This year the Mountain Lakes High School Theatre Department, and the Drama Club are putting on a production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The musical is based on the novel by Charles Dickens. However, Dicken’s novel was left unfinished at the time of his death in 1870. Rupert Holmes transformed the unfinished book into a Broadway musical in 1985, creating the first ever broadway production with multiple possible endings. The interactive script allows the audience to vote on which character is the murderer and to determine the end of the show.
For the months preceding the upcoming performances on March 3 and 4, the cast worked diligently. There are multiple factors that go into creating a successful production, and countless people make contributions in different ways. The stage crew controls the curtains and the placement of the scenery; the art club creates signs and props; the lighting and sound crews take care of every technical difficulty imaginable. And finally, there are all the volunteers who helped construct the set and donate props. Some contributions shine in the spotlight while others are under-appreciated. However, every individual plays a critical role in organizing an exceptional production.
This year, I decided to join pit orchestra for the musical. When we first received our music in December, I was still debating whether I had made the right decision. It was a new experience for me, and I was intimidated by the quantity of music as well as the time commitment. However, as the first practice approached I began to feel excited to take part in the production with so many other talented musicians, actors, and singers. I have always loved playing instruments in band, and pit orchestra was an opportunity to expand my appreciation for music. Since January, the pit band has practiced for three hours a week to learn all the music and to prepare for the play.
However, one way in which the pit differs from regular band is that in pit orchestra, the music is a supporting role to the lead singers. This means we have to learn how to do more than just play the notes accurately. A lot of time is dedicated to ensuring that we play the music so that it caters to the way the actors are comfortable singing. Small technicalities such as entrances, exits, and verbal cues are critical to putting together a cohesive musical.
Another important skill well-known to any pit band member is adaptability. Putting together a production with very limited time requires constant last minute changes. Whether skipping a measure here or adding a repeat there, it requires a lot of focus to ensure that every single member of the band is on the same page (no pun intended). I love being able to see the dedication that every individual feels as we all work together towards a common goal of putting together a musical production for others to enjoy. The sense of pride we feel after every accomplishment is always a gratifying experience. The amount of time and energy that so many people have invested into creating a successful performance is inspiring.
It is an exciting feeling to be able to contribute to an ultimate goal of creating an artistic form of entertainment while doing something that I enjoy.
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Well written. The production was wonderful. Thank you to you and all the artists that work so hard at their craft.
A very well-written article, Kyla! It is so refreshing to see someone so young, not only write so well, but have a true understanding of all it entails putting on a musical! You are very mature and it is so appreciated that you decided to participate in the musical by bringing along your own artistic talent and recognizing what is necessary to ensure the ultimate success of performing a musical. I too played in my high school pit band forever ago and I truly enjoyed the experience much like you obviously do. Thank you for your contribution to the arts and for supporting the arts with your beautiful article ~~ it means so much!