By Greg Hazley
New York PR veteran Ethan Geto of Getto & de Milly is handling the American Federation of Musicians campaign to end the use of recorded music in Broadway shows.
The New York Times reported today that recorded music on Broadway isn’t on the rise at the moment, but producers of musicals that can cost $15M often try to slim down the size of an orchestra to cut costs.
The American Federation of Musicians has focused its campaign on 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert.' |
The Federation has focused on recently opened "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" as its initial target. That show uses nine musicians as well at taped music at each performance at the Palace Theater.
A contract covering the Federation’s Local 802 and 40 theaters requires a set minimum of musicians based on the size of the house. The Palace minimum is 18.
Priscilla features recordings of disco hits such as "I Will Survive," and "It’s Raining Men" that require its orchestra to "play along with a recording," according to the Federation’s website, savelivemusiconbroadway.com.
Priscilla’s producers claim recordings are needed to replicate the disco sound and "art form of the 1980s" by recording live musicians and altering their work with special effects.
The union contends a full orchestra sounds better than "canned music" with a recorded string section attempting to mimic the full richness of sound of "The Great White Way."
Its website predicts that if Priscilla’s producers can get away with it, some day buyers of expensive tickets to a Broadway show will "see a lone pianist sadly playing along with a canned orchestra" or an actor lip-syncing songs performed by a computer.
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