On Fri Jul 2, at FridayJul 2 10:25 PM, John Howell wrote:
At 5:38 PM -0400 7/2/10, Christopher Smith wrote:
Yes, directions and cues should be included. Some of the better
editions by MTI have extensive directions, both to help the
directors and so that the musical director can communicate with
the dancers ("Start at the shimmy. That's bar 145 for the
orchestra.") Dialogue cues are a minimum requirement.
Hi, Christopher. Are we talking about the same thing? Stage
directions are blocking. Dance steps are choreography. And every
production will be different. One choreographer's shimmy might
well be another choreographer's pirouette. And one stage
director's "exit left" could be another stage director's "exit up
right" because the stage set is different.
That can be written in for a specific production, sure, if a
conductor thinks it's worth the trouble. But for our community
theater productions, nobody ever has. And it's the stage manager's
job to keep the musical director informed about changes, which they
don't always manage to do!
I'd love to see an example otherwise.
The only stage directions I have seen in scores are ones where a
musical cue has to be coordinated ("Enter King" or "gunshot"). Stage
right or left is not supposed to be published, though any conductor
could pencil it in during the original production and then it finds
its way into the published edition. You are right about the
choreographic indications being subject to change, but they still
show up (see 42nd Street, Music Man, Crazy For You, La Cage Aux
Folles to name a few) and are indispensable when they do.
I think that's what jef was talking about. Also dialogue. I sent him
the score I have to Crazy For You as an example.
Christopher
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