Freak accidents during Broadway shows endangering musicians

[morosco]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 9:47pm

Freak and potentially career-ending accidents are happening more often at Broadway musicals, according to the maestros’ union.

During an Oct. 8 performance of “Back to the Future The Musical,” a skateboard flew from the stage into the orchestra pit near the end of the first act, smashing trumpeter Raul Agraz’s horn into his mouth.

Flying skateboards! Plummetting meat grinders! Freak accidents during Broadway shows endangering musicians: union

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 9:51pm

I had assumed all open pits were covered with some netting. Why is this not the standard?

[James885]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 10:49pm

IMO, the most disturbing incident in this article is of the conductor at Wicked fainting and stage management deciding to continue the show, all while the musicians dialed 911 for help. Maybe others more knowledgable can enlighten me but I'm hard pressed to think of a good reason why the show should not have been stopped at that point. 

Updated On: 12/16/23 at 10:49 PM

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 10:53pm

James885 said: "The most disturbing incident in this article in my opinion is of the conductor at Wicked fainting and stage management deciding not to pause the show, all while the musicians dialed 911. Maybe others more knowledgable can enlighten me but I'm hard pressed to think of a good reason not to stop show in an instance such as that."

That’s definitely a textbook reason to stop a show, but producers don’t want to risk refunding even one ticket - and management is doing their bidding. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 11:04pm

Except there's no reason the show couldn't have continued once the  conductor was taken care of.  Emrgencies stop shows all the time.

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 12/16/23 at 11:25pm

All the time? Like every day, at every show? Because that’s what a generalization like “all the time” implies.
And in the 300 or so times I’ve been in a Broadway theatre, I’ve never seen anything stop. But I can imagine an indeterminate delay could result in walkouts and management can’t risk opening that door. 

Updated On: 12/16/23 at 11:25 PM

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 12:07am

Then you’ve had remarkably good luck. I’ve attended many Broadway shows that have stopped, and it’s usually for the safety of the company. That performance of Wicked should have been stopped. The conductor, along with the calling stage manager, runs the show. That show has so much music, I’m not even sure how that performance went on.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 12:25am

BorisTomashevsky said: "All the time? Like every day, at every show? Because that’s what a generalization like “all the time” implies.
And in the 300 or so times I’ve been in a Broadway theatre,I’ve never seen anything stop. But I can imagine an indeterminate delay could result in walkouts and management can’t risk opening that door."

I don't think that is what was mean't. I think what was meant was when the emergencies do happen. I think we all know they don't happen every day.

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 7:19am

I've been at several shows that have needed to stop... Sometimes for illness in the audience, sometime because of something involving a cast member, sometimes just set malfunctions. People didn't leave in droves, although I can't promise no one left...and if they did, they would not be entitled to a refund unless the show was actually cancelled. It's live theater, IT HAPPENS. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 8:06am

That show has so much music, I’m not even sure how that performance went on.

Another musician in the pit is a designated standby conductor if the lead conductor is unable to. The switch happens often during performances for various reasons without the audience even knowing there was a momentary switch. 

[trpguyy]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 9:19am

BrodyFosse123 said: "That show has so much music, I’m not even sure how that performance went on.

Another musician in the pit is a designated standby conductor if the lead conductor is unable to. The switch happens often during performances for various reasons without the audience even knowing there was a momentary switch."

 

LOL, the poster you’re replying to is a Broadway musician. I’ve always assumed a keyboard player and/or conductor, but don’t actually know. 
I myself am not a musician, but through the thousands of performances I’ve worked, this has never happened. Not once in my career has the associate conductor swung in; though they can if need be. 

 

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 10:10am

Yes, I know Wicked has associate and assistant conductors. I meant I don’t know how they went on without stopping. The other conductors don’t just wait for the primary conductor to faint five minutes into a performance; they’re usually playing another instrument in the orchestra. I’ve also never seen a performance where conductors switched out. That’s way more rare than stopping for a set malfunction or a sick patron.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 12/17/23 at 10:54am

I was in a shower where the set tracking out somehow fell over while the next set was tracking on and the song we were singing to cover said transition just had to keep going. 

[Dom P]

Posted: 12/18/23 at 4:20pm

It would seem an easy fix, to have a porus netting affixed over the pit,to ensure musicians safety. Its disingenuous of management to suggest otherwise.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 12/18/23 at 6:05pm

So the producers of some of these shows were saying NO, NO, NO-NET?

I assumed a net was standard practice. 

As with some other 802 matters, that article is written with the tone of Fox News blaming Democrats for the border. That doesn't change the facts of the matter, but there's a reason why so many roll their eyes at 802's antics. The stagehands and actors' unions don't air their dirty laundry in this way and surely have more encounters with life-threatening matters at the workplace.

Updated On: 12/18/23 at 06:05 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 12/18/23 at 6:15pm

RippedMan said: "I was in a shower where the set tracking out somehow fell over while the next set was tracking on and the song we were singing to cover said transition just had to keep going."

Were you naked in said shower?

Also, this all reminds of the time the Aladdin on Broadway stumbled into the orchestra pit and the conductor broke his fall…