sunrae
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RANT: So annoyed with the School Edition right now....So, I'm doing the choreography for Les Miz at one of the local high schools, we open next week. Now that we're working with the set and transitions and all, it's gotten very complicated. The school went all out and built a rotating stage - very cool, very challenging.
Anyway, I was staging the final battle and got it all set for everyone to go into the slow motion fighting/dying while the music is playing the red/black theme. And then when it goes into the bring him home theme the stage is supposed to slowly rotate to show all the dead students.
WELL - the stupid school edition cut the music WAY short which allows no time for the scene change from the battle into the sewers. So now we are having to have all the students die sooner and we are rotating the stage during the red/black theme and the bring him home music is being used as the scene change music....
This TOTALLY ruins the effect!! That slow music is when the stage should turn, not on the red/black music!! ARG! I mean, I guess it's fine. But it's just not the same....
stupid school edition
END RANT
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bigR
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I have no idea about the legal issues or about how rigid the rules of the school editions are. There is no way to have the longer music for that bit. It really sucks when you are trying your best to do a good job and these silly things you can't control spoil it.
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Orestes Fasting
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Man, that sucks. What's the point of requiring a revolving stage/barricade (which I assume is mostly for the sake of that scene) if the music is cut down too much to give it the full effect anyway?
A few of the regional productions made cuts to the oboe solo as well, but for them it was because they staged it without the revolving stage and without the big reveal of dead Enjy dangling off the barricade. If the only thing going on in that scene is Valjean dragging Marius into the sewers and all the dead Frenchboys lying there making the audience cry, the oboe solo can safely be shortened. Because without dangling Enjy, what are you going to do with that swell in the music anyway?
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Quique
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Ick. That must be super frustrating. Of all cuts, that is definitely the worst.
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Set_Buildin_Dad
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I'm not sure about the Ts & Cs of the rights you bought. In past shows I've been associated with we've been able to make small edits to the music such as looping or cutting sections without causing problems. This might work for you.
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sunrae
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that this cut is just not right. It really is one of the worst cuts in the show. Most other cuts that the S.E. has I can forgive....but not this one.
And unfortunately our director is not willing to add in a repeat or anything there to make the time for it. I'm sure it is possible, he just won't do it...Bleh!
Our dangling Enjy looks so good too! I mean - he looks so dead, and with the red flag around him...it's such a beautiful picture.
The last couple of rehearsals we've had a guy taking production photos, I'll have to post some when I get the copies (hopefully I will get some copies!).
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Brunnhilde
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Then don't cut it. Who would tell it to Mackintosh? Nobody!
The other thing... cutting the best part from Confrontation! This school edition just sucks. If there would be only some transponed notes, that wouldn't matter, but these things ruin the show.
I think you people in the West folllow the rules too strictly.
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