Conductors participation in shows
Conductors participation in shows
Conductors participation in shows#1
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
Conductors participation in shows#2
Posted: 8/31/10 at 11:45pmThe current revival of Chicago is the first thing that comes to mind.
Conductors participation in shows#2
Posted: 8/31/10 at 11:50pmTrying to avoid spoilers, but the conductor in Curtains sings the first song to open the second act.
Conductors participation in shows#4
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.
Conductors participation in shows#5
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.
Conductors participation in shows#6
Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:47amThe conductor was a big part of the very beginning of Urinetown. (At least on tour and Broadway.)
Conductors participation in shows#7
Posted: 9/1/10 at 1:42amThe conductor is usually brought a glass of champagne during the title song in La Cage.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
Conductors participation in shows#8
Posted: 9/1/10 at 4:25amFollies, with the prompting during Live, Laugh, Love
Conductors participation in shows#9
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.
Conductors participation in shows#10
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.
Conductors participation in shows#11
Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:44am
Hair and Les Misérables.
Updated On: 9/1/10 at 06:44 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
Conductors participation in shows#12
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.
Joined: 12/31/69
Conductors participation in shows#13
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
Conductors participation in shows#14
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.)
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
Conductors participation in shows#15
Posted: 9/1/10 at 8:05amDoesn't he say "Presto Agitato, s'il vous plaît, Maestro!"?
Conductors participation in shows#16
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.
Conductors participation in shows#17
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!
Conductors participation in shows#18
Posted: 9/1/10 at 9:02am
Doesn't he say "Presto Agitato, s'il vous plaît, Maestro!"?
Exactly, smaxie, thanks.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
Conductors participation in shows#19
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.
Conductors participation in shows#20
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
Conductors participation in shows#21
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.
Conductors participation in shows#22
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.
Conductors participation in shows#23
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?
Conductors participation in shows#24
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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