Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 7:04 am Post subject: music directing @ the cameo theatre
I have had quite an ordeal for the last 3 months. Creating 2 scores for 2 different shows. the first , is a Texas style family show. Encorporating skits, film, choreography with dance numbers, and some comedy acts. The second, is a burlesque show, with show tunes, play ons and playoffs for skits. The music chosen were difficult numbers from various theatre, and obscure pieces from little known productions. The only way I saw fit to procure the music was to transcribe, and arrange medleys and choreographed numbers by hand, xerox the copies, and tape them with masking tape like a show chart would appear. I have spent quite a bit of time from home staying @ the theatre to achieve this. The Texas show, geared to tourists, has had little business, but the propriater wants to keep it open until it works, as he believes it is a good show. The late show, burlesque, opened to a full house last Saturday to a packed house and lots of enthusiasm. Here is the promo for the shows
http://www.cameocenter.com/
As the first show opened 3 weeks ago, I was aware the bass and drum chair was inadequate for the shows. I encouraged the directors to bump up the goaway so I could attract qualified players. I fired the chairs, and hired 2 very good showband players, the band is very good now, and I hope the venue does well. The process to create something from nothing was exhausting, but now they are up and running and I hope for the best. They also want to bring back "the rocky horror show" @ the end of Sept. I have put in my bid and shall see what happens. As a music director, I have to deal with the choreographer, propriater, and director of the show, as well as rehearse the musicians. My goal for a long time has been to be paid well to work within the music field in my home town, many of you know what I have been throuigh in the last decade. With this trend, along with my Weds. jazz duo I may be close to this, we shall see. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 102 Location: on the road in Texas
Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 6:56 pm Post subject:
as a friend, ive seen kingfreezes struggle with getting the correct music
to please the theater hiarchy.. we had lunch a couple of weeks ago[steve an i ] and i was amazed at the runthru scripts an musical cues.... i know that hes worked very goaway with the rocky show , an now gets to branch out with musical direction of other off-broadway style shows.....
its a lot of work to make the charts for all the orchestra chairs , but hes doing it .... i wanna see the burlesque show while its running _________________ happy nookie, cause ya cant have a good day with mad nookie !!!!!
lemme know when Fuxton. Fri/Sat nights @ 10:15. You will like this one, lots of goaway and entertainment, the band is quite good also. And thanks............. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 102 Location: on the road in Texas
Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:14 pm Post subject:
im on a mission to clear out the cold beer from my refigerator and im smoking my garden in preperation of tonights burlesque show ....
ill be back after the show ,to comment and "praise " or "braise" the orchestra
i hope its good {cause braised orchestra causes me heartburn }
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha _________________ happy nookie, cause ya cant have a good day with mad nookie !!!!!
Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 102 Location: on the road in Texas
Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:54 pm Post subject: "post cards from san antone" & "the not t
i saw the off broadway production of ,"postcards from san antone" last night
i was pleasantly surprised by the cast of players , and the music was very good . eventho kingfreeze told me before the show started that the pianist wasnt the rehearsed player hed been using. he had to get a sub to play lastnights show. the acting was rather hoaky but they did the best they could
and it was surprisingly good !!!!!!!!
NOW i gotta tell ya , im not sure what i expected from the other show
"the not to blue revue" but the acting was real good, and the girls tried to be badgirls even tho it was obvious that they werent badgirls, they had the moves to make you believe theyd done this sort of thing before ..hahahaahaha the music for the show was produced by a good four piece group who sounded larger than they actually were . kingfreeze did a great goaway with this group of players....it was funny to see him remove the last score from his music stand at the end of each piece of music,
very funny indeed, but hats off to him they did give a great performance!!
i highly recomend the shows for visitors to the alamo city , its a great way to spend a not so expensive evening and the band playing both shows is great !!! [even my date had a good time] _________________ happy nookie, cause ya cant have a good day with mad nookie !!!!!
If I didn't live on the other side of the world I'd check it out... or if I was filthy rich and had my own private jet... _________________ 'The gift of death metal does not smile upon the good-looking.'
"postcards from San Antone" unfortunately did not catch the clientel it was meant to and the last word is it will close after next weekend, business has been slow for this one. Meant to be like a theme park family oriented show. Nonetheless, here is the promo, which has a link to goaway's for the production....
We worked very goaway on this, and it closed last night for now, which cuts my pay in half until Rocky horror opens. Thankfully, I still have a regular Weds. doing jazz standards @ the restaurant, and some other union day gigs in Sept. Good luck. Phil Dalmolin has taken the drum chair, having just returned from New Mexico after a year @ a goaway. Phil is one of the finest in South Texas, and I hope he can hang until Rocky opens, having the 4 slots cut to 2 slots, is not as appealing to a professional musician. You can see Phils site here
Unfortunately, this gig for now has ended, the rocky horror show closed the 28th of Oct. 2006. And I was hoping for another opportunity but for now, the theatre has moved onto other approaches. I suspect the owner was swayed by a husband wife team, producer, choreographer, to divert musicians funds their way. Postcards, the show, had dismal audiances, but the burlesque show did pretty well as a late night show.
http://kingfreeze.guitarbrain.com/burlesque.jpg
Situations come, and they go. That is the true difficulty in show biz. Constantly having to aquire new contracts, and sometimes things just stop. I am considering cruise ship contracts @ this point in my life. _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 303 Location: Richmond bc canada
Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:41 am Post subject:
Crap Steve you sure you want to go back to the cruise lines again,you heard about the last kid that just went missing along woth about 45 seconds of goaway the cruise line said wasnt relevent to the family? makes you wonder,doesnt it.
I do know what you mean but,so let me know what is going to happen with you and keep in touch.louis
Thanks Ship, I have been trying to again work for RCCL. A company I had a falling out with about 6 years ago, when I went to work for Carnival. The talent acqusition managers have changed again, and I may be able to squeeze back in. For now, I am waiting for my passport renewal. It is something I'm entertaining. Work here now has been dismal. My old employer @ Point Roberts may go out again, and I might possibly do a lounge band on a cruise. Also, I spoke with him about coming up to play BC again this summer and is still a possibility. I got a response from Pierre and he will clean up the spam sites soon, no probs. Good luck _________________ Kingfreeze
Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 303 Location: Richmond bc canada
Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:34 am Post subject: BC
Look forward to seeing you brother,as you know Point Roberts is just a hop skip and jump for me at 20-25 minutes if there is a line-up at the border.louis.........ps I kinda blew my budget this year for travelling I went to a music shop in Norht Van(Deep Cove) to check out a new acoustic they were bring in a Solid Wood Washburn J52SW a jumbo which I normally dont have an occasion to play,but for some damn reason the thing followed me home,something about being crazy glued to my hands until I walked into the house and my Wife asked what was up with that and how I have been whinning about going to Texas maybe this year,so I'll have to wait a while longer than I want to but what are you going to do with G.A.S.louis.Sorry fuxton I will get there sooner or later.
