Super Dry room...rosin?

[tyb507]

Hi all,
sorry if this has been covered, but I couldn't really find a definitive answer by searching.
I'm playing for a theater production ("Woody Guthrie's American Song"), in a small blackbox theater. The band (me and a fiddler) are on stage the whole show, and I have to do some very quiet bowing. The stage is surrounded on three sides by audience, so I feel very exposed, especially as a newbie to bowing.
The problem is the room is unbelievably dry. Winter finally arrived to Vermont a couple weeks ago, and we are down to sub-zero temps these days. The set for the show is made of maybe 1500' of rough-cut pine that I imagine soaks up whatever moisture is in the air. I can't even loosen my bow hair by the end of the show.
I'm using Pop's, but I'm having trouble getting a good tone, without loosing the note to squeaky overtones and such. I'm not ruling out the fact that I don't know what I'm doing with a bow, but I think I might have a better chance with a different rosin.
So (sorry that was kind of a long-winded setup), what is the general idea behind choosing a rosin based on climate? Softer for dryer and harder for more humid? And dark or light?
Thanks!
-tyler

[cassidyholden]

coming from maine ..

I used carlsson for a january theatre gig and was satisfied .. it's really sticky, smells like pine. I used relatively low bow tension, and didn't have any major issues, even when very exposed playing softly up high.

Also, consider mixing rosin .. one coat of something soft, another coat of something dryer. Pops/carlsson is my choice .. sometimes cello rosin instead.

Can you play with a mute; will that help at all?

[Stan Haskins]

+ 1 for carlsson's. I find it alot "grabbier" and less sensitive to humidity changes. Use LOTS of it.