[Dixielandjazz] Joplin Meets Berlin - The Stage Play

[Robert Ringwald]

Steve Barbone quotes from the NY Times:

(snip)
"The Tin Pan Alley Rag" is in previews at the Roundabout's Laura Pels
Theater (it opens July 14), and for Mr. Saltzman, who's been a fan of
Joplin's ragtime for more than 30 years, the wordless scene is a risk
that pays off. "It's kind of rare in the theater for it all to boil
down to a piece of music," Mr. Saltzman said. (That music is played
live by offstage pianists while actors sit at pianos, hands obscured.)
"You wonder if people are going to be fidgety, or if they're going to
say, 'We didn't pay for a piano concert.' "
"I'm so happy when I see that the audience is listening to this music
as intently as if they're listening to dialogue," he said. "I feel
some kind of personal triumph about that."
(snip)

Interesting how the Ragtime waltz "Bethena" is presented in this stage play 
with no other action onstage.

Once in a while I play this beautiful waltz at a Jazz festival.  It has to 
be just the right setting and piano.

I play it rather slowly so it takes about 5 to 6 minutes to play all 
movements and repeats.

I have been successful with professing the performance by telling the 
audience that:

In this day of 10 second commercials and a murder, trial and conviction that 
is wrapped up in 40 minutes on TV, an audience can't sit still for a 
6-minute piece.  So then I charge them to do so.  It works.  I can play the 
whole thing without anyone fidgeting or whispering to their neighbor.  And 
they love the piece.


--Bob Ringwald K6YBV
rsr at ringwald.com
530/642-9551
916/806-9551 Cell
www.ringwald.com
Fulton Street Jazz Band

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