Orchestras on Stage

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 6:38pm

For a while now I have been wondering what shows choose to have the orchestra on stage. I know MEMPHIS and RENT are some, anyone know of others?

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 6:41pm

Catch Me if You Can, Once, the Doyle revivals of Company & Sweeney Todd.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 6:42pm

Do you mean VISIBLE to to the audience?

Movin' Out (although suspended above the stage for much of it.)
Spring Awakening
Chicago

Lots of them.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 7:28pm

Lots and lots of shows, but off the top of my head:

Cabaret
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
The most recent La Cage revival
Jersey Boys
Urinetown
Rock of Ages
Swing!
Fosse (at least for the finale)
All Forbidden Broadway shows (although it's just a piano)

And many, many others.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 7:41pm

13---and they were all kids.

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 7:58pm

The revivals of Hair and Annie Get Your Gun

[all that jazz]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 8:08pm

Wasn't there also a Fiddler revival?

Not sure if they count but the John Doyle revivals of Company and Sweeney had the actors serving as the orchestra.

Updated On: 7/22/13 at 08:08 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 8:29pm

I am really torn on having the orchestra onstage. I feel like there needs to be a reason for it to be onstage. Having an onstage orchestra for Catch Me If You Can was probably one of the worst decisions ever. It slowed the show (a show about a CHASE) to a snail pace. Plus it looked like the orchestra was in an oversized laundry basket.

[FlowerChild67]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 8:50pm

Broadwayphreak, I think the orchestra onstage for CMIYC made sense because the format of the TV variety show calls for it-much the same way Spring Awakening, where the songs are supposed have a concert feel, and Cabaret, which is, well, a cabaret, use musicians onstage. :)

[jackieoh]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 9:06pm

Next to Normal had the orchestra onstage.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 9:08pm

I'm not saying they were the first, but in their day (1960s/70s), NO STRINGS and I LOVE MY WIFE were famous for not only putting the musicians on stage, but for using them as part of the staging and action.

And of course, FOLLIES calls for an on-stage "party band" that plays as well as the unseen orchestra.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 9:16pm

"Broadwayphreak, I think the orchestra onstage for CMIYC made sense because the format of the TV variety show calls for it"

I think that concept in and of itself was a huge misstep, and the onstage orchestra didn't help.

[Gmerchant123]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 9:18pm

In memphis did they have two different orchestra platforms? In the club it was just the basic five piece then during the finale it was a full orchestra. Do you know if they have two different orchestras?

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 10:54pm

2008 Gypsy

[Amalia3]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 11:28pm

Oklahoma revival, orchestra was onstage behind a scrim which was occasionally lifted.

Grand Hotel orchestra was visible the whole time on a metal platform above the stage.

I don't mind it as long as it doesn't pull too much focus.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/22/13 at 11:52pm

"Oklahoma revival, orchestra was onstage behind a scrim which was occasionally lifted. "

Which revival? Can you explain?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:10am

Slightly related question. When did Broadway orchestras get so small? Specifically, when did the minimum musicians in a Broadway show get whittled down from the beautiful Golden Age era orchestrations to 8 people?

Someone I met insists it's the fault of the trend of putting orchestras onstage but none of these examples comes before the 1990s and I can't imagine the musicians union let it happen that quickly.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:13am

The Last Five Years revival this year had the orchestra onstage, and the tour of Chess that came through Toronto 2 years ago had the actors also playing instruments onstage.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 10:46am

ANYTHING GOES (Lupone revival)
HIGH SOCIETY (London first stage production)

I'm sure there are more than listed so far in this blog but can't think!!

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 11:09am

Over The Rainbow

Orchestras under the stage: South Pacific

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 11:12am

not sure if this counts

The last revival of Company (The actors played)
Passing Strange

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:01pm

"Slightly related question. When did Broadway orchestras get so small? Specifically, when did the minimum musicians in a Broadway show get whittled down from the beautiful Golden Age era orchestrations to 8 people?

Someone I met insists it's the fault of the trend of putting orchestras onstage but none of these examples comes before the 1990s and I can't imagine the musicians union let it happen that quickly."

I couldn't say an exact year, but it was a fairly steady decline through the 70s and 80s as some shows began adopting a more contemporary sound and thus needed smaller orchestras (you don't need a huge string section for a show that has a rock influenced score, for example). The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas famously battled AFM over the orchestra minimums since their country style band employed less than was required at their theatre. They ended up having to pay those extra people who were not playing, and required those people to show up and sit at the theatre to earn those checks.

Along with the rise in the contemporary sound you also had the rise in electronic instruments, especially synthesizers, giving the impression that certain instrument sections could be reduced or eliminated completely in order to save money, and, to a lesser extent, space.

I would definitely disagree that it was a result of shows trying to put the orchestras onstage.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:09pm

I directed a production of NIGHT MUSIC that featured a visible orchestra.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 12:38pm

American Idiot

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/23/13 at 3:35pm

First Date