Musicals with two-pianos orchestrations

[LindaSmyth]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 7:47pm

Hi everyone,

My community theater is trying to come up with a list of musicals we could do for our upcoming season (s). Last year we put on My Fair Lady and Title of the Show.Our budget is very limited, so we only use two pianos instead of a full orchestra. Can you think of any musicals with well-known two-pianos arrangements? I can't seem to find any proper list.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 7:48pm

Start with The Fantasticks.

[Horton]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 8:12pm

A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine

Oklahoma

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 8:20pm

The Most Happy Fella has been put on with two pianos.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/24/14 at 8:39pm

The 2 piano orchestrations were popular for community and school groups in the 1950s and 60s. If I were you I would call MTI, Rodgers and Hammerstein Licensing and Tams Witmark (who handle most of the shows from that time period) and ask what they have in their catalogs available in the 2 piano arrangement. They can tell you right away.

All the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals have 2 piano orchestrations available, and I think most of the Lerner and Lowe and Frank Loesser titles do as well.


Updated On: 7/24/14 at 08:39 PM

[FireFingers]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 6:15am

My Fair Lady has a 2 piano orchestration as well I believe.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 9:53am

I Do! I Do! has a two-piano orchestration.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 9:57am

"Teeny Sweeney," the small cast intimate production of Sweeney Todd, famously used two keyboards only. It's been done many times since with a cast of eight and one or two keyboards.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 10:55am

Barnum: Reed 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5: Violin: Cello: Bass: Trumpet 1,2 & 3: Trombone 1,2 & 3: Tuba: Drums: Percussion: Guitar: Stage Violin & Viola: Piano 1 & 2

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 1:45pm

Most shows can be performed with one piano if you use the piano vocal score that they give you when you license the show. A lot of shows sound really great with it, and includes almost the entire orchestration written in piano.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 3:33pm

I don't know if it's still being liscenced or if it would work for you, but the duo piano arrangement of BEST FOOT FORWARD on the '60s revival recording is superb.

DAMES AT SEA was originally done with two pianos, in spite of the specially orchestrated recording.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 3:59pm

The Hangar Theatre did a two-piano Ragtime and, while the idea makes me want to cry a little, I understand it worked quite well. Huge cast size is often a plus for community theaters...

[morosco]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 4:03pm

DAMES AT SEA was originally done with two pianos, in spite of the specially orchestrated recording.

Same goes for the original LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 5:18pm

The Irish Rep put on Finian's Rainbow with two pianos a few years back and it was really quite good!

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 7:52pm

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I did a highly successful, small-cast version of THE SOUND OF MUSIC with one piano. With only 4 nuns, it worked just fine.

***

HOWEVER, I'm really posting to congratulate your group on using live piano(s) rather than pre-recorded orchestral tracks. The latter are deadly to the momentum and timing of a musical.

I'd rather hear ANY musical done with just one piano than watch actors waiting for their cues on a pre-recorded track. (I saw a SWEENEY where the Beggar Woman sang HER ENTIRE PART off-key, not just slightly but often as much as a minor third from the correct pitch. A pianist would have played a line of the melody to help her find it, but instead we had to listen to a lifeless instrumental while she sang off-key.)

[Jon]

Posted: 7/25/14 at 10:40pm

THE BOYFRIEND was originally done in London with 2 pianos. A small orchestra was added for Broadway, but it still can be done with just the 2 pianos (as heard on the original London cast recording.)