Little Mermaid opens in Denver tonight- Page 7

[misschung]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 9:19am

As much as I understand their need to save money, doesn't Disney have...a lot of money?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:06pm

1.) That is a list of the New York based musicians who are playing withe the show and will be there on Broadway. The local musicians are not listed there. Like most national tours, Mermaid took along a core group of musucians, who are listed in the playbill, and then pull in the rest locally to save costs. Locals are not always listed.

2.) How much money Satan, I mean DISNEY, has is irrelivant. Okay, they can sink in a huge budget off the bat. Great. However, you have to make money. All of your weekly expenses have to be covered by ticket sales each week. Not to mention that you have to make money each week beyond that breaking point in order to pay off the initial investment and , ocassionally turn a profit after that happens.


3.) The musician's union would never stand for a full sythed ORCHESTRA. It's in the contratc between the League/Disney and the producers. Hell, if you have recorded music in a play, you still have to pay live musicians!

[americanboy99]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 2:33pm

Anyone seen Cody Hanford on as Flounder? If so, how was he?

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 7:41pm

any other reviews/pics/drawings/descriptions out there??? bump!

[roadmixer]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 8:03pm

FYI - The Little Mermaid orchestra consists of:

3 x keyboards
2 x violins
2 x celli
1 x contrabass/electric bass
1 x french horn
2 x trombones (tenor, bass trombone and tuba)
2 x trumpets (piccolo trumpet and flugelhorn)
3 x woodwinds (clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, english horn, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute and piccolo)
1 x drummer (also playing misc. percussion)
1 x percussionist

There is no 'virtual orchestra' or playback used.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 8:56pm

>> The musician's union would never stand for a full sythed ORCHESTRA. It's in the contratc between the League/Disney and the producers. Hell, if you have recorded music in a play, you still have to pay live musicians!

And if you remember, during the last musicians' union strike, the League threatened to use virtual orchestras with or without the union's permission. As things are right now, I'd happily bet that *every* Broadway show orchestra is sweetened with a mix of real instruments and recreated ones. This is the same nonsensical argument we saw when technology brought us computer-driven fly systems: the stagehand union had a screaming fit.

IMHO, the virtual orchestra is an inevitability. The sooner the union realizes it, the better all around.

BTW: only 18 musicans? That sounds pretty tiny for a full orchestra for a major musical production.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 9:07pm

Thanks, roadmixer!

SeanMartin, the orchestra sounded fabulous; very rich and lush. I don't know if 18 musicians is on the small side, but they certainly didn't sound small.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 9:36pm

I'm pretty sure 18 is the minimum for a Broadway pit now, going by the union rules...doesnt' seem that small to me.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 9:42pm

I'm pretty sure 18 is the minimum for a Broadway pit now, going by the union rules...doesnt' seem that small to me.



- What? Right now and in the past several years there have been plenty of pits with less than 18 musicians.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/29/07 at 10:15pm

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleid=VR1117882139&categoryid=15&cs=1

It's 18 for most of the B'way theatre's, and even if a show doesn't use the minimum amount of musicians, they still have to pay that many musicians.

[germ83]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 2:24pm

I just spoke a friend who chatted with his friend Tatiana (costume designer for TLM) he said they chatted about how she was still in NYC while the rest of the creative team was in denver gearing up for opening...because so many of the costumes were not done. I am not sure if this has any bearing on how the costumes look now (i have not seen them...so I don't know) This was two weeks ago...I know a lot can happen in that time...but my bet is that some of the final costumes are not on stage yet. He also told me that he loves her as a friend...but does not like her work as a designer...???

[PhantomMag234]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 3:58pm

I'm seeing it real soon! YEAH!

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 5:08pm

That explanation makes a lot of sense, germ83. I really hope that's what's going on.

And I can also see why he's not thrilled with her work. I felt the costumes were very hit and miss the night I saw the show.

[germ83]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 1:05pm

I have a feeling there will probably be some very major changes in costumes between now and NYC...maybe even a new designer brought in?

I love the sets....I have only seen the 1/2" scale models...but they seemed fascinated with all of the new materials they were using. George Tsypin is one of my favorite designers. He had 5 models showcasing some of the different looks of mermaid when i visited his studio in may. It was amazing...but what was more exciting...was his work for SPIDERMAN the musical with music by U2!!...I don't know if it will be any good...but the scenery is a amazing...and looks like it is going to cost a fortune...but with julie taymor at the helm...who knows...

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 2:32pm

"I just spoke a friend who chatted with his friend Tatiana (costume designer for TLM) he said they chatted about how she was still in NYC while the rest of the creative team was in denver gearing up for opening...because so many of the costumes were not done. I am not sure if this has any bearing on how the costumes look now (i have not seen them...so I don't know) This was two weeks ago...I know a lot can happen in that time...but my bet is that some of the final costumes are not on stage yet. He also told me that he loves her as a friend...but does not like her work as a designer...??? "


What did she say to that? Was she offended? Do you think she'll make the costumes believable and change Flounders & Ariels costumes?

[germ83]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 7:47pm

I am honestly not sure why she said that. She is Russian...I am sure that didn't offend her. My friend is also russian...they are such good friends because she was in his wedding and his wife and Tatiana were roomates back in russia many years ago. I will try to find out more if I can to update everyone!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:40pm

I heard some of the set is also not finished, something in ActII may not be ready till next week,
What the heck is going on out there?

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:47pm

CurtainPullDowner - it's perfectly normal for things to be unfinished in out of town tryouts....as I said before, things keep changing and being added/taken away right up until opening. They're still working on it - that's what the heck is going on out there.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:52pm

I've worked on many Broadway shows and I know things change but usually the sets and costumes are done (to a point) before the first preview.
Especially with such a big company as DISNEY.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:54pm

It's the out of town tryout, Curtain. Give them a break.

And where do you get these "rumours" anyway?

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:54pm

well things are done "to a point"...and as far as I know, the first preview in NYC is still months away.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 8:55pm

But this isn't first preview, this is just an out of town try-out for people to get the feel of the production and fix certain things before going into previews in New York..

[sleepyguy1717]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 9:24pm

Its still a show! I think that the differences in set and costumes will make it that much more fun to see. And the possibility of comparing and contrasting at the Broadway preview and the official show is also neat, if you get the chance to see them all!(Of course all these possibilities were pointed out to me by other members of the board). :)

[FMF]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 11:15pm

Germ88: It was amazing...but what was more exciting...was his work for SPIDERMAN the musical with music by U2!!...I

Could you tell us more about it, did they tell you when does the SpiderMan show starts previews or something?

And a question for everybody, does anyone knows if the Little Mermaid ending is going to be changed 4 sure by the time it gets to NY?? Because I heard it's the only thing that the show needs to be perfect Thanks.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 11:26pm

Only time will tell. I'm going back on Sept. 5 and I know a fair few here who are going close to its official opening, so we'll know all about the changes.