Is there lip synching in Hairspray?

[Jera]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 2:50pm

I saw the show about a week ago, and I loved it. My mom hated it because she believed they were lip sinching, had pre-recorded singing in the background, and didn't have a pit band (had pre-recorded instruments).

Was she right? I wasn't really paying attention during the show, but I don't think it sounded pre-recorded. Who is right, me or my mom? (I hope I'm right, because I hope to God a pre-recorded show wouldn't win so many Tony's and still be on Broadway).

jera

[ClareBear]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:04pm

I hope not! I saw it three times last summer on tour and it seemed all live to me. Besides, isn't that kind of the point of live theater?

However in shows like POTO, they have to use lip-synching to get through some of those tricky actor trade-offs they do for all those cool visual effects.

And I also hear that Disney is trying to phase out live orchestra's with pre-recorded tracks...which BETTER not be true, otherwise I don't even know what to say about that...

[Jera]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:07pm

I can't even believe that... what is Disney thinking? That makes me so mad. I would never pay $100 to see a show that was pre-recorded.

jera

[Marc Shaiman]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:18pm

what a moment, to have to tell a child their Mom is wrong!!

Hi, I co-wrote the show, and everyone sings live, there is a orchestra pit right there for ANYONE to look into and see the band, and everyone in the show sings back-up, whether they are on or off-stage, which is why the vocals sound rich. Not to mention we have Broadways best singers in our ensemble!!!

If your Mom wants to come back, I will have her be my guest at the sound board, where she can watch the meters go UP and DOWN from 40 or so people there playing and singing live, 8 shows a week!!

Or maybe I'll just place her in the drum booth where she will learn, beyond the shadow of a doubt, he is down there, playing his tush off!

Marc

[RustyJusty830]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:21pm

Marc Shaiman- You are fantastic in every single way...I applaud you and your brilliant show.
The six times I've seen Hairspray- I knew it was all LIVE and all SENSATIONAL. One of the best and most hard working casts on Broadway!
Hopefully, I'll be signing along with that ensemble one day as a Corny Collins boy- Its my dream!

Updated On: 7/19/05 at 03:21 PM

[Jera]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:22pm

Thanks so much for the response Marc!

I can't wait to tell her! That's too bad that she had to sit through the show thinking it was pre-recorded. She would have had a better time if she had known before hand that it wasn't.

Anyways, thanks again!
jera

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:22pm

If anyone on Broadway lip synched it wouldnt last... they'd get caught.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:28pm

Not only that the unions would SCREAM, would sue the production for breach of contract, the bad publicity would hurt ALL of Broadway and the producers' names would be mud in the industry.

Updated On: 7/19/05 at 03:28 PM

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:35pm

you scared me for a sec, I DONT EVER WANT TO SEE LIP SYNCHING ON BROADWAY!

[BluCat500]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:38pm

Aren't there pre recorded backtracks of the chorus singing in Mamma mia, I believe I heard Seth Rudetsky talking about it on his radio show a bit ago...

[pab]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:42pm

There was some lip synching in "Bombay Dreams" and in "The Act".

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:43pm

I thought Bombaby Dreams was all lip synching from all the preformance clips I saw like the water dancing scene I think was all lip-synched.

[liz328]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:45pm

I knew it! I told my friend they were lip-synching in "Bombay Dreams" and she wouldn't believe me...

[pab]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:47pm

My understanding has always been that the water dancing scene was the only number were lip synching was used because of a problem that existed with the water and the microphones but that the majority of the rest of the show was sung.

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:48pm

They also make Broadway preformances at the Macy's Day Parade lip synch which is just wrong... Why do they do that?!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:50pm

Yes, the big water number in Bombay Dreams was pre-recorded, but I think it was for the safety of the actors. Not sure how safe it is to be frolicking around with mics and battery-packs in a torrential downpour.

And yes, Liza lip-synched part of one number ("City Lights"?) which had particularly strenuous dancing demands.

Posted: 7/19/05 at 3:57pm

Why do they lip-synch at the Macy's Day Parade?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:07pm

There are LOTS of sound issues to deal with when broadcasting a live performance happening outside in the middle of a moving parade and more often than not the sound will be crappy and/or the mix with the music will be off. The only way to ensure it'll sound decent to the millions watching at home is to prerecord everything and have the performers lip-synch.

Updated On: 7/19/05 at 04:07 PM

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:08pm

Thank you Margo, you're such a great help

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:12pm

I think it's hard to believe that the Phantom only actually sings 32 minutes of the show and the rest is pre-recorded.

[Forester]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:13pm

Milli Vanilli the Musical will be lip synched.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:13pm

I think it's hard to believe that the Phantom actually only sings 32 minutes of the show and the rest is pre-recorded.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:15pm

Yeah, Christine's final note in "The Phantom of the Opera" is pre-recorded.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:16pm

Dance of the Vampires had some lip synching, Phantom has some as well (most of the title track including Christine's final note, a couple other sports here and there.)

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 7/19/05 at 4:16pm

they lip-sync at the thanksgiving day parade (macy's hosts it but it is for the holiday) because its cold, and outside. and due to the wind issue they'd have to put a rather obvious windscreen on each mic. (imagine elphaba running around with a grren foam ball on her forhead). They had the kid from the boy from oz sing live that year with a rather large lapel mic and it was distracting. And of course as i'm typing this margo already answered the question but i'm posting it anyway since it expands on the answer