[NEohioPAL]Elyria Summer Theatre - call for musicians

Sat Jul 7 05:44:55 PDT 2007

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I'm sure Mr. Caraffi will respond as well, but I felt I should jump  
in here too. The difference between the "got pay?" discussions and  
this situation is that this is community theatre, which is done for  
the fun and love of the craft, often on a volunteer basis. All of the  
actors are volunteering their time, and Elyria Summer Theatre is  
certainly not the only community theatre in the area that expects its  
music director to find volunteer musicians. This is a non-profit  
group, and the phrase "if money is made, the talent gets paid" still  
applies.

However, reality being what it is -- and I'm speaking from my  
experience of playing for umpteen pit orchestras, some free and some  
paid -- there is only so much time and talent to go around. Even when  
one calls on friends who are willing to help you out for a one- 
weekend, 4-show run such as this, if a paying gig lands in their lap,  
they will likely take it and bail on you. I can assure you that Mike  
VERY MUCH values the time and effort of musicians, which is exactly  
why it is so frustrating that he has to give up part of his own  
stipend to fill out this orchestra. He is not a member of the Elyria  
Summer Theatre Association board, and does not set up the budget, so  
he's doing what he feels he has to in order to put on a good show.

Mind you, I do not find it unreasonable to pay musicians for  
community theatre shows. While the actors are in the spotlight and  
have their bios in the program, the orchestra often doesn't. The  
audience rarely remembers -- or even cares -- who is playing 2nd B- 
flat flutophone. Plus, as I said, it is very hard to find musicians  
who will volunteer their time, so being able to entice them with even  
a modest stipend helps sweeten the pot.

If you find this manner of theatre insulting, I highly recommend you  
never do any shows with Workshop Players in Amherst, which is  
entirely run by volunteers, including the production staff, and is  
truly done simply "for the fun and love of the craft."

-Bryan Bird

On Jul 7, 2007, at 12:12 AM, Barbara T Aylward wrote:

> To Mr. Caraffi - please refer to all of the various postings and  
> discussions that have gone on here at Fred's fine sessions  
> regarding 'perform for free'.  If your theatre budget doesn't allow  
> for pay for a pit orchestra, then you probably need to rethink the  
> shows that you're putting on.  There are many fine non-musical, or  
> limited instrumentation shows that can be staged with a minimal  
> budget..
>
> The fact that you do have some budget ("max $125/musician") causes  
> me to think that you don't particularly value the time, expense,  
> and effort that all of the musicians that I know of expend on a  
> regular basis.
>
> Please, don't insult us in the manner of your posting.
>
> Kevin Aylward
>
>

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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">I'm sure Mr. Caraffi will respond as well, =
but I felt I should jump in here too. The difference between the "got =
pay?" discussions and this situation is that this is <I>community =
theatre</I>, which is done for the fun and love of the craft, often on a =
volunteer basis. All of the actors are volunteering their time, and =
Elyria Summer Theatre is certainly not the only community theatre in the =
area that expects its music director to find volunteer musicians. This =
is a non-profit group, and the phrase "if money is made, the talent gets =
paid" still applies.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">However, reality being what it is -- and I'm =
speaking from my experience of playing for umpteen pit orchestras, some =
free and some paid -- there is only so much time and talent to go =
around. Even when one calls on friends who are willing to help you out =
for a one-weekend, 4-show run such as this, if a paying gig lands in =
their lap, they will likely take it and bail on you. I can assure you =
that Mike VERY MUCH values the time and effort of musicians, which is =
exactly why it is so frustrating that he has to give up <I>part of his =
own stipend</I>=A0to fill out this orchestra. He is not a member of the =
Elyria Summer Theatre Association board, and does not set up the budget, =
so he's doing what he feels he has to in order to put on a good =
show.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Mind you, I do not find it =
unreasonable to pay musicians for community theatre shows. While the =
actors are in the spotlight and have their bios in the program, the =
orchestra often doesn't. The audience rarely remembers -- or even cares =
-- who is playing 2nd B-flat flutophone. Plus, as I said, it is very =
hard to find musicians who will volunteer their time, so being able to =
entice them with even a modest stipend helps sweeten the =
pot.</DIV><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">If you find this manner of theatre insulting, =
I highly recommend you never do any shows with Workshop Players in =
Amherst, which is <I>entirely</I>=A0run by volunteers, including the =
production staff, and is truly done simply "for the fun and love of the =
craft."</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>-Bryan Bird</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jul 7, 2007, at =
12:12 AM, Barbara T Aylward wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV>To =
Mr. Caraffi - please refer to all of the various postings and =
discussions that have gone on here at Fred's fine sessions regarding =
'perform for free'.=A0 If your theatre budget doesn't allow for pay =
for=A0a pit orchestra, then you probably need to rethink the shows that =
you're putting on.=A0 There are many fine non-musical, or limited =
instrumentation shows that can be staged with a minimal budget..</DIV>  =
<DIV>=A0</DIV>  <DIV>The fact that you do have some budget ("max =
$125/musician") causes me to think that you don't particularly value the =
time, expense, and effort that all of the musicians that I know of =
expend on a regular basis.</DIV>  <DIV>=A0</DIV>  <DIV>Please, don't =
insult us in the manner of your posting.</DIV>  <DIV>=A0</DIV>  =
<DIV>Kevin Aylward</DIV>  <DIV>=A0</DIV>  =
<DIV>=A0</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>=

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