Did MST Lead The Way?

Great article in today's Chronicle Zest Section about Piazza. It is funny that Mr. Evans references the Weston Playhouse production. I was as surprised as anyone to see that their production included a smaller orchestra and a cast of only 8!

Back in April, when MST first began negotiations with the R&H Library to do the show, they were asking us about how we would support the full 11-piece orchestration. Our response was we couldn't! It was then that careful negotiations began for us to do it with a smaller orchestra of 6. The R&H Library, with a Tony award winning score to offer, were naturally apprehensive. But after a few conversations with our Musical Director, Glenn Sharp, who lead our glorious 2008 production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE with a 5-piece band, were they convinced we had the vision and passion to do THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA justice.

It was then, later that summer, when I read on Playbill.com about Weston's "chamber version" of the show. The production was created in direct collaboration with Adam Guettel, utilizing and orchestra of 6 and a cast of 8.

I can't help but wonder if MST didn't lead the charge in making the case that there was a long and beautiful life awaiting PIAZZA in the smaller regional theaters all over the country.

And that's the word on the street!