Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity
#1Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 6:40pm
I am musical directing 'Sweet Charity' later this year and am looking for some advice.
First up, is there a better printed version of the score available anywhere. I am find the handwritten score difficult to read and is not very piano friendly as it is a reduction of the orchestra score.
Secondly, I am doing this on a tight budget and in a small space. Which parts should I prioritise and which can I cope without. Was thinking along the lines of using Reeds 1, 2 & 3, Trumpet 1 & 2, Trombone 1, Bass, Percussion 1.
Finally, there is a section on the recordings of 'You Should See Yourself' that is not in the score. It's the bit about "bedroom sets". Is this only in professional versions?
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#2Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:10pm
1. The full score is seldom available in other resources. (Frankly, to keep people from illegally using the music)
2. Are you the musical director, too? It doesn't sound as though you would be qualified to do so if you are asking people here for advice. (and I don't have any to give, as I hire a musical director to make those decisions for me.)
3. Is this something that was (perhpas) created for the movie and not the stage version? (I ask because I am unfamiliar with the piece.) If that IS the case, it would not be available as part of your rental agreement.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#2Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:25pmJesus, dramamama are you always such a bitch with people on here if they aren't "Broadway Legends"?
#3Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:36pm
It seems strange that the company that you licensed the show from would provide a handwritten score...are you attempting to include piano?
I just looked up the orchestrations...wow. You might want to find a way of consolidating some of the books into one part (as in, pick the most important parts of the Reed books and distribute them among your three players)...I've done that in the past and it's worked fairly well. Same with percussion.
You could always consider hiring a synth player to fill in some of the missing sounds
Stand-by Joined: 12/31/69
#4Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:37pm
A lot of scores for orchestra you license are handwritten--in fact it's often the standard.
I *think* that part of You Should See yourself was dropped by the time of the tour. I know some stuff was--like the Soliloquy (which I love but Gwen found too hard to perform in a show she found pretty draining).
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#5Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:47pm
What part was bitchy? I was trying to address the posters questions with reality. No bitchiness was intended at all.
I didn't answer his question any differently because of his status...I never look at status. I don't tiptoe around a response, I try to put things as plainly as possible.
And yes, there are a number of scores that are hand done, particularly the older ones....no one wants to spend the money to update them. I've used them, they are difficult.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#6Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 7:51pmThe qualification comment was rude. So what if needs help. It's a small budget. You made it sound like he was being cheap by being the director.
#7Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 8:12pmHmm, I've come across handwritten scores that I've acquired online, but never from a company. Guess I've gotten lucky!
ggersten
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#8Sweet Charity
Posted: 6/18/11 at 10:33pm
I was a co-director of a production. We used the original script from TAMS. I used the prompting book for book scenes. My co-director was the choreographer. And we had a separate musical director/conductor. We ended up with I believe a 19 piece orchestra, because the budget allowed it.
In "You Should See Yourself" the "bedroom sets" is part of the intro dialog. It's not part of the song.
But be aware of lots of musical interludes in the opening scene after Charity is pushed into the lake. Two lines and then music. Repeatedly. The earlier your practice with the music, the better.
Also, the nightclub scene also has bits of music between bits of dialog. Me, the choreographer and music director had been so split up with differing focuses that putting it together got a little bit difficult at first.
(Then there was a small book scene I'd missed to block - because the choreographer and I had a miscommunication over who was doing those pages! which we discovered the first time we tried to run Act One in full).
BTW, we did the Soliloguy.
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