Conductors participation in shows
Conductors participation in shows
#1Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 8/31/10 at 11:43pmI think I saw a thread on this a LONG time ago, but what shows involve the conductors to be "involved/part, etc...." of the show
#2Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 8/31/10 at 11:45pmThe current revival of Chicago is the first thing that comes to mind.
#2Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 8/31/10 at 11:50pmTrying to avoid spoilers, but the conductor in Curtains sings the first song to open the second act.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
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#4Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:07amKimberly Grigsby always seems to find a way to work herself into the performance, whether it's called for or not.
#5Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:42am
Trying to avoid spoilers, but the conductor in Curtains sings the first song to open the second act.
I would go so far to say that the conductor is actually another character. Not only is he in "our" world conducting Curtains but he is also conducting the show within the show.
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#6Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:47amThe conductor was a big part of the very beginning of Urinetown. (At least on tour and Broadway.)
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husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#7Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 1:42amThe conductor is usually brought a glass of champagne during the title song in La Cage.
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chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
#8Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 4:25amFollies, with the prompting during Live, Laugh, Love
#9Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 4:40amIt's been a while since I saw Sister Act but if memory serves the conductor gets involved in a major way during the finale. It would be a SPOILER to reveal it.
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#10Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 5:51am
^ Yup, that's right regarding Sister Act.
Also in WWRY the Killer Queen and the band have a quick encounter but again, it's a spoiler.
''With the number of people I ignore, I'm lucky I work at all in this town'' - Helena Bonham Carter
#11Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:44am
Hair and Les Misérables.
Updated On: 9/1/10 at 06:44 AM
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#12Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 7:04amIn the Joe Papp/Public Theater's Pirates of Penzance, the conductor had a duel with the Pirate King.
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#13Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 7:25amIn South Pacific right after act 2's overture he yells something like a 1 2 3 4 to the actors that are dancing on stage for the Thanksgiving entertainment
#14Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:02am
In the Joe Papp/Public Theater's Pirates of Penzance, the conductor had a duel with the Pirate King.
In the Papp version, the Major-General also asks the conductor to play the last verse of Modern Major-General faster for an encore, and the conductor acknowledges him. (I will avoid spelling out the Italian and French he uses for fear of embarrassing myself.)
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#15Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:05amDoesn't he say "Presto Agitato, s'il vous plaît, Maestro!"?
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#16Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:47amWhen I saw The Wizard of Oz in Boston with Mickey Rooney and Liliane Montevecchi, during "If I Were King of the Forest", the Cowardly Lion's tail got wrapped around the conductor so he popped up with a "WTF" look on his face. The stage was built with a section around the orchestra pit.
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#17Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:56am
End of Mamma Mia - The conductor takes the photograph
In the Heights - He grabs one of the actors hands in the slow motion section, think it was in 96,000.
As people have said, the conductors involvement at the end of Sister Act is genius!
#18Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 9:02am
Doesn't he say "Presto Agitato, s'il vous plaît, Maestro!"?
Exactly, smaxie, thanks.
ghostlight2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
#19Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 9:07am
"In the Joe Papp/Public Theater's Pirates of Penzance, the conductor had a duel with the Pirate King."
I had totally forgotten about that! That was pure comedy genius. Thanks for reminding me.
#20Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:19pmClapYo'Hands...can you give an example for Hair and Les Mis? I'm almost certain that there is no involvement in either
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#21Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:41pm
There's one bit in the revival of Hair when I swear somebody shouts something to the conductor and he responds in some way. My memory is fuzzy, so I will ask my Hair-ite friend to confirm. Also, this was in the London production.
In Les Misérables, the conductor kind of participates in the wedding scene. Depends, of course, on the production and how much participation warrants a mention.
#22Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 7:04pmI've noticed the ITH one as well. He grabs Rickey Tripps hand as like a sign of the show going well or something. Chicago also comes to mind. But also, in Billy Elliot, the conductor sings along to the opening song, The Stars Look Down, and he always puts his hand up when Billy slides on the raked stage for the angry dance, just incase he falls.
#23Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:01pm
The Spamalot conductor's treatment of the trumpet player during the overture made me laugh...
"Kimberly Grigsby always seems to find a way to work herself into the performance, whether it's called for or not."
Really? I've only seen her conduct Light in the Piazza and thought that her music direction was easily the best of all the shows I saw on that trip - does she usually make more of her part?
#24Conductors participation in shows
Posted: 9/2/10 at 12:33amShe used to bounce around and dance a lot when she conducted Spring Awakening, but I found that just added to the energy of the show rather than being distracting.
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