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CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 04:16 pm EDT 05/25/23
In reply to: HERE LIES LOVE to open with no live musicians - selmerboy 03:38 pm EDT 05/25/23

I would assume that the concept of Here Lies Love is somewhat similar to that of Contact. As far as I know, audiences did not object to the tracked music used in the Off-Broadway production. My partner and I were blown away by Here Lies Love at the Public, one of the best original musicals we had ever seen off-Broadway. I listen to the cast recording all the time. Of course, just IMO.
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Forgive me if this was answered elsewhere - did CONTACT pay musicians weekly who never played?
Posted by: MeredithChandler1973 09:42 am EDT 05/27/23
In reply to: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - BroadwayTonyJ 04:16 pm EDT 05/25/23

This thread has gotten very long, so I apologize if I missed this part of the discussion elsewhere. If I understand correctly, there are certain musician minimums in Broadway houses. If a show doesn't need that many musicians, they'd still be required to hire that many unless there was some sort of special agreement to allow less. The expectation would be that HERE LIES LOVE will need to pay (some) musicians weekly whether or not they plan to use them as live music in the show. That would certainly be a very expensive prospect if HLL did not take that into account, but it simply boggles my mind that no one thought there would have to be some costs for musicians for this show!!! Are insiders somehow aware that the show is trying not to employ any musicians at all? Are the negotiations about trying to minimize the amount of musicians that are paid each week (since they aren't actually playing)?

{Generally excited about HLL, but this aspect has me scratching my head}
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: KingSpeed 04:18 pm EDT 05/25/23
In reply to: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - BroadwayTonyJ 04:16 pm EDT 05/25/23

CONTACT wasn't a traditional musical. It was a dance play and there was no score. Doesn't Hear Lies Love have a score? I know I could look it up but then what good is ATC? I emjoy the conversation.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Michael_212 04:22 pm EDT 05/25/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - KingSpeed 04:18 pm EDT 05/25/23

Here Lies Love has an original score that's written to be performed as karaoke.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Singapore/Fling 06:51 pm EDT 05/25/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Michael_212 04:22 pm EDT 05/25/23

Do they protect the words? What makes it karaoke?
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Michael_212 03:10 am EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Singapore/Fling 06:51 pm EDT 05/25/23

I'm sorry, I don't understand your question.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Singapore/Fling 05:04 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Michael_212 03:10 am EDT 05/26/23

Others have gone into more detail below, but the question is what makes this karaoke, rather than people singing to pre-recorded background tracks, especially since the songs are original, rather than iconic pop songs.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Last Edit: Michael_212 05:22 pm EDT 05/26/23
Posted by: Michael_212 05:19 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Singapore/Fling 05:04 pm EDT 05/26/23

The show (as it was played at The Public) begins with a DJ, who is visible to the audience throughout the show, welcoming the audience to a karaoke nightclub and explains that karaoke was invented in The Philippines. Imelda Marcos was known for enjoying nightclubs and the show presents her and the other characters as performing karaoke. Many of the songs are staged with the performers holding microphones as if they're performing in a karaoke club. There is hardly any spoken dialogue in the show. The story is conveyed through projections and lyrics and the cast just goes from song to song, with staging that indicates that they and the audience are in a club. This is not simply deciding to use recorded music to save money. Using karaoke is a dramatic element of the storytelling.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Singapore/Fling 07:50 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Michael_212 05:19 pm EDT 05/26/23

DJs, famously, not usually a part of karaoke.

To be true to karaoke, they should really stage it in a small private room, or even better, with an at-home machine and a small TV.

I think the show sounds fabulous, but what I’m getting is through-composed dance club musical with handheld microphones, not karaoke.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: AlanScott 05:38 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - Michael_212 05:19 pm EDT 05/26/23

I have not seen the show. But what you're describing does not to my mind make the use of live musicians, should that happen, sound like it would be a problem. The setup is explicit, as you describe it. The audience can suspend disbelief easily enough. And if the creative team is super-concerned that the presence of a visible live orchestra would so upset or confuse the audience as to create a violation of the show's setup, put them upstage or in a room somewhere. Or just cover the pit.

Honestly, I think the advantages of a live orchestra in any live performance of a musical would outweigh what seems to me a questionable artistic choice even given the show's setup regarding karaoke.
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re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music?
Posted by: Chromolume 09:17 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: CONTACT -- Didn't CONTACT use recorded music? - AlanScott 05:38 pm EDT 05/26/23

I would also note that Disney's On The Record used a live orchestra, even though with the show taking place in a recording studio, the singers could easily have been dubbing their voices onto to pre-recorded tracks, as happens in the industry. But Disney avoided that.
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