Musicals

[skej21]

Musicals

What do people think?

Love 'em? Hate 'em? Have a favourite? Playing in the pit for one?

I've found myself taking jobs in the pit for quite a few musical productions (good and bad!) recently including Hairspray, Lion King, We Will Rock You and Dreamgirls, and I'm having loads of fun with them, despite thinking they weren't "my kinda thing" musically before I started.

Just wondering what the overall opinion of the mighty bass community is regarding musicals?

Edited October 17, 2010 by skej21

[EssentialTension]

My favourite is [i]Lagaan[/i]:

[Doddy]

Some I like,some I don't.

I've played in the pit for a bunch of them.

[Master blaster]

ive done Grease and Me and my Girl and i enjoyed playing in the band for both quite alot. But i really cannot stand watching and listening to the actual shows. I suppose i love the being the band part but not the whole finished product.

[risingson]

Really not a fan of most musicals, I think for the most part they're tacky and completely wet. Professional pit players are almost always great players though.

BUT there is one massive exception to the rule and that would be West Side Story. Give or take the story line itself, but the music from Leonard Bernstein I still consider to be one of the most seminal pieces of orchestration of all time, worthy of comparison to any great opera or concerto. Absolutely staggering musicianship has to be observed playing the entire score otherwise the whole thing falls flat on it's arse.

[Oscar South]

Jeff Waynes War Of The Worlds.

[skej21]

I think the reason I'm loving it so much, is that it's just my idea of a perfect gig. I get to explore new music that I've barely played before, I get to use skills such as sightreading (which makes the hours of practice come to life and feel worthwhile) and it's just a huge adrenaline rush when you nail some really tight, snappy passages first time! The musicians I've worked with have all been incredible too, and all really nice, modest people!

I think I definately have the bug, and the standard of musicianship from the other pit players is really inspiring.

Such a great way to gig and really satisfying when you're packing up/driving home.

I'd highly recommend it

Edited October 17, 2010 by skej21

[Stingray5]

West Side Story was always a particular favourite, but I could name a bunch more.
Some people may not like musicals perhaps because of the storyline or characters and the necessity to 'over-act', at least for live performances.
But the songs and composers are what make it for me, first and foremost.
So I could be watching or just listening to something like "Porgy and Bess" or "South Pacific" one minute, then maybe "Mama Mia" or "Jersey Boys" the next.
Now I'm just waiting for "Basschat - The Musical"! (With a cast of thousands...)

[OliverBlackman]

at the moment its my career ambition, i love the dramatic music, like film scores kinda thing. Just need to get good and be a reading master

[Delberthot]

My 2 favourite musicals are the Blues Brothers and Pink Floyd's The Wall

[chris_b]

Rocky Horror Show, 5 Guys Named Mo, the Lieber and Stoller one (can’t remember name), Buddy (Buddy Holly). All great shows with good music and playing.

Edit: I forgot Grease.

Edited October 18, 2010 by chris_b

[Earbrass]

On the whole I have no time for them, but I do like West Side Story, and the Brecht/Weill stuff, and Guys and Dolls. I also love the "Trouble in River City" number from "The Music Man" ( the inspiration for the "Monorail" number in the Simpsons episode).



Actually, now I come to think about it, I part-wrote one once - a truly awful musical adaptation of Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Quite proud of the libretto, but the music was average to poor and the production as a whole was pretty dire. For those who don't know, it's all about the women of Athens going on a sex-strike to try to force their menfolk to end the Peloponnesian War with Sparta. The humour is extremely broad, and the production featured HUGE dildos in several scenes. One evening, a couple turned up with their young kids, and the director had to have a quiet word to warn them about the content. They stayed, though, and seemed to enjoy themselves.

Edited October 18, 2010 by Earbrass

[lowdown]

[quote name='Earbrass' post='991990' date='Oct 18 2010, 09:58 AM']On the whole I have no time for them, but I do like West Side Story, and the Brecht/Weill stuff, and Guys and Dolls. I also love the "Trouble in River City" number from "The Music Man" ( the inspiration for the "Monorail" number in the Simpsons episode).



Actually, now I come to think about it, I part-wrote one once - a truly awful musical adaptation of Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Quite proud of the libretto, but the music was average to poor and the production as a whole was pretty dire. For those who don't know, it's all about the women of Athens going on a sex-strike to try to force their menfolk to end the Peloponnesian War with Sparta. The humour is extremely broad, and the production featured HUGE dildos in several scenes. One evening, a couple turned up with their young kids, and the director had to have a quiet word to warn them about the content. They stayed, [b]though, and seemed to enjoy themselves.[/b][/quote]

Not with the Dildos i hope...!

I have done plenty of shows over the years, some were great to play [JS Superstar for one], others so so.
But i have never sat out front and watched one - not for me i am afraid. I hate stage school singing styles,
although there are exceptions knocking around of course.


Garry


Garry

[MacDaddy]

i've played for a few college productions, never in a pit though always somewhere in the rafters. Good fun, but [i]lots [/i]of waiting around during rehearsals.

[karlfer]

I am in complete AWE of you guys who have played in orch pits.
Fantastic and respect to you all!

Oh, JC Superstar, original recording, loved the basslines.

Karl.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='karlfer' post='992226' date='Oct 18 2010, 02:21 PM']... Oh, JC Superstar, original recording, loved the basslines ...[/quote]
Alan Spenner??

[xilddx]

[quote name='skej21' post='991598' date='Oct 17 2010, 08:56 PM']Musicals

What do people think?

Love 'em? Hate 'em? Have a favourite? Playing in the pit for one?

I've found myself taking jobs in the pit for quite a few musical productions (good and bad!) recently including Hairspray, Lion King, We Will Rock You and Dreamgirls, and I'm having loads of fun with them, despite thinking they weren't "my kinda thing" musically before I started.

Just wondering what the overall opinion of the mighty bass community is regarding musicals?[/quote]
Detest them. I find them hideously embarrassing to watch. I probably have some sort of self-loathing issue that makes me feel this way.

[OliverBlackman]

[quote name='silddx' post='992398' date='Oct 18 2010, 04:29 PM']Detest them. I find them hideously embarrassing to watch. I probably have some sort of self-loathing issue that makes me feel this way.[/quote]


as for watching them, never have never will.

[thunderbird13]

For some reason the car radio will only pick up radio 2 which isnt a problem with the exception of sunday afternnoons when Elaine Page has a show on playing "show tunes " . Most of the well known songs are OK but the other ones are usually awful and obviously filler.