Shameless Plugging

[DMDarcs]

I've been directing a virtual musical.

Students have had music rehearsals in person, to learn their music. We've recorded full ensemble music together. Everything else was recorded in isolation. All recording and mixing was done by a former student. I've been directing acting completely virtually. Students recorded their scenes in isolation from each other. Bluedevyl has done all of the video editing.

We operate on only what we can take in from years previous. Our district does not provide us with financial support for the theater program, with the exception of the salary for myself and the music director. Costs of costumes and props come directly out of my pocket, and I only ask for compensation from the drama club if we make a profit. (Which we haven't for the past three years.)

Please, come check this out. The kids have been working extremely hard. About half of my cast has never had a starring role before; some have never even been in a musical before. The quality of their work, all things considering, is quite good.

The streaming link is in the image below. You can buy tickets NOW. The show is this Friday, 4/16, 7 PM, Saturday, 4/17 2PM, and Saturday 4/17 7 PM. All shows are Eastern Time Zone. It's $10 for a stream, so you can have as many people watch at once as you'd like. (Note: It is not video on demand, so you actually have to be there at the appointed time - just like real theater!) The show is about 90 minutes long.

Please consider supporting these students. They work their tales off. They haven't been able to have any concerts this year. Most of them are not athletes and will not ever get acknowledge outside of this weekend.

[DMDarcs]

If you're having trouble reading the link, it is www.showtix4u.com/event-details/50635

[Kyle]

Purchased!

[Mike]

Me too!

Those are pretty much the same dates and times that my own children are putting on their own school musical. I picked the matinee. I'm mostly doing this to help the kids, but I'm hoping I actually get to watch it too. We'll see.

Good luck, Pat! This sounds like an amazing amount of work under difficult circumstances.

[DMDarcs]

Purchased!

Thank you! I hope you enjoy!

[DMDarcs]

Me too!

Those are pretty much the same dates and times that my own children are putting on their own school musical. I picked the matinee. I'm mostly doing this to help the kids, but I'm hoping I actually get to watch it too. We'll see.

Good luck, Pat! This sounds like an amazing amount of work under difficult circumstances.

Thank you! Good luck on your kids' musical!

[DMDarcs]

There have been a number of technical issues, and as such, this musical will not be streamed this weekend. Instead, we will use the same days and times NEXT weekend, April 23 and 24. I apologize for the incovenience. If needed, you can claim a refund at ShowTix4U.

[Phoebe]

I'm going to try to watch it next weekend with my kid - she loooooves musicals and is bitter about not being able to do the pit orchestra for their school musical this year.

[Kyle]

I'm going to try to watch it next weekend with my kid - she loooooves musicals and is bitter about not being able to do the pit orchestra for their school musical this year.

Pit orchestras have a reputation for being one of the most aggressive breeds of orchestra. Is there any truth to that?

[Eliahad]

I'm going to try to watch it next weekend with my kid - she loooooves musicals and is bitter about not being able to do the pit orchestra for their school musical this year.

Pit orchestras have a reputation for being one of the most aggressive breeds of orchestra. Is there any truth to that?

What do you mean by aggressive?

[Mike]

I'm going to try to watch it next weekend with my kid - she loooooves musicals and is bitter about not being able to do the pit orchestra for their school musical this year.

Pit orchestras have a reputation for being one of the most aggressive breeds of orchestra. Is there any truth to that?

I heard that's just a myth. Pit orchestras are are no more dangerous than any kind of orchestra. My sister-in-law has had a pit orchestras for years, and it's the friendliest orchestra ever.

[Phoebe]

Are you talking to me?
I said, are you, talking to me? I'm told the pit orchestra is in fact aggressively competitive and somewhat hostile, relative to the normal orchestra or chamber group.

[Mike]

Are you talking to me?
I said, are you, talking to me? I'm told the pit orchestra is in fact aggressively competitive and somewhat hostile, relative to the normal orchestra or chamber group.

"Normal"? I'm not comfortable with that. It implies that other orchestras are somehow... abnormal. Nowadays, people prefer the term "symphony" orchestra.

[DMDarcs]

My pit bands (no strings, so not an orchestra) have always been the most kind and welcoming group of kids I work with. They started a tradition of all going out to dinner together during production week. They always make sure to invite me as well. Sometimes I go, and when I do I surprise them by paying for all the meals. They all seem super apolegetic and insist that was not why they invited me. I tell them I know, but that they would all be going off to college soon, so they should save their money. And keep fostering this mentality amongst each other! It's good.

[Eliahad]

My experience in professional pits mirrors Pat's. By the end of an 8 week run, you're family. The stuff you talk about between places and downbeat are usually the most interesting moments of the night.

Now, for Broadway itself, it's going to be a little different, you're going to have people playing the same show for thirty years, and there are going to be some ups and downs. But they also have full string orchestras, which means you have all the problems of a theme park mixed with all the problema of a zoo. Except when Phantom of the Opera goes down, the pit doesn't eat the patrons. Sweeney Todd is a different story.......

[Phoebe]

My limited experience in HS pit orchestra was the same as y'all's. My kid loooooves it as a way to be part of theatre, but the problem is they don't automatically let a certain student lead it, and the band kids think a band kid should, and the jazz band kids think the piano or drums should, and that's where the vicious competitiveness enters: factionalism. It's like normal human politics AND YES I said NORMAL who will step? Factional infighting is the human norm - NORM! But it must be defeated.

[Kyle]

My pit bands (no strings, so not an orchestra) have always been the most kind and welcoming group of kids I work with. They started a tradition of all going out to dinner together during production week. They always make sure to invite me as well. Sometimes I go, and when I do I surprise them by paying for all the meals. They all seem super apolegetic and insist that was not why they invited me. I tell them I know, but that they would all be going off to college soon, so they should save their money. And keep fostering this mentality amongst each other! It's good.

See, this just shows that, with proper trading, a pit orchestra can be just as friendly and sweet as any other orchestra. I’ve heard that the same can’t be said of chihuahua orchestras.

[Eliahad]

Well, yes, you have to train your orchestra. You can't just pick up any old orchestra you find on the street and think it'll be fine without a lot of work. Also, you have to make sure you spay and neuter your orchestra, otherwise you'll have an orchestra explosion and you don't want to end up like that one island in Japan where you can't walk two feet without some orchestra playing Mahler at you.

[Kyle]

Next band name: Orchestra Explosion

[DMDarcs]

My limited experience in HS pit orchestra was the same as y'all's. My kid loooooves it as a way to be part of theatre, but the problem is they don't automatically let a certain student lead it, and the band kids think a band kid should, and the jazz band kids think the piano or drums should, and that's where the vicious competitiveness enters: factionalism. It's like normal human politics AND YES I said NORMAL who will step? Factional infighting is the human norm - NORM! But it must be defeated.

Why is a student leding the pit orchestra? Are they getting paid to do it?

[Phoebe]

Well, they aren't having it this year so I don't really know. I do know nobody is getting paid. I think they meant something like who gets to be the concertmaster equivalent of that orchestra, but also whoever that person is does a number of things to lead beyond the usual. I know transcribing was involved?

[DMDarcs]

Well, they aren't having it this year so I don't really know. I do know nobody is getting paid. I think they meant something like who gets to be the concertmaster equivalent of that orchestra, but also whoever that person is does a number of things to lead beyond the usual. I know transcribing was involved?

Ah. Student slavery.