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My Time in Community Orchestra Pits
In professional musicals like Mamma Mia, Cats, or The Producers, the musicians are heard and not seen, playing in a proper orchestra pit that is roomy and well-ventilated. The conductor can see the actors on the stage as well as the musicians below it, and can easily give cues and keep the musical part of the show running smoothly. New York, London, and many other cities around the world boast theaters, playhouses, and other venues built to provide amazing performances.
However, in Community Theater the production is often in a school, church, or auditorium with no pit, so the producer is forced to make a basic choice:
1) Sequester the musicians so far away from the audience that they are out of sight but can barely be heard.
OR
2) Place them in front of the stage so they can be heard, which sometimes means mere feet from the first row of seats.
Audience enjoyment is the first priority, of course, but I’ve encountered a number of unusual scenarios from a musician’s perspective. Some were good, some were bad, but all were memorable.
CHESS
(Sardine City)
