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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 21, 2016 9:58:05 GMT
I was going to ask a question about the safety curtain but I googled it instead
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Post by d'James on Jun 21, 2016 10:06:21 GMT
I was going to ask a question about the safety curtain but I googled it instead Go on ask it anyway, or tell us the answer, to save someone else having ask it later.
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 21, 2016 10:17:47 GMT
Also I understand that for Gypsy the only other person playing Rose was Louise Gold. what would happen if both she and Imelda were off? (Or if Natasha and the second understudy Fanny Brice were both unwell) Sometimes there are "emergency covers". In long running productions usually, an actor/actress who has played the role in the past, and is somewhat close to the theatre (same city/ country at least) and isn't tied down to another a show (though Jeremy Secomb was in Les Mis, took a night off from that, and did Phantom), they are called down for a few shows until one of the understudies/ original actors are back. If there isn't an emergency cover, and there is absaloutly no way anyone in the show can cover the role- the show would be cancelled and refunds given to the audience. Audra Mcdonald had no understudies in Lady Day at all, and in if she couldn't perform the show would be cancelled that night.
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Post by d'James on Jun 21, 2016 10:24:13 GMT
Also I understand that for Gypsy the only other person playing Rose was Louise Gold. what would happen if both she and Imelda were off? (Or if Natasha and the second understudy Fanny Brice were both unwell) Sometimes there are "emergency covers". In long running productions usually, an actor/actress who has played the role in the past, and is somewhat close to the theatre (same city/ country at least) and isn't tied down to another a show (though Jeremy Secomb was in Les Mis, took a night off from that, and did Phantom), they are called down for a few shows until one of the understudies/ original actors are back. If there isn't an emergency cover, and there is absaloutly no way anyone in the show can cover the role- the show would be cancelled and refunds given to the audience. Audra Mcdonald had no understudies in Lady Day at all, and in if she couldn't perform the show would be cancelled that night. I read an interview with Claire Greenway once who said that if all three actresses who knew the role of Deloris in Sister Act were 'indisposed' someone else from the cast would go on with the script in their hand. Would this happen really? I've heard of adults going on for children who get sick mid-performance but nothing like she described.
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 21, 2016 10:35:11 GMT
Wow- I never realised that was a possibility, I've only ever heard of cancelling. That would make for an interesting show though I guess
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Post by d'James on Jun 21, 2016 10:36:31 GMT
Wow- I never realised that was a possibility, I've only ever heard of cancelling. That would make for an interesting show though I guess It would. For something like Sister Act, I guess whoever it was would have to stand to the side of the stage so as not to get in the way of the choreography.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 21, 2016 10:45:32 GMT
I was going to ask a question about the safety curtain but I googled it instead Go on ask it anyway, or tell us the answer, to save someone else having ask it later. Ok well, I was wondering why, when many shows have fabulously elaborate curtains on display before the show starts (Wicked being an example) do we always get some grubby old safety curtain lowered at the interval but only for a few minutes, then it's taken away and we see fabulous curtain again. So so google says.... {Spoiler - click to view} Fire safety regulations dictate that a demonstration of the fire curtain is given to the audience during every performance, to show that it's working.
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Post by firefingers on Jun 21, 2016 11:40:31 GMT
Go on ask it anyway, or tell us the answer, to save someone else having ask it later. Ok well, I was wondering why, when many shows have fabulously elaborate curtains on display before the show starts (Wicked being an example) do we always get some grubby old safety curtain lowered at the interval but only for a few minutes, then it's taken away and we see fabulous curtain again. So so google says.... {Spoiler - click to view} Fire safety regulations dictate that a demonstration of the fire curtain is given to the audience during every performance, to show that it's working. Interestingly, it depends on the local council as the whether it has to happen or not. Fire safety is a massive thing in theatre. Fly towers above the stage often have a large vent that can be opened, so should a fire occur, the fire is drawn up and destroys the set and stage but makes sure the flames can't reach the audience. The safety curtain (not an actual curtain of course, but made of metal) might also have features like its own mini sprinkler system just to keep it cool so that the heat from the fire can't transfer through to the auditorium.
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Post by DuchessConstance on Jun 21, 2016 11:40:47 GMT
Inadmissible Evidence at the Donmar, one of the actors took ill during the interval, so they did a weird sort of modified second half only performing the scenes that actor wasn't in. It was very strange and I wish they had cancelled or sent someone on script in hand.
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Post by d'James on Jun 21, 2016 11:42:38 GMT
Inadmissible Evidence at the Donmar, one of the actors took ill during the interval, so they did a weird sort of modified second half only performing the scenes that actor wasn't in. It was very strange and I wish they had cancelled or sent someone on script in hand. That's crazy. I guess it depends on how big the role is, but still jarring either way.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 12:02:01 GMT
The Globe doesn't budget for understudies so they'll send someone on with a script in hand in case of indisposition. I saw someone go on for Colin Morgan in The Tempest (they changed a couple of scenes as well so Prospero covered some of the dialogue where appropriate, and it was really great). Apparently, back in the day, no matter what the role was, more often than not it would be Mark Rylance covering the absentee.
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Jun 21, 2016 12:24:28 GMT
At the last performance of Pioneer by Curious Directive at Shoreditch Town Hall, the lead actor had been injured after the matinee that day and couldn't go on in the evening, so someone (an actor, not just any random audience member!) who'd been at the matinee learned the staging and stood in, reading the part from the script where needed.
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Post by The Matthew on Jun 21, 2016 13:19:12 GMT
I remember a tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers where they were getting rather short of brides, so the company manager went on as a guest bride. She didn't know the choreography well enough to take part in the dancing but her presence at other times sufficed to keep the title accurate.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 14:24:22 GMT
My favourite 'script in hand' performance was Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Sherman in Cardiff a few years ago. Hook took ill with a bad back, one performance (schools morning show) was cancelled and a frantic ring-round of possible available actors in the area found a replacement. After putting him into costume it became clear he couldn't have script, hook hand and sword...so his script ended up with a 'hook' stuck to the back of it, which he waved about for emphasis. (he was fabulous and ended up doing nearly a week while original Hook recovered!)
It's fairly common if there's no available understudy to put a script in hand actor on in emergencies. Vanessa Kirby was out of Streetcar in New York for I think half a performance after falling ill and someone came on script in hand (apologies I can't remember/find who)
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Jun 21, 2016 15:58:51 GMT
I remember a tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers where they were getting rather short of brides, so the company manager went on as a guest bride. She didn't know the choreography well enough to take part in the dancing but her presence at other times sufficed to keep the title accurate.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 16:18:33 GMT
Sometimes there are "emergency covers". In long running productions usually, an actor/actress who has played the role in the past, and is somewhat close to the theatre (same city/ country at least) and isn't tied down to another a show (though Jeremy Secomb was in Les Mis, took a night off from that, and did Phantom), they are called down for a few shows until one of the understudies/ original actors are back. If there isn't an emergency cover, and there is absaloutly no way anyone in the show can cover the role- the show would be cancelled and refunds given to the audience. Audra Mcdonald had no understudies in Lady Day at all, and in if she couldn't perform the show would be cancelled that night. I read an interview with Claire Greenway once who said that if all three actresses who knew the role of Deloris in Sister Act were 'indisposed' someone else from the cast would go on with the script in their hand. Would this happen really? I've heard of adults going on for children who get sick mid-performance but nothing like she described. The lass who is in HP took over from the lass in sex in the City in play Linda at Royal Court last min and spent a good week with script in hand. She also took on the prompt 'role' to save RC a little cash
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2016 12:09:33 GMT
I know this has already been brought up but I didn't fully understand the answer so I hope nobody minds me re-asking.
The E6 in Phantom, is it always pre-recorded or do the Christine actresses actually hit it during performances, just not during the West End Live type things? Also, could somebody tell me which line it is on, so I can listen out for it on the soundtrack recording? Thanks.
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Post by d'James on Jun 23, 2016 12:11:32 GMT
I have a question after reading it in another thread. What is a libretto?
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Post by theatremadness on Jun 23, 2016 12:20:16 GMT
I have a question after reading it in another thread. What is a libretto? The libretto is another word for the 'book' of a musical, so all the dialogue and spoken word/structure
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Post by theatremadness on Jun 23, 2016 12:21:47 GMT
I know this has already been brought up but I didn't fully understand the answer so I hope nobody minds me re-asking. The E6 in Phantom, is it always pre-recorded or do the Christine actresses actually hit it during performances, just not during the West End Live type things? Also, could somebody tell me which line it is on, so I can listen out for it on the soundtrack recording? Thanks. I don't know for *certain* whether the note is pre-recorded during a normal performance, but I have a feeling it may be. It's pretty easy to listen out for - it's the end high note of the title song, the Phantom does his last "SING FOR ME!!!" and she hits the note on a massive "AAAAHHHH!!!".
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Post by d'James on Jun 23, 2016 12:24:10 GMT
I have a question after reading it in another thread. What is a libretto? The libretto is another word for the 'book' of a musical, so all the dialogue and spoken word/structure Oh good, thanks. I thought so, but the post I'm thinking of made me think they were different.
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 23, 2016 12:53:57 GMT
I know this has already been brought up but I didn't fully understand the answer so I hope nobody minds me re-asking. The E6 in Phantom, is it always pre-recorded or do the Christine actresses actually hit it during performances, just not during the West End Live type things? Also, could somebody tell me which line it is on, so I can listen out for it on the soundtrack recording? Thanks. The note is always pre-recorded on regular perfomances at the theatre, in all productions (West End, Broadway, the different tours etc). (The entire title song is pre-recorded in all productions, the E6 is the last note of the title song- I linked a video of Sierra Bogges and John Owen Jones earlier in the thread, but it's the last note on all recordings you will find of the song) The entire song is recorded because of the scenery and use of doubles on stage. By the time the actors get to that portion of the song they are alone with no scenery moving, so very early on in the production (as in first previews) that portions (the AHHHs) were live. The reason they stopped singing it live then (and subsquently in all later productions) is for two reasons 1. (i didn't find the documentry but I did find some comments saying) Sarah Brightman would often lose her voice (this is also the reason Chrisitne only performs 6 shows a week) 2. The blocking for that particular moment has christine shhoting her head back, make it look like "the note escaped her throat/ floated out"- it's already a terribly hard note to hit, and practicly impossible in that pose. There actresses though who choose to sing along to the recorded track, to make it more authentic (I doubt they reach for that E6 volunterly every time though) During West End live type performances- the note is also pre-recorded almost always. (During that clip of Sierra and John though I don't know- because it's not held as long as usual)
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Post by ncbears on Jun 23, 2016 14:42:44 GMT
I heard an interview with an actor playing Christine, I think on Broadway. Her story was something like this: They brought her in to record the final note. The other half of the song is sung live. She objected to the pre-recording saying she was healthy enough to sing it 6 shows a week. The producers said "no - everyone pre-records". But, it wasn't one take. It was multiple takes. So much so that she tired out her voice and couldn't sing the note live that night!
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 23, 2016 15:38:22 GMT
Going back to 'click track' how does a click track time itself? What triggers the device to come in for Christines last note? How does it know when to trigger the pyrotechnics in the right place of a show? Does the click track ever get out of synch with whagts happening on stage? What does a click track look like?
Excuse my ignorants?
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 23, 2016 15:51:58 GMT
I heard an interview with an actor playing Christine, I think on Broadway. Her story was something like this: They brought her in to record the final note. The other half of the song is sung live. She objected to the pre-recording saying she was healthy enough to sing it 6 shows a week. The producers said "no - everyone pre-records". But, it wasn't one take. It was multiple takes. So much so that she tired out her voice and couldn't sing the note live that night! That's very intersting ggstern- you don't happen to remmember who it was? Its definetly at least the entire cadenza thats recorded, not just the last note (Ive seen mishaps lol) and the three first verses (The phantom's "sing for me"s are always live though) It's the last verse that might not be (in all your fantasies...) but I could have sworn I heard it is too... Next time Im seeing phantom from first row (could be as soon as Oct. Eek ) I'll pay attention
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 23, 2016 15:58:54 GMT
Going back to 'click track' how does a click track time itself? What triggers the device to come in for Christines last note? How does it know when to trigger the pyrotechnics in the right place of a show? Does the click track ever get out of synch with whagts happening on stage? What does a click track look like? Excuse my ignorants? I'm a 100% on this so might be wrong. I think it would work the same for most shows as it does Wicked It would be the show's stage manager, or whoever has booth duty(it might not be the stage manager himself but he oversees the whole thing) to click the clicktrack- for vocals, stage effects, auto scenery. Basically they sit in a booth/station (either above the audience or backstage) that has multiple cameras the stage and they click accordingly to the script in front of them. I mentioned Wicked because there is a wonderful documentary that follows Broadway's stage managers on youtube.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Jun 23, 2016 16:37:12 GMT
I never knew this about click tracks, and it makes me sad, knowing it now. One of the reasons I love going to the theatre is to hear wonderful singers achieving amazing things with their voices - I don't want to be going now and thinking that some of the most impressive stuff I'm hearing is on tape.
Incidentally, on the Phantom example - do they get all Christines to pre-record it, including understudies, so they're at least miming to their own vocal?
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Post by ShoesForRent on Jun 23, 2016 16:55:10 GMT
I never knew this about click tracks, and it makes me sad, knowing it now. One of the reasons I love going to the theatre is to hear wonderful singers achieving amazing things with their voices - I don't want to be going now and thinking that some of the most impressive stuff I'm hearing is on tape. Incidentally, on the Phantom example - do they get all Christines to pre-record it, including understudies, so they're at least miming to their own vocal? Yes every Christine (principle/alt/ u.s.) and Phantom (prin./ s.b / u.s) records thair tracks, separately- that way they can mix and match the different actors. But every actor has their own. I think Phantom is a real rarety- Ive yet to hear of another single note in musical theatre being recorded because they're too hard to hit. (Also with the E6 recorded, I don't think there is any reason Christine should be doing 6 show a week)
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Post by Michael on Jun 23, 2016 17:25:41 GMT
I think Phantom is a real rarety- Ive yet to hear of another single note in musical theatre being recorded because they're too hard to hit. Nicole Parker told Seth Rudetsky in her Obsessed video*) that Elphaba's melting scream is pre-recorded, but everything else is sung live. *)
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Post by 49thand8th on Jun 23, 2016 17:38:45 GMT
I never knew this about click tracks, and it makes me sad, knowing it now. One of the reasons I love going to the theatre is to hear wonderful singers achieving amazing things with their voices - I don't want to be going now and thinking that some of the most impressive stuff I'm hearing is on tape. Sorry! And the base of the Tony is plastic. Here's one of the oldest Phantom fan sites in existence with more info on the click-track: web.archive.org/web/20100314181839/http://www.phantomoftheopera.com/modules/article/view.article.php/c6/17Elder Price's "No, no, NOOOO" (right after I Believe) is also pre-recorded, so he doesn't have to do that anguished yell 8x a week.
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