You Know You're in a Pit Orchestra When...

As most of the people who know me already know, SUU Opera is performing the Mikado this week and we've had a couple of rehearsals in the last few days to prepare for it.


"The flowers that bloom in the spring tra-la!" has been stuck in my head since Saturday. Along with my part from "Our Great Mikado, Virtuous Man." 

Yeah...


Here are the five things I have issues with in a pit orchestra:


1. My butt and back kill after the first rehearsal and every time I sit down for more than twenty minutes after then I feel it! This lasts until a day or two after closing night...
2. Sunlight anyone? I can only take so many hours in the "pit." Hello? I'm DOWN HERE!!!!
3. I feel like fresh air is the only thing that can save me from the almost tangible aura of sweat, breath and other bodily functions. 
4. Watching various string players play with their mouths slightly agape, looking everywhere but at the conductor and playing everything too long and half a beat late.
5. The rehearsal schedule ruins my evening social life. If I had one, anyway... :)


Here are the five things I love about pit orchestra:
1. (This is really cheesy) Being an important part of a major production.
2. Looking across the orchestra and seeing at least five or six close friends. Many opportunities to have silent conversations in between playing about making a silly mistake or how awesome something sounded.
3. Knowing that the French Horn player chuckling at the third time I've botched a passage is actually laughing at my facial reaction because she's sitting that close to me.
4. The look on Gerry's face when something is going wrong... and when something goes right.
5. Occassionally glancing back at the Trombone and Tuba player, both of whom are doubled over in silent laughter about... drool....


Anyway -- COME TO THE OPERA!


You know you're part of a pit when you fall asleep with the music still stuck in your head...