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Post by crabtree on Dec 3, 2018 22:26:20 GMT
Which show do you think drains the chorus every performance, let alone eight times a week. 42nd street must be touch but there are breaks for the men and women, not many I'll admit, but I suspect the Matthew Bourne Swan Lake must absolutely kill the male dancers, especially on two show days. Not only do they have the two marathon swan scenes with the make up change, but they are full on in most of the other scenes. I know in the early days the Jellicle Ball had many of the dancers being sick from exhaustion, but that looks tame next to swan Lake.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2018 22:32:52 GMT
If we are talking strictly musicals, I imagine its Cats without a doubt. Especially she Jellicle Ball. I'd also consider An American in Paris as a physically demanding one. As for currently in the West End, I'd give a shout to 42nd Street, which several of the dancers have told me is the most difficult show they've done, and that they have lost loads of weight doing it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2018 23:23:44 GMT
Compilation choreographer shows like Fosse or Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, a higher rate of chorus numbers and many of them showstoppers. Given the dance style and its stress on the body and potential wear and tear I’d go for Fosse.
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Post by shady23 on Dec 4, 2018 2:36:22 GMT
Hamilton. The chorus are on stage for the majority of the show and the dance moves are very energetic and frequent.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 4, 2018 8:29:43 GMT
This is easy. The answer is starlight express in Bochum.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 4, 2018 9:33:28 GMT
All so far are very physical. I suspect Sweeney and Le Miz are very demanding on the vocal chops. As we have dance in there I’m going to twist it in the other direction and say Carmen and Pirates of Penzance must also be a strain
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2018 9:53:28 GMT
I've done a decent amount of amdram, and Sweeney Todd is by far the hardest sing I've ever had to do as an ensemble member. In most shows, the sopranos sing the tune while the altos and tenors sing something largely complementary underneath; in Sweeney Todd, there is no tune* and everybody is clashing with everyone else, and good luck EVER getting the words right in God, That's Good!. If I'd known before we started, I'd've made a far more concerted effort to get a principal role. Yeah, Mrs Lovett never shuts up, but at least you can pick her songs up more or less through osmosis. I only thank god I can read music, we genuinely had people drop out because it's a helluva score to have to learn by ear. Pirates of Penzance, on the other hand, is just about the most fun I've ever had doing amdram, and I can sing the entire score at the drop of a hat still. The top notes are harder to reach these days, but I never had any troubles learning or performing it. *exaggeration for effect, feel free to not correct me  |
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Post by synchrony on Dec 4, 2018 9:57:04 GMT
I've only done a few Am Dram shows, but one of them was Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Again, it's a show where the sopranos don't often have the tune, although since the songs are pop most people know most of the lyrics anyway. BUT what we found tricky were the vast number of dance numbers, all requiring very fast costume changes and often very complicated costumes/wigs. There was a lot of stripping in the wings of that show. I still haven't forgiven the costume-maker who decided that an actual corset with full lace-up back was a good idea (why no velcro/poppers?! Why?!)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2018 10:06:07 GMT
This is easy. The answer is starlight express in Bochum. VERY easy. Nothing on earth compares to the 4 show weekend in Bochum - the stamina these guys have is incredible! The ultimate actor athletes.... |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2018 21:56:47 GMT
Groundhog Day must have been pretty hard for the chorus with the repetition of scenes (whereas Phil has a more linear journey in the show) and not to mention the quick changes and intricate choreography on 5 revolves.
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Post by joeinnewyork on Dec 4, 2018 22:18:39 GMT
The Broadway version of "Footloose" became known for its large number of cast injuries.
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Post by dippy on Dec 4, 2018 22:45:53 GMT
Groundhog Day must have been pretty hard for the chorus with the repetition of scenes (whereas Phil has a more linear journey in the show) and not to mention the quick changes and intricate choreography on 5 revolves. And the winter weather wear which must be horrible. I'm randomly going to say I don't think it's 42nd Street. I read somewhere that doing the show (in the chorus) is like 10 minute busts of exercise. This actually makes sense in my head since the ensemble do get rests. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2018 22:50:48 GMT
42nd Street is interesting because the female Ensemble get lots of breaks, but the men dont really. Because there are only 12 guys, they have to do all of the male bits, whereas the girls only have to do the large Ensemble numbers then they have the odd cameo here and there. For example: the men do Plenty of Money whereas the girls get Shuffle Off to Buffalo but they are sat down the whole time whilst the men and Clare do their thing.
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Post by dippy on Dec 5, 2018 2:37:51 GMT
42nd Street is interesting because the female Ensemble get lots of breaks, but the men dont really. Because there are only 12 guys, they have to do all of the male bits, whereas the girls only have to do the large Ensemble numbers then they have the odd cameo here and there. For example: the men do Plenty of Money whereas the girls get Shuffle Off to Buffalo but they are sat down the whole time whilst the men and Clare do their thing. Hmm, still don't agree, the men get lots of breaks too and they aren't all in everything. I'm horrifically dull and have a spreadsheet of more or less who is in which bits for the male ensemble (fingers crossed my scribblings during the show are correct, I know I'm missing a silhouetted jumper (any help appreciated). If I could ever learn the names/faces of all the women I'd want to do it for them too. I don't think the men are anywhere near as busy as you think they are but I could be wrong.  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2018 7:11:00 GMT
42nd Street is interesting because the female Ensemble get lots of breaks, but the men dont really. Because there are only 12 guys, they have to do all of the male bits, whereas the girls only have to do the large Ensemble numbers then they have the odd cameo here and there. For example: the men do Plenty of Money whereas the girls get Shuffle Off to Buffalo but they are sat down the whole time whilst the men and Clare do their thing. Hmm, still don't agree, the men get lots of breaks too and they aren't all in everything. I'm horrifically dull and have a spreadsheet of more or less who is in which bits for the male ensemble (fingers crossed my scribblings during the show are correct, I know I'm missing a silhouetted jumper (any help appreciated). If I could ever learn the names/faces of all the women I'd want to do it for them too. I don't think the men are anywhere near as busy as you think they are but I could be wrong. Firstly, love a graph so don't worry about that haha. I can see what you mean, but it does seem certainly that the men are on together alot more than the women are, which is weird. Its also why I find it interesting alot of fans of the show know more about the men and their roles, but struggle to know about the individual women because there are so many of them and they are on stage at different times as opposed to the men.  |
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Post by Dawnstar on Dec 5, 2018 20:37:56 GMT
Groundhog Day must have been pretty hard for the chorus with the repetition of scenes (whereas Phil has a more linear journey in the show) and not to mention the quick changes and intricate choreography on 5 revolves. A few months after the show closed I had a conversation with one of the former ensemble cast members, when I saw him in another show, and he said that the cast would sometimes have to check with each other which day they were doing as it was very easy to forget where exactly they were!
dippy That is very impressive. I thought my Mischief cast lists were geeky enough but I now feel I've been comprehensively out-geeked! |
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Post by indis on Dec 5, 2018 21:02:34 GMT
Tarzan was physically a very demanding show, always walking on bowed knees, or on all fours on your knucklebones, the swinging on the ropes and lots of dancing
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Post by dippy on Dec 5, 2018 23:36:40 GMT
dippy That is very impressive. I thought my Mischief cast lists were geeky enough but I now feel I've been comprehensively out-geeked! Glad that it's seen as impressive and not too crazily weird! I do find things like that fascinating which is why I scribble things on my hand during the show (my memory isn't good enough to remember). |
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 12, 2018 15:33:52 GMT
This is easy. The answer is starlight express in Bochum. VERY easy. Nothing on earth compares to the 4 show weekend in Bochum - the stamina these guys have is incredible! The ultimate actor athletes.... I did Starlight in Bochum and it almost killed me. Imagine running for 2 hours straight in the dark, belting pop songs, wearing glitter and eyelashes and wearing a costume that is the same weight as a small child. Oh and add a helmet that feels like the weight of a small microwave. Hahaa..... I’ve never prayed much in my life, I did when I did the dress rehearsal - I thought i was going to die. Second is Cats and the Jellical Ball. I’ve seen dancers vomit. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 12, 2018 18:26:23 GMT
I chunder during Cats but that on grounds of taste ....
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Post by crabtree on Dec 12, 2018 19:21:22 GMT
And I guess we should put Chorus Line in here as well, certainly the injuries were amazing, but I still hold that swan Lake for the gents must be the toughest slog.
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