Okay, yes, this is partly just a way to share some exciting news with you guys, but I also thought since we have so many fans of Broadway shows around here, it might be nice to give you a glimpse of what it’s like to work on a show and answer any questions you might have.
I’m currently in rehearsals for a new show called Iron Curtain, and it’ll be my debut as conductor for an Off-Broadway show. I’ve been making a living in NYC for 5 years as a music director/pianist for the theatre, but for a show to be officially considered Off-Broadway, a lot of prerequisites have to be met. So far, my only other Off-Broadway credit was a show I did for 13 months in 2008-2009, but I was the Assistant Music Director, so this is my first time in the big chair.
Anyway, our first orchestra rehearsal is tonight. We go into previews November 5 and open on the 9th. It’s a limited run but has a strong possibility of extending. If you live in NYC you should check it out, and if you have any questions about the business from my point of view I’ll be happy to answer them!
How did you get into the field? Did you study classical orchestra conducting? Interest-wise, did you get into this via a love of music, a love of theater, a love of conducting…?
Thanks for the congrats, guys! I’m really excited. randwill, I’ll admit sometimes the specifics are lost on me, because producers and stage managers are more in that world of contracts and negotiations than I am. Basically it boils down to things like the number of seats in the theatre (most Off-Broadway shows are between 100-399), whether the actors are Equity, whether the show is eligible for Drama Desks and other awards, and where the theatre is located in regards to midtown NYC.
Rodgers01:
How did you get into the field? Did you study classical orchestra conducting? Interest-wise, did you get into this via a love of music, a love of theater, a love of conducting…?
I can still remember listening to my dad’s 8-track of Jesus Christ Superstar when I was 13 and realizing I wanted to work in theatre. It was like 4 in the morning, and the tape was so old, everything was slowed down a little and sounded creepy and low. I loved it. So I moved to NYC when I was 24, spent 4 years working day jobs while I built up my resume, and then 5 years ago I got my first professional gig and haven’t had a day job since (knock on wood). I’m self-taught, both on the piano and in conducting.
What’s the music like?
It’s a lot like The Producers, if you’re familiar with that show. Lots of that old-school Broadway sound, but with a hint of contemporary thrown in there. It’s set in the '50s so the music reflects that. But the lyrics are brilliant (proof: a German dominatrix-type woman sings “My personal style can be curt, even vile”).
Have you worked with the composer at all?
Yes, he’s been in the room on occasion. Since it’s a new show, there have been times when he’s had to write some new music on our lunch break, and then we incorporate it when we get back. Just little things like incidental music and dance breaks; nothing major. He’s been very complimentary about my work, which I was nervous about!
Any way to get discounted tickets??
Ha, it may be on TDF! Or TKTS once we open, maybe. Keep an eye out for it!
How do you get jobs in your line of work? How much is personal contacts vs internet ads vs paper ads? How does a conductor show that he can conduct, do you audition?
There are 8 people in the orchestra, including me. I’m playing piano in addition to conducting, which is proving to be a challenge with this show. Normally it’s not a problem to conduct with your head while you play, but this show really needs a stick conductor rather than a playing one. But I’m dealing with it and things seem to be going well. So there’s me on piano, drums, bass, trumpet, trombone, second keyboard/violin (yes, the same guy plays both), and two reed players who play 5 (yes, five) instruments *each *(flute, clarinet, saxophone, etc.). So it’s 8 but it sounds like 20!
If you can find me, haha. Unfortunately, in this particular production the orchestra will not be in the pit because the theatre doesn’t have one, believe it or not. We’ll be backstage, hidden from view. It doesn’t make me happy, but it happens sometimes.
I’d say maybe 75% is personal contacts. The internet and trade papers still do play a part, but the majority is through word of mouth and people you’ve played with before. I don’t always have to audition, but I did have to for this. I had worked with some of the producers before but I guess they wanted to make sure I was right for this particular project. And I guess I was! But I only had to play for the audition, not conduct… it’s kind of understood that you know how to do it when they look at your resume, I guess. But like I said, I wish I was conducting more and playing less for this show, because it’s so busy. My neck is getting a good workout!
Last Easter I went to a local production of Cabaret; the “orchestra” was the local brass band. The community center doesn’t have a pit either, so they were on a sort of shelf higher than the actors’ heads and some of the scenes took place on that same shelf. I thought it was an interesting solution, but I don’t think it would go well with pianos…
