Little Shop of Horrors... and other shows

**bassybill** · #1 11-07-2007, 04:14 PM

Anybody ever played bass in this show? I got roped into a high school production a few years back, as happens from time to time.

I've done the Wizard of Oz, Annie, Bugsy Malone, Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver - they've all got some good numbers in. Unfortunately I'm rehearsing this week for the Sound of Music, which certainly is not one of my favourite things.

But Little Shop is a bit of a bass player's dream of a show. Some really nice lines, especially "Some Fun Now" (seriously funked up) and "Suppertime". Great fun. What experiences have you guys had with popular stage shows?

IanStephenson · #2 11-07-2007, 04:34 PM

I've just been learning 3 LSOH tracks for a Panto that I got volenteered for. My reading is a bit flakey (and the parts I've been given are dodgey - it's a local community think, so no proper scores), but they're great fun to play.

Fortunatly they're pretty easy compared to some of the other songs in the show which are much more "theatrical". As I'm used to just playing in a rock band, the LSOH stuff is a pretty small step for me, but some of the other tracks (Talk to the Animals for Dr Dolittle!!!!) are scaring me a bit.

I also finally found a good use for my five string - all those "brass" keys: Eb, Ab rather than nice good old guitar keys (A E G), mean that having the 5 string fits nicely for the more "show tunes" stuff.

So far it's been a really good experice, just learning the songs - can't wait to actually play the show.

Ian

alcockell · #3 05-21-2009, 04:15 PM

I was meaning ot ask (I don't play myself - although I do video and sometimes sound at my local church).. doesn't Evita have a little bit of slapping somewhere in the score? I'm thinking early on under "the city can be paradise/For those who have the cash..."?

My dad played bass when he was alive - and it's stayed with the way I mix.

But yes - LSOH is a bassist's dream.

**Thor** · #4 05-21-2009, 04:22 PM

The shows I did were fun. But the orchestra had a lady cellist
that had fail tattoed on her forehead. Intonation problems that
would make your teeth grind. With the bottom already cluttered and muddy, adding bass was senseless.

I did all the acoustic guitar work, opening the show and
accompaniments to some of the numbers. Oklahoma!
It came out great, especially the opening where I got to noodle around on a haystack chewin' straw until the lights came down and we morphed it into 'Oh, what a beautiful
morning' with the lead singer. Guy had a fabulous voice and
the whole number rocked.

Good times.

dave64o · #5 05-21-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

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Unfortunately I'm rehearsing this week for the Sound of Music, which certainly is not one of my favourite things.

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Very subtle, but well played!

I never played in a pit, but you should have a blast with Little Shop of Horrors. Some great bass in that music.

Deacon_Blues · #6 05-21-2009, 11:23 PM

I've seen the musical at one of the local theaters and my brother was playing keys in it. I liked the music quite a lot, but I don't see how such a banal story have ever become so "big" in the musical world.

Unfortunately I didn't pay too much attention to the bass lines. The band was hidden under the stage playing with earphones and the sound sucked. The music didn't sound "live" at all.

WalterBush · #7 05-21-2009, 11:29 PM

I did Seussical the Musical, that was pretty fun on bass. The girl playing the Cat in the Hat was awesome, too, she could've easily given Mike Myers a run for his money.

I did a version of Singing in the Rain at the same high school (it was a private school short of bass players and big on paying musicians), where they actually rigged up a small drainage pool and overhead sprinklers so that the guy singing in the rain, was actually being rained on, splashing around, etc. Great crowd pleaser. All hands on deck with squeegees and shop-vacs during intermission! That show was lots of fun.

rfclef · #8 05-21-2009, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalterBush

I did Seussical the Musical, that was pretty fun on bass. The girl playing the Cat in the Hat was awesome, too, she could've easily given Mike Myers a run for his money.

I did a version of Singing in the Rain at the same high school (it was a private school short of bass players and big on paying musicians), where they actually rigged up a small drainage pool and overhead sprinklers so that the guy singing in the rain, was actually being rained on, splashing around, etc. Great crowd pleaser. All hands on deck with squeegees and shop-vacs during intermission! That show was lots of fun.

SIngin in the Rain is my favorite musical.

Back in my "pre-bass player" days, I played tuba for "Anything Goes" for another band director buddy's High School's production. Was fun.

tplyons · #9 05-22-2009, 12:41 AM

No LSOH but I must say, Footloose is an extremely fun musical to play.

ColinB · #10 05-22-2009, 01:03 AM

Grease (twice), Fame, The Wiz, Guys'n'Dolls, Oliver, Bugsy Malone, Ocean World and I've got The Railway Children and Joseph and his Amazing Wotsit coming up later this year.

I love doing shows and LSOH is one of my favourites, but no one round here has put it on....yet!

RDUB · #11 05-22-2009, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcockell

I was meaning ot ask (I don't play myself - although I do video and sometimes sound at my local church).. doesn't Evita have a little bit of slapping somewhere in the score? I'm thinking early on under "the city can be paradise/For those who have the cash..."?

My dad played bass when he was alive - and it's stayed with the way I mix.

But yes - LSOH is a bassist's dream.

Yep... I just finished a run of Evita with a local theatre company. On the recording there is some slap there, and also in 'Another Suitcase'. It's a fun show- the parts are put together like a jigsaw puzzle! Like one bar of 5/4, then two 6/4, then one 7/4, then back to 6/4 kinda stuff.

I'm not really familiar with LSOH. I'll have to give it a listen.

Febs · #12 05-22-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

What experiences have you guys had with popular stage shows?

Aida (bass), All Shook Up (music director/electric bass), Altar Boyz (music director/electric bass), Annie Get Your Gun (double bass), Anything Goes (bass, 2 productions), Beauty and the Beast (bass), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (guitar/banjo), Cabaret (music director/double bass/banjo), Camelot (bass), Cats (guitar), Cinderella (double bass), City of Angels (bass, 2 productions), Dark of the Moon (guitar/banjo), Fiorillo! (bass), Fiddler on the Roof (guitar/mandolin), Footloose: The Musical (guitar, 2 productions), The Full Monty (bass), Godspell (guitar, 1 production; bass, 1 production), Good News (bass), Grease (bass, 2 productions; guitar, 3 productions), Guys and Dolls (bass), High School Musical (guitar), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (guitar), Irene (guitar/banjo), Is There Life After High School? (bass, 2 productions), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (bass, 2 productions), Little Shop of Horrors (guitar, 2 productions), Mame (guitar/banjo, 2 productions), Me and My Girl (bass, 2 productions), Menopause: The Musical (bass), Miss Saigon (double bass and electric bass), My Fair Lady (double bass), My Favorite Year (double bass), Oklahoma! (double bass, 2 productions; guitar/banjo, 3 productions), Oliver (double bass), The Pajama Game (guitar/banjo), Perfectly Frank (bass), Pippin (guitar/banjo, 3 productions), Ragtime, The Musical (guitar/banjo/mandolin), The Robber Bridegroom (guitar/banjo), Seussical the Musical (bass, 1 production; guitar/banjo, 1 production), State Fair (double bass), Showboat (guitar/banjo), The Who’s Tommy (bass), Thoroughly Modern Millie (double bass), Two Gentlemen of Verona (bass), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (double bass and electric bass)

This is the production I'm currently playing: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magaz...ertaining.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by RDUB

Yep... I just finished a run of Evita with a local theatre company. On the recording there is some slap there, and also in 'Another Suitcase'. It's a fun show- the parts are put together like a jigsaw puzzle! Like one bar of 5/4, then two 6/4, then one 7/4, then back to 6/4 kinda stuff.

Andrew Lloyd Weber's shows do tend to have a lot of odd meters. The introduction to "Poor Joseph" in Joseph has three measures of 5/4, and measure of 3/4, and a measure of 2/2. The beginning of the Entr'acte is in 7/8. Several songs in Jesus Christ Superstar are in 5/5 or 7/4. The introduction to "Shimbleshanks the Railway Cat" in Cats is in 13/8.

RDUB · #13 05-22-2009, 05:37 AM

Seussical is a gas! I always say it's like cartoon music on acid...

Key changes every 4 bars just to keep you looking!

Let's see now... I've also done, in no particular order:

Smokey Joe's Cafe - fun 60's music

Return To The Forbidden Planet

Fame

Footloose - some kickin' stuff there

Working

Ring Of Fire

Jesus Christ Superstar - probably my all time fave

I know there are several more, but these are all I can think of at this time in the morning. I had to turn down the opportunity to do Rent next week due to other committments, which really really sucks.

Theatre shows are generally my only real reading gigs, so I really enjoy them. I do other gigs with charts, but not usually specific written parts.