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

[Richard Trafford-Owen <richard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A couple of years ago I was part of an original theatre piece that was primarily a solo performance, but with band. There was a lot of engagement with the band. I was in the band and had quite a few lines in addition to playing. It was a lot of fun and we were awarded best of San Francisco fringe, which was a huge honour.

The biggest difference between acting and being in a band for me was the importance of consistency. Not hitting marks throws off all the other performers.

> On Apr 6, 2014, at 12:03 AM, 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!)
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