Wow. it seems like last week that I posted my original "One Week" thread, stating that it was one week until audition day. Now it's Tech Week, and we open on Friday. The cast is coming along beautifully under the watchful eye of my Assistant Director while I assume the primary function of music director for the remainder of our rehearsal time. The band is sounding good - everyone knows the show except for my drummer, but he's picking it up. We have two keyboards, bass, drums, and I'm on guitar and keyboard 3 (when there's not a guitar part). I'm going to say it. I think we may have a show. Wow.

I've directed many, many times, both plays and musicals, including a major stress-inducing production of "Sweeney Todd" two years ago (it was a beautiful production - but totally exhausting to run) but this has been my first experience music directing - and I've learned as much as anyone has, I think. All in all it's been a very positive and artistically rewarding experience. Now to cross the t's and dot the i's and prepare for our opening night.

Sounds really exciting. We're opening at the end of January, and I'm mainly music directing as well. We have the music about 80% taught; it's more just polishing vocal qualities, tones, and things like that - something I don't have a ton of experience with (like diaphragm use and such). Nonetheless, I think we're coming along - the score is just really challenging because so many of the vocal parts are very imitative; at least this is what I found.

The score sounds so simple, and then you get into the nuts and bolts of it. Those two Swedes couldn't write a harmony part that makes sense to save their lives. Oh, and riddle me this: Why are Chess #2 and Endgame (arguably the two most difficult pieces to play) not in the same key?! It's very frustrating.

It was without a doubt one of the most challenging scores I'd ever sung when I was in the show 12 years ago, and now that I'm music directing I can see that many of my cast have been pretty intimidated by the material as well, but they've come to embrace it and have truly grown as performers as a result - all of them.

Next year, incidentally, I'm music directing Songs for a New World. Jason Robert Brown. Why can't I direct simple music?! Tommy's also on my list to MD - and opening that score after playing Chess (which I did one night a while back) is like opening a beginner piano book. Someday that'll happen.

Also: should any of you be in the neighborhood: http://www.chessthemusical.info

I really love Chess, but from a singer's angle the music is hell. Even songs like Where I Want to Be, which should, because of its range, be no problem for a tenor, feels very high because of the way it is written. The same goes for songs like Pity the Child, The Deal, Endgame, and The Arbiter.

I found it really strange, because I have no problem with most music up to a C, but Chess is in a class of its own when it comes to difficulty range-wise. Even Webber, who have often been criticized for being to "ranchy" is easier to sing. Gethsemane, Heaven On their Minds, no problem. The Arbiter, Where I Want to Be, great songs to listen to. Hell to sing.

So I understand very well what you mean when you say that your actors have problems with the material, because Chess is one of those few musicals where I think you should focus more on the singing rather than the acting.

I noticed that too. It's not so much that the notes are hard. It's that they repeat in succession and don't really give you time to take a full breath, just a catch breath. I agree that anything Judas sings, while being in the same basic range as Freddie, is much easier.

Now now, I have to defend my cast's honor here - I said they were intimidated by the material, not that they have problems with it. They really have gone above and beyond to do the hard work necessary to learn the material and are doing a beautiful job. I'm quite proud

We closed Sunday and it was truly bittersweet for everyone involved. Had a great run. Thanks to the MdN community for all the help and support, now I'm settling in for a long winter of post-show blahs.

K