Actors Playing Instruments Onstage [non-Doyle related]

Is there ever instances where actors play instruments onstage to accompany themselves, besides Roger in Rent?

'Drift Away' from Grey Gardens came up on shuffle in iTunes earlier this morning, and it reminded me of a question I always had. Did Bob Stillman (George Gould Strong) accompany himself on the piano during that number or was it played by a musician in the pit?

The accordion in the Cabaret revival, during Tomorrow Belongs to Me.

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Lizzie-
I totally forgot about Marcy in Bee.

David Hyde Pierce (and maybe/probably others playing the same part) in Spamalot. Sean Hayes also accompanied himself on piano in the recent revival of Damn Yankees.

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Gordon Schwinn accompanies himself several times during A New Brain.

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all the actors playing instruments in hairspray (link, penny, velma, male authority figure..) were additionally listed in the orchestra so I assume they had to join the musician's union too

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The company of Doyle's SWEENEY TODD and COMPANY joined the musician's union for the shows.

I think that Bob Stillman did play the piano in "Grey Gardens." And didn't some of the dancers in the "Cabaret" revival run back and forth between the acting area and the orchestra area above and behind?

The grandpappy of all this is Richard Rodgers' "No Strings," in which there were instrumentalists onstage during some of the action. I don't think they were "actors," per se, but they were onstage in costumes, playing instruments. Isn't that right?

Of course, back in the operetta era, there were lots of opportunites for onstage instruments, whether gypsys or aristocrats were dancing, singing, etc. Noel Coward's "Bitter Sweet" includes several scenes with onstage piano, and it makes ever so much more sense if it is really played by the actors. A la Amaryllis in "The Music Man," which of course features bad instrument playing at its climactic moment!

Yes, the orchestra (or "band" - since there were no strings) was on stage in costume, blending with the townfolk for NO STRINGS.

The band was onstage, in marching band uniforms, for BARNUM. At the top of Act 2, they entered marching down the aisles of the theatre, with the cast following them, for "Come Follow the Band".

And the Band functioned as an onstage "Greek Chorus" for I LOVE MY WIFE. They sang, commented and had several costume changes. "The Band" was nominated for Best Featured Actor that season.

In A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD/A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE, actor/co-author Frank Lazarus played piano onstage for several songs. And in the medley of Richard Whiting songs, David Garrison played clarinet, Peggy Hewitt played baritone saxophone, and Garrison and Stephen James played melodicas.

Updated On: 1/30/09 at 02:46 PM

Yup. In the recent Sam Mendes CABARET revival, not only was the actress cast as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie required to play the accordian but the entire ensemble was required to play instruments in the onstage Kit Kat Klub orchestra/band, excluding the 6 principals (Emcee, Sally, Cliff, Frau Schneider, Herr Schultz and Ernst).

CABARET at Studio 54:

Updated On: 1/30/09 at 02:52 PM

Little Charles in August: Osage County.

I always thought that Little Charle's song was recorded.

It might be, but my friend who ushered for the show saw him playing the piano one day between shows.