WSS Orchestra Diet -Reduce By 5- Page 2

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 5:58pm

philly03, those numbers are minimums. They are welcome to go over the number needed.

I guess I'm in the minority thinking that it's better to keep it open and cut a few orchestra members than close the show. The show won't suffer that much by cutting five musicians from an orchestra of 30 musicians. Also, I would think it would be better to lay off five musicians than thirty, along with a huge cast, and the entire crew for the show. My opinion might be different if I were a musician being cut, but when I see a show, I don't listen closely during the music to see if I can count the number of violins playing. I watch the performers tell the story. Now, I would get annoyed if there were just maybe five musicians playing, but having just 25 musicians would not take me out of the story, or let me appreciate the beautiful score any less.

[TechEverlasting]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 6:03pm

What about the dignity of having a job?

Is it really better for all the tourists in town this summer not to have the option to see West Side Story, even if some of the strings are played on a synthesizer?

(By the way Mr. Woodiel - keyboard players are musicians too.)

Also, to fit the Ragtime orchestra into the Neil Simon a large extension was built to the pit backstage. Only about half the band was in the actual pit. Ragtime had a cut list as well, but it took the "dignified" route and closed in January.

[BroadwayBound17]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 6:34pm

I remember the days when WSS was one of the top sellers on Broadway. Guess not anymore.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 6:50pm

I don't think Hunter Foster and Jen Cody are happy.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 7:11pm

I wonder if they approached Laurents about giving up or reducing his royalty earnings on the show?

[phantom39]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 7:20pm

I think they would rather play pre-recorded karaoke style tracks before doing that, morosco :)

Updated On: 7/11/10 at 07:20 PM

[Kalimba]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 7:32pm

Apparently AwesomeDanny doesn't have a clue about keeping the integrity of the music to a show.

[binau]

Posted: 7/11/10 at 8:53pm

(On behalf of Leo)

Updated On: 7/11/10 at 08:53 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/12/10 at 12:30pm

I remember the days when WSS was one of the top sellers on Broadway. Guess not anymore.

Deep.

It's a shame, I guess, but I don't feel any worse for a pit musician losing his job than I do for a factory worker who loses his. Times is tough, y'all.