[Dixielandjazz] Rehearsal in Public Places

[Robert S. Ringwald]

ricgiorgi at sympatico.ca wrote:

(snip)
>> Most of my rehearsal experience is in the 'classical' area so the
>> idea of rehearsing in public never got to first base with me.
(snip)

Steve Barbone wrote:

> You triggered a memory with the above. My Mom lived alone in NYC in the
> 1980s and 90s. One of her big moments every week was to go to the
> rehearsal
> of the NY Philharmonic, (Wednesday afternoons) at Carnegie.
>
> They were the Orchestra's last run through before the weekend performance
> at
> Carnegie Hall, or later Lincoln Center.
>
> The charged senior citizens $2, I think, to attend these "open"
> rehearsals,
> perhaps more for younger folks. Always had a good audience.
(snip)


When I first heard someone on DJML say that they rehearsed in front of an
audience, I was flabbergasted.  We had quite a discussion on that thread 
with
various comments, pro and con.

  I finally realized that to some of us, the word "rehearsing" meant
something different then it did to others.

With the Fulton Street Jazz Band, rehearsing means really digging into an
arrangement, whether it be written or a head chart.  We make sure that
everyone in the band knows what chords are being played at any time, that
notes on a written arrangement are correct, that the front line is phrasing
and breathing together on concerted parts, etc, and lots of other fine
points looked at so that when we play the piece in public, it is as error
free as possible.

Others here on DJML were referring to "rehearsals" as playing in front of an
audience to keep the band sharp, especially if they are not working together
very often.

In the acting world, playing in front of an audience when the show is not
quite ready, as with a play or
musical, is called a preview, dress rehearsal or try out.  Often, for
instance, a show that is bound       for Broadway will spend 4-months
playing in regional theaters, trying out the show.  During this time, the
writers or producers may be changing lines, dropping or adding songs, etc.
The changes are not done in front of the audience though.

We usually attend a local theater on their preview nights.  We get the
tickets, which are normally $25 to $30 a night, for $12.  It is essentially
a dress rehearsal.  They do not stop the show to correct something.
However, there is a prompter there in case the actor forgets a line.

 The point I am making is that what you may be calling a rehearsal, is not
what I would call a rehearsal.

--Bob Ringwald