ADD: Save Live Music on Broadway- Now!

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Save-Live-Music-On-Broadway-Campaign-Launches-Protests-PRISCILLA-20110515


Priscilla=piped in music??

the horror.

Funny- i recall CONTACT winning Best Musical in 2000.
Wasn't the whole show canned?
How do Tony voters allow something like that to happen?
It may have been a great show-or a dance show- or a special event....
But canned music should have disqualified a best MUSICAL category.



anyway....I am all for this.
It's time people start calling out these producers trying to save a buck or two for not wanting to bring in live musicians. shame on them.

and Kudos to Marc Shaiman for threatening to walk out of Catch Me- if they canned music.

i respect him more than I already do.

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/theater/broadway-union-takes-on-priscilla-over-recorded-music.html?_r=1&ref=theater


add SAVE LIVE MUSIC ON BROADWAY to your Facebook page NOW!!!

https://savelivemusiconbroadway.com/

Updated On: 5/16/11 at 08:51 AM

I can't believe that in 7 years, the full price of an orchestra ticket has increased 50 dollars.


And they still refuse to pay an orchestra?
the nerve.

“This is not an orchestral show — it’s a show with disco music,” Mr. McQuinn said. “We’re not motivated here to save money or kill jobs. I simply don’t know what I would do with violinists or string players or other extra musicians if we were required to have them. And, yes, I’d rather not have to pay four or six or eight more musicians to basically sit in the pit and do nothing.”

Disco music was full of strings! That was one of its trademark sounds. I can't believe Gary McQuinn said that. Makes it sound like he has never actually listend to disco music and is in this just for the money...oh, wait.

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Updated On: 5/16/11 at 11:02 AM

I know no one wants to see jobs eliminated but in modern life technology has made certain jobs replaceable. Producers aren't running a charity, they're running a business, and if certain jobs aren't needed, it's understandable that they be eliminated. Rightly or wrongly, orchestra musicians have become obsolete. Unless the musicians are on stage, live music does not add to the experience since the audience can't tell if the music is live or not. That may sound like sacrilege to some, but it's a fact. Play a show with taped music and ask the audience if they noticed a difference. They won't.

I don't think it's fair to try to force producers to pay people who aren't needed. It's that mentality that partially created the fiscal mess the government is in. For example, the postal service loses billions every year but will never be closed because of all the lost jobs. No one wants to see jobs disappear but capitalism is based on exchanging compensation for a service that will aid they employer. If the service is not aiding the employer, it is reasonable for it to be eliminated. The producers are putting their money on the line with the show and it is fair for them to try to keep costs down while not hurting the show. It is not fair to force them to continue paying people who aren't needed just because it's seen as the "right thing" to do.

I thought it was neat having a band onstage in Catch Me if You Can but I also get it's a matter of economics. I assume it's just a matter of the orchestra getting paid for a single studio session instead of each performance. I remember hearing how the theme song for Bonanza was rerecorded for each season it ran on tv.

electronic strings? are they playing the "strings" on a keyboard (MIDI instrument)?

i thought they just recorded people playing "real" instruments and then are pressing play during the show instead of having it recreated live during the performance. If they're using recordings of real instruments, people shouldn't be able to tell the difference since either way they're only hearing the music through speakers. if they're recreating "real" instruments using electronics then i completely agree people will be able to tell the difference and it would harm the production.

and i completely agree that removing live musicians wouldn't reduce ticket price at all and i'd much rather see the musicians get the money than the producers. i don't want to see people lose their jobs either but really, anytime technology aids society, some manual laborer (which live musicians kind of are) is probably losing his job.

Priscilla really does have prerecorded music? For shame Priscilla.