenor to a four part hymn, reinforcing the
>    on-stage singers (finger-in-ear to keep the pitch - no monitors)
>    9. Buy a Trump (jew's harp) in the right key, although no one else
>    thinks that would matter
>    10. Bring all your diatonics, because they may ask you play on a tune
>    that did NOT call for harp in your score, or change the key for a singer
>
> So yes, it's all very different, and still very fun and  challenging.
> Meet lots of great new friends in cast, crew, and band/orchestra.
> In Mesa theater, the pay is not stunning when looking at your hourly rate,
> but you get to update your resume and and website.
>
> If you get the opportunity, do it!
> I would love to hear what others have encountered in Musical Theater.
>
> Robert Hale
> Spiral Advocate (Fanatic!)
> Learn Harmonica by Webcam
> Low Rates, High Success
> http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL
> http://www.dukeofwail.com
> https://www.facebook.com/DUKEofWAIL
>


-- 

   - *GEORGE MIKLAS,* Harmonica Performing Artist and
Entertainer<http://harmonicagallery.com/>

   - *THE HARMONICA WIZARD MARCH* by John Philip
Sousa<http://harmonicagallery.com/sousa>

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   Breathe* <http://us.playhohner.com/>
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   armonica, <http://spah.org/>
      - *a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to serving the
      harmonica community. <http://spah.org/>*