Musicians playing for live theatre are usually members of a union.īefore the musicians join the production, which is usually not until the very end of a rehearsal process, an accompanist plays a piano or keyboard during rehearsals so the actors, singers, and dancers can practice. They are led by a conductor, who sets the pace and guides the musicians.

If the show has a live orchestra, musicians (sometimes called 'pit musicians') are hired to play at every performance. Many artists and technicians work in both musical theatre and opera, and sometimes dance as well some individuals and organizations blend all three genres. If there is dialogue, it is often called musical theatre. If the performance is entirely sung, it is often called an opera. Sometimes this is the same person, and sometimes the librettist also writes any non-singing dialogue (the book). In addition to the actors, directors, designers, and others who are involved in any professional theatre production, musical theatre requires specialized artists and technicians.Ĭreating a new musical theatre production requires a composer, who creates the music, and a librettist, who writes the words to the songs (the lyrics). Musical theatre is a genre of theatre where music plays a major role in moving the story forward. Meet the Education & Community Partnerships Team.Is presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).Īll authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. This raw new adaptation of Working allows us a rare glimpse of the actors and technicians working to put on a show which further enhances the relatable nature of our lives as workers. The strength of the show is in truths that transcend specific professions - how our relationship to work reveals key aspects of our humanity. Set in contemporary America, this new version of Working is a musical exploration of 26 people from all walks of life. Nominated for six Tony Awards, this classic has been updated for a modern age, featuring new songs by Tony Award-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as favorites by Stephen Schwartz, Craig Carnelia and James Taylor. With additional contributions by Gordon GreenbergĪbout the updated 2012 version of Working, a musicalīased on Studs Terkel's best-selling book of interviews with American workers, Working paints a vivid portrait of the men and women that the world so often takes for granted: the schoolteacher, the phone operator, the waitress, the millworker, the mason and the housewife, just to name a few.

Working the musical