Tony Awards Orchestra question

#1

Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:58pm

Hi, new to the site. I have a question for you all. When specific shows are performing their musical numbers at the Tony Awards, is there one orchestra that plays the music for each show? Or, does each show's specific orchestra accompany their show?

#2

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:00pm

I've always wondered this too...although I've noticed that the conductors change with each show's performance.

#3

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:01pm

It's just one orchestra. Could you imagine the logistical nightmare (not to mention the outrageous cost) of having hundreds of union musicians shuffling in and out of the orchestra pit throughout the night? Jeez...........

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#4

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:02pm

True, Margo, but they do it for the Broadway On Broadway concerts. That's initially what prompted me to wonder about the Tony's.

#5

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:05pm

So, I'm guessing each respective composer/conductor works with this orchestra?

#6

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:26pm

Far as I know, usually not. Correct me, if I'm wrong, but generally speaking, there's one musical director for the evening who conducts each of the performances as well as all of the rest of the music for the ceremony. The casts rehearse whatever their four minute or so performance is prior to the ceremony -- whether it's medley of numbers from the show or just one number. There's a dress rehearsal earlier in the day and musical director and orchestra rehearse with each cast to get tempos, keys etc.. set for the show. It's really not particularly difficult -- in my experience, professional musicians can pick up new music and play it more or less flawlessly in performance without much rehearsal (especially considering they have the music to sight read, sitting right in front of them on their stands).

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#7

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:42pm

I heard that each show's orchestra pre-records their segment, but the performers sing/perform 'live' over this pre-recording.

#8

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:44pm

I know that some shows definitely pre-record the orchestra, but I thought that at least a few each year perform with the live orchestra. Though, again, I could be wrong.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#9

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:51pm

Last year's show, the only "live" orchestra was SWEENEY TODD as the actors played their own instruments. All other music was canned, inlcuding the opening number with Harry Connick Jr.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#10

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 3:49pm

Whoa...

Some of the smaller shows have the entire orchestra play live, like "YAGMCB" had "My New Philosophy" expanded from the 5-piece orchestration to 36. In addition, "HAIRSPRAY" had the orchestra playing (with the addition of a harp, because the RCMH orchestra had one). Also, in "YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD" and "LITTLE ME (99)", I distinctly heard strings. URINETOWN expanded the clarinet-trombone-piano-drum combo to a bigger extent, especially at the "Urinetown" vamp (but I heard it get larger from the Threepenny-style orchestration to FULL, EXPANSIVE style). In "AVENUE Q," "SPELLING BEE," "FALSETTOS," and "ONCE ON THIS ISLAND," you'd hear trumpets where you usually wouldn't.

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"How could she just suddenly, completely disappear into thin water?" - The Little Mermaid

#11

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 5:24pm

Some of it is canned, because think. if there was a pit they would know who won awards based on the "walk on" music they had to play.

#12

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 5:28pm

"if there was a pit they would know who won awards based on the "walk on" music they had to play."

As I understand it, the orchestra is given a small segment of music for each show nominated. When the award is announced, the conductor tells the orchestra which sheet of music to play.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#13

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 5:55pm

this is an amazingly interesting thread. I had never thought about any of this before.

#14

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:23pm

Where is the orchestra located during the Tony Awards?

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"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D

#15

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:27pm

This may be a stupid question, but I'm curious:

Do shows with Sunday matinees still perform that Sunday, since the Tony awards aren't until the evening. I know that Sunday evening performances won't perform (ex. Legally Blonde's schedule shows performances of Sunday evenings, so there probably won't be one in the evening then.)

Thanks in advance!

#16

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:32pm

"Where is the orchestra located during the Tony Awards? "

Well, typically it's in the orchestra pit.

And yes, shows with Sunday matinees perform.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#17

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 6:35pm

No shows perform on Tony day.

In recent years at RCMH, the orchestra is located on an upper floor of the building and the conductor watching via television monitors.

I could *swear* last year EVERYTHING (except SWEENEY) was canned. Can anyone confirm? I was at the rehearsal and the music was pause, backup, stop and very clear it was coming from a CD on the sound board. I'd assume if an orchestra was playing live, they would have been at the rehearsal.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#18

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 9:57pm

I can see how logisticly some would have to be canned, but I would hope it isn't everything.

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I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

#19

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 10:21pm

Why have they moved the orchestra from the pit to elsewhere?

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"Hey, you! You're the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber!" -Family Guy

#20

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/26/07 at 10:40pm

CapnHook,

Just about every show performs a matinee on Tony Sunday.

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#21

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/27/07 at 7:53am

Thanks for clarifying that, MargoChanning.

#22

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 1/27/07 at 9:22am

Dont know about all of the other shows, but TCP had a matinee show on tony day...it was mostly u/s but they had one....

and I thought for last year's show, the orchestra was put into a separate room and mic'd in... there were some complaints about not having these talented musicians be able to fully participate and be present in the festivities...but I could be wrong.

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Your Potential is greater than your problems, and your problems will bring out your potential- Vashti Murphy McKenzie. Honey...don't be ashamed, be comfortable with who you are. Stay true to yourself.- Elisabeth Withers-Mendes

#23

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 6/11/16 at 10:03am

I was about to post this very question. Just wondering if it is still canned music for most of the performances.

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Not to be confused with Dave19.

#24

re: Tony Awards Orchestra question

Posted: 6/11/16 at 10:14am

All orchestra music is pre-recorded except the walk-on/walk-off music for presenters and winners.

Ensemble vocals are pre-recorded but principal vocals are live.