Actors Playing Instruments Onstage [non-Doyle related]

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:52am

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?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:01pm

Several of the actors in Jersey Boys play their own instruments.

Marcy plays the piano during "I Speak Six Languages." After she kicks out the regular piano player. :)

And I believe Ilse plays the piano during a little part of "Touch Me" in Spring Awakening.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:10pm

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

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:13pm

I think Harry Connick played the piano in the recent revival of The Pajama Game.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:15pm

Lizzie-
I totally forgot about Marcy in Bee.

[p.s.]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:22pm

Drew Sarich (as Grantaire) sang and played his own guitar (Drink With Me) in Les Miz.


p.s. Actually, I assumed it was his own -- Until I saw Stephen Trafton (as Grantaire) playing it and learned that it actually belonged to the Company.

[Mamie]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:25pm

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.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 1:16pm

Mazeppa!

Bump it with a trumpeeeet!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 1:26pm

Gordon Schwinn accompanies himself several times during A New Brain.

[trinaaron]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 1:26pm

I have always wondered about this. Knowing how very strict union rules are, if an actor does play an intrument on stage, must they then join the musicians union? And do the rules vary with how often the instrument is used? For example, Doyle's Sweeney vs. Roger in Rent.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:09pm

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

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:12pm

I know for Doyle's Sweeney, only John Arbo was a member of the Musician's Union. but I don't know how that all works out.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:14pm

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

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:18pm

Well those are two totally contradictory accounts. I should know this, but I actually don't.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:24pm

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!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:25pm

well, could it be that John Arbo was the only one who came into the cast as a member of the union and then everyone else had to join? is there some sort of...provisional union membership?

[Jon]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:46pm

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

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:51pm

For what it's worth, only some of the names in the revival of "Company" are in the union directory (and even if they didn't want their info published, their names should still be there).

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:52pm

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

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 3:00pm

Well there's the whole genre of shows WAY before Doyle where actor-musicians were required. The uber-talented Mark Hardwick and Debra Monk wrote and performed in these (e.g., Pump Boys and Dinettes, Oil City Symphony) then Mary Murfitt and Mike Craver who also wrote and performed in Oil City have several other shows (Mary's "Cowgirls," Mike Craver's and Mark Hardwick's "Radio Gals"), Red Clay Ramblers with "Diamond Studs," etc. There are tons of these.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 3:28pm

Little Charles in August: Osage County.

[BNN]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 4:25pm

Hinckley accompanies himself on guitar at the beginning of Unworthy of Your Love in Assassins.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 4:45pm

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

[Madcap Maisie]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 4:52pm

Gertrude and her ukelale in Seussical...

if that counts lol

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 4:53pm

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