[Trombone-l] Pit Stories

[Tom Gibson]

I played "Candide" once in a very strange venue. The stage was dead- 
center and circular, completely "in the round".
Under the stage was the pit: also circular, and divided by solid  
walls into about 6 pie-shaped rooms. In the middle was a TINY round  
room where the conductor waved his baton for a closed-circuit camera.  
In each of our wedges, we stared at a TINY monitor and followed  
along. Crazy.......but believe it or not, it worked. It was a 6-week  
run and I never saw the viola player:-)

If you've seen or played "Chicago" you know how stressful it can be.  
The band is on stage the entire time. Just trying hard not to pick  
one's nose is tough.
There's a scene where a fabulous-looking girl climbs through a trap  
door up to the top row of the band. That's where we sat:-)
She'd climb up a minute before the big moment when she slithers down  
the brass hand rail alongside the band. Before she mounts the rail,  
though, she would crouch beside us and make unsolicited comments.
This was a long run, too, so we developed a nice rapport with the  
young lady. We'd surprise her with gifts at the trap door entrance.  
One day, we put a rose there for her to see when she emerged. One  
day, it was candy. I think someone put a stuffed bear there. My  
favorite, though, was a pile of condoms. Removed from their packaging  
and very expertly made to look "experienced". She was completely  
horrified, but did a very professional job of keeping herself  
composed through the scene. Afterwards, though, was a different story.

The next night, a dozen roses.

Sorry, dear.






Dr. Tom Gibson
tom at trombonelessons.com
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Trombonelessons.com Video Podcasts
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On Dec 5, 2008, at 5:35 PM, Harlan Feinstein wrote:


On Dec 5, 2008, at 2:04 PM, Clay McCarter wrote:

> I've really enjoyed reading about players experiences with Wicked.
> Anyone
> else out there playing in a pit for a show?  I'd love to hear
> stories about
> your past and present gigs.

The story I've got is a past production of West Side Story.  The
director approached the music director during one of the dress
rehearsals, asked him to play a given song faster (don't remember what
song).  The MD [wisely] replied that the orchestra couldn't hold it
together much faster.  The director told him (well within the
orchestra's hearing), "I don't care WHAT it SOUNDS like, play it
FASTER!"

--Harlan

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