Re: trend


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Posted by Joe Baker on February 16, 2001 at 18:57:29:

In Reply to: trend posted by Dave S on February 15, 2001 at 20:03:05:

A couple of comments from someone who has, I believe, opinions but no bias:

1. Think about the comments a couple of days ago regarding Shost. & Stalin; freedom is everything! Freedom has come at the cost of so many lives, we mustn't sacrifice freedom in the name of

2. I would much rather see filmed action with live music than live action with taped music. I will never pay anything remotely close to a regular ticket for a taped orchestra (and really can't imagine attending ANY professional production with track); if I got there and THEN found out the orchestra was taped, I'd demand my money back.

3. As adamant as I am, freedom dictates that the theatre can provide any entertainment they choose, at any price they wish to charge.

4. Freedom also dictates that I can tell them to keep their ticket.

5. Freedom also dictates that if musicians decide to boycott a theatre or production company, that is their privelege.

6. (Ducking under my desk as I type) Question: Why don't producers who need to cut costs have a right to hire people they can afford? I know many believe it would make it tougher for pros to make a living (I could make a pretty good case that it wouldn't), and that would bring me no joy; but the 'Cheap Eats' pays less for waiters and waitresses than 'Chez Ritz', giving consumers who can't afford the expensive alternative, or who can't tell the difference, an option. Why not let the market prevail here, and give people the freedom to make decisions? Joe S. tells us that Ragtime closed its doors on Broadway 'not because they didn't have audiences but because of financial problems'. Well, if they had audiences, they had gross proceeds; then, if they had financial problems, they must have had net losses. The solution, to keep the show on and everyone employed? Trim costs, and yes that means pay lower wages. That's what any other business would do. If players aren't interested in the smaller check, they can leave. It is possible that the quality of play might decrease slightly, but with the number of great players out there I don't believe it would be a problem.

7. One trend I personally find even more obnoxious (and I've had this one happen to me): playing a recorded orchestra along with (and louder than) the live orchestra, to fool the audience into believing they are hearing a live orchestra when they are really mostly hearing a recording. This insults the musicians AND defrauds the consumer.


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