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| Author | Topic: Broadway musicians |
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Bwaybaby
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Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/11/2003 at 10:56:26 PM ET
Please do, because I'd love to read it. I honestly just don't believe that most actors would be too terribly concerned for their safety with a virtual orchestra. If anything I'd think they'd be more concerned about not having the safety net that a conductor and live orchestra provide--meaning a conductor to perhaps help them out and guide them and an orchestra who can slow down and speed up to to accompany the actor( I know pieces are written with their own time signature...but they're not always played the same was EVERY night). I also think that if infact this claim was made it was for dramatic effects...giving the equity another reason - this time more serious- to join the musicans. Lets admit it...being on Broadway can have its physical risks...didn't Marrissa Winokur ( from Hairspray) just sprain her ankle or something? A friend of mine did Bernadette's trapeze stunt for AGYG and she'd have black and blue marks on her legs and even get burned by the hot lights-- this had nothing to do with the orchestra being live or virtual. Many of the men who played Jekyll & Hyde on Broadway had to see a chiropractor as much as once a day to prevent pain or injuries. Also, many stages and backstages are small and with a lot of scenery and people running around it can be dangerous..so this isnt anything *new* for these actors....just my 2 cents.
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 Christine-NYC
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Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 8:35:40 AM ET
LOL I was just picturing someone on a stage hearing the music skip, standing still (which most likely they wouldn't) and saying, "Uhh, what was that?" as they get knocked down by a piece of scenery!  In my mind it's like a scene from a Leslie Nielsen movie.
Not trying to laugh at the thought of someone getting hurt...it's just the way it was described that made me think of it that way.
The actor's and dancers are professional, and are trained to continue with the performance even if a little skip in the music happens. If an entire song was to stop completely, then they would probably laugh about it and restart the number.
I agree with Cindy that the actor's were on strike to support live music (not just the musicians). I'm sure they don't like the idea of possibly performing with syndicated music one day (they probably hate the fact that they had to rehearse with it for a few days).
<3CMH<3
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 moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 10:34:23 AM ET
Well I'll search for it. As I said they explained it better than I did but you basically made my point when you said "If anything I'd think they'd be more concerned about not having the safety net that a conductor and live orchestra provide--meaning a conductor to perhaps help them out and guide them and an orchestra who can slow down and speed up to to accompany the actor". They need that safety net of the live conductor to be able to work with scenery getting stuck or whatever because as you know anything can happen in live theater. If the computer had a glitch, then everything that relies on the music would be messed up.
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moljul
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4/2/2001
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Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 11:16:02 AM ET
from a Broadway.com article. I knew I read it somewhere:
In addition to solidarity, Equity had numerous other reasons to support the strike, including safety concerns involving the use of virtual orchestras and the quality of the performance. "The problem is that so many of our shows now are so highly mechanized and much of that is done like choreography to music," Quinn explained. "There would be a problem if something went down with that computer. What would happen at that point? Would the scenery stop? Would our actors stop?" The idea being that if the scenery continued to rotate during a blackout, but actors froze with the music, the potential for injury would be great.
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Bwaybaby
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3/10/2001 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 12:45:23 PM ET
Actually, you completely misread my "saftey net" comment...I meant it as in a confidence builder. For instance....when David Hasselhoff was in Jekyll & Hyde...there where a few instances were he actually needed the percussion to pick up a little for him so he could hear the beats more clearly. And also...many of these performers are SO used to having a conductor and live orchestra performing with them that they'd probably be a little bit lost without them. Like I said before...seems to me they were just being a little dramatic there with that point so to add another reason..this time a physical one to their reasoning.
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moljul
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4/2/2001
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Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 12:52:32 PM ET
Oh, I understand now what you meant with the conductor. Sorry. But I still think their safety reasons are very valid and not overly dramatic. Those sets are large and move quickly and if the actors try to anticpate the computer's wrong doing and try to correct it (which any professional performer would want to do - mistakes are funny but should be avoided if at all possible), they could be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I think you are underestimating the inherent dangers actors and crew face backstage during a large scale production.
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Bwaybaby
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Registered:
3/10/2001 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 1:06:36 PM ET
Underestimate?? I don't think so! I know perfectly well what happens during large and small scale productions....please refer back to a previous post of mine which states "Lets admit it...being on Broadway can have its physical risks..." If you'll recall DOTV was having technical difficulties with their sound system and many times their orchestra and cast could barely be heard or you'd here the system skipping...they still went on with the show and everything was fine...usually its stuff that doesnt have to do directly with the music that causes problems. I'm not saying it won't or can't happen...but generally it is something wrong with a set or prop that causes injury. I could provide many examples for you but I need to get back to work right now so if you'd like I'll respond more when I get home.
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angelgrl9
Registered User
Registered:
2/16/2003 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 1:11:59 PM ET
YAY!!! THE STRIKE IS OVER!!!!!
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moljul
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4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 1:16:43 PM ET
I'm not going to argue with you but you have stated you didn't think actors freezing in place if the music unexpectedly stopped was that much of an issue and you stated you felt Equity was using this example "for dramatic effect" implying you didn't feel this was a very serious issue. Yes the actors are used to dealing with the danger as it now stands but it would be something "new" if another aspect (a computer running the music) was entered into the equation therefore adding more risk to those moving around backstage sometimes during a black out and a fast scene change. I believe it was a valid safety issue that maybe wasn't reported on as much as the other issues because it didn't support the musicians stand as much and that had to remain the center of the press releases.
Is is possible for someone on this board to have a different opinion than yours and maybe even know something more than you know. I know your knowledge of theater is vast but you don't know every side of every situation.
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Bwaybaby
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3/10/2001 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 1:35:45 PM ET
Obviously everbody is not going to agree about certain topics. I even stated in a previous post that I do not know EVERYTHING;
However, like you stated, I do have a "vast knowledge" of theater both on stage & off.
I try to learn as much as possible about each side of every situation before I make judgments or express opinions, and then I base my decision on that. That is what I have done in this situation.
Out of all the producers, actors, directors, and musicians that I've spoken to, none of them has mentioned anything about being worried about safety for the actors (even though it is important). If they did have these concerns "which they haven't" I'm sure those concerns would be secondary, seeing as the main issue here was the quality of Broadway's live music.
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moljul
Registered User
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4/2/2001
From:
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Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 1:37:29 PM ET
I'm glad that post makes you feel better. Let's just move on to something else.
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Christine-NYC
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Registered:
3/23/2002
From:
New York City
Fav. BP Song: With So Little to be Sure Of
Fav. BP Show: Gypsy
Fav. BP Character: Marie (insert last name) lol There's a few
Fav. BP CD: Bernadette Peters Loves Rogers and Hammerstein
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 2:01:47 PM ET
I find this entire discussion very interesting. I think you both make valid points.
Moljul, I don't know you personally, but you seem to now be "attacking" Cindy in a way. 
This was a seemingly active/healthy debate. Was there really a need to say, "It is possible for someone on this board to have a different opinion than yours and maybe even know something more than you know. I know your knowledge of theater is vast but you don't know every side of every situation." ?
I have never read a post where Cindy has made her opinion seem right (or more important) and everyone else's seem wrong!
She is well aware that everyone has a right to their opinion, and that comment was uncalled for!
This is just what I think...I am not speaking for Cindy.
I hope this thread does not get voted down and deleted because it is very fact full and interesting. But perhaps the unnecessary jabs (like "I'm glad that post makes you feel better") towards each other can stop. 
<3CMH<3
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 Linnie4Bernadette
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Registered:
12/8/2002 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 2:07:46 PM ET
OH for the love of god, this whole thing does not revolve around safety. The main issue here is to preserve the integrity of broadway(like Cindy said) by keeping live musicians instead of replacing them with computers. And please, don't assume that I'm underestimating the dangers actors and crews face during a large scale production. I realize they face many dangers. But I don't think that this is the main point. They didn't go on strike because they are in fear of their lives. This is just my opinion, it's all about keeping alive the integrity of broadway. The whole safety issue seems like a terribly lame reason and I just don't think that this is the point. Anyways, i'm done ranting. That was my two cents, take it or leave it
~Linnie
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Linnie4Bernadette
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12/8/2002 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 2:16:30 PM ET
BRAVO Christine! I think everyone (or at least i hope) is capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation without attacking or getting snippy with one another. This is a very interesting thread and i certainly would hate to see it get deleted.
~Linnie
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moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/12/2003 at 3:30:53 PM ET
I have been defending myself after being attacked first by a couple of different posters. That is all I am doing. I presented an additional reason for the actors to support the musicians. Not the only reason or the main reason but a "different" reason. And in fact was repeatedly asked to provide proof. Apparently, the fact that I read it and wanted to present it as additional information in an interesting thread was not enough. I HAD to provide proof before it could be believed. Does anyone ever ask Bwaybaby to provide proof? No, they don't. Saying she read it or heard it from a friend is enough. I never once said the other reasons Equity had were not valid or they took precendence over this safety issue. I was just adding it to the discussion. If you will reread the posts, I think you will see that I was not attacking anyone. When a person posts in response to my post that what I said was not the truth or silly or not worth discussing and I knew it had been stated by a union official as ONE of the issues, then I'm going to defend my right to post information just as much as anyone else has a right to post relevent information to a thread.
When I presented information I felt might be of interest to other board members, I was essentially told it wasn't as important as other's information. This was an attack on my integrity and value as a poster so I defended myself.
This is an attitude I get a great deal from certain posters on this board. Once when I was telling a story of something Bernadette's husband had said to a friend of mine at her CD signing I was essentially told that I was either lying or my friends were lying to me because no one but "certain people" on this board had the "connections" to get that close to Bernadette or her husband. When in fact it was and is possible that my friends or even I have the ability to have similar contact with Bernadette.
I agree this thread has been very informative for the most part and it would be a shame for it to disappear. I was just trying to add to the conversation but if I continue to be attacked I am going to continue to defend myself.
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Linnie4Bernadette
Registered User
Registered:
12/8/2002 | posted: 3/12/2003 at 4:35:41 PM ET
Mojul,
I'm sorry you feel as if your integrity and value as a poster has been attacked. I don't believe that that was anyone's intent. I was just stating my opinion on how I felt about the safety aspect of this whole issue. I'm not saying it's not the truth or isn't worth discussing. And of course you have the right to post info just as much as anyone else. I think you've brought up some valid points on this subject too. It was never my intent to strip you of your integrity. I only provided my opinion. I'm sorry to have caused any hurt feelings.
~Linnie
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