Wintertime at Livingstone Springs #2
Thursday, August 9th, 2007
Another shot from Livingstone Springs. Got a few more still to post from this one.
I survived the whole Guys and Dolls production (playing trumpet while conducting) from the last couple of weeks. Went through a major crash once finished. I vaguely recall that feeling after a run is done. In a bit of a foul mood, whether because of exhaustion, frustration, disappointment or just the fact that you’re working with the same people in a rather confined everyday for a few weeks. Of course, that fact that it’s stressful is always there too.
Will I do it again. Probably not. It’s not the typical setup for a musical production. The entire band is off stage, listening through monitors and watching a little TV screen. It’s one degree of separation too many and I think it hurts the performance. Technology is in between the actors and the band - impacting the chemistry. It always takes away any sense of confidence for both the band and the actors - can’t *see* the cue at all. Can’t see the singer take a breath before their number starts. They can’t see the conductor to know when to start.
The audience for the most part is unaware there’s a live band - surprising given some of the sounds emanating from the band. The band is listed in the program, but is never ever acknowledged during the show. The band leader, poor little ole me, is not acknowledged either (yes, some of this post is just about me) - and that poor bastard is listening, watching, cueing, reading, answering, directing, playing, changing mutes, reading a score and a part, being asked if so and so in the band is happy, sad or bitchy, etc…
I’m finding I’m not getting as much enjoyment out of playing as I’d like. I’m not sure if getting paid or not makes a difference. I think it’s just about being valued, appreciated - but then again I’m a trumpet player and it just may be a testosterone thing.
Fuck - having fun use to be easy!