By Norah Jewett ’25
As the date for opening night for BHS’s production of Anastasia looms in the future, all areas of the musical have been hard at work, the cast staying after school to rehearse and the crew coming in on Saturdays to build sets. However, a more overlooked group is just as important to the show as the others: the Pit Band. Meeting from 6-8 at least once a week to book out around 30 musical numbers, this group, made up of mostly students, are willing to put in the time and effort to make up a live pit band for the musical. The pit band has been working hard to accomplish as much as possible in the times they meet. Although opening night seems like a while away, the group of musicians have a lot they need to cover for the show.
The pit band is made up of thirteen students, from freshmen to seniors, and three teachers: Mr. Costa, the band director, Mr. Smith, the strings director, and Mr. Krafka, the middle school band director. The variety of students and the musical talents of each player on their respective instruments tie together to create a small orchestra for the show. These students are some of the best musicians in the school, and are taking on pages upon pages of music on top of school work and extracurricular activities to make this show one we all won’t forget.
Some students involved in the pit band shared their feelings and experiences so far.
Tara MacNeil, the violin player of the pit replies, “The music is really fun to play and being able to play with a small group of musicians is nice.”
The first flute and piccolo player Abby Dorey says, “I enjoy pit band because I get to play with some of the best musicians in the school.”
“It’s a fun, small group. I feel like I have obtained better skills from playing in this ensemble,” Mary Hauck, the second flute player points out.
Other students point out the challenges involved with pit band. “The music is challenging and very fast-paced,” trombone player Oliver Sweatman states.
“I enjoy pit band because it’s the most challenging music I’ve played in a while and I enjoy playing with a very talented group of musicians,” Cadyn Hollingsworth, the first clarinet and alto saxophone player remarks. “It’s a lot of commitment. Multiple hours outside of rehearsal practicing the music, and having to stay at school for practices. Since I’m involved in other extracurricular activities, I’m sometimes at school until eight. On those days I eat dinner in the hallway outside the band room with Abby Dorey.”
The music itself, as many students said, is a challenge. And since there are so many music numbers, there is less time to rest for the pit band. According to Mr. Costa, the director, the last time they had done a show with this much music in it was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat way back in 2014. While the music isn’t very similar to Russian music of the time, there are some numbers that have a connection to the Bolshevik Revolution, which sets the plot for the whole show.
This is Mr. Costa’s tenth show at BHS, having done shows such as West Side Story and The Little Mermaid as past productions. He remarked on the progress of the pit band so far. “Prepping music for a Broadway musical is always a wild and chaotic ride, not unlike a rollercoaster,” he states. “But unlike a thrill ride at an amusement park, this particular rollercoaster has an extended ascent where you feel like you just keep climbing and climbing and climbing. This is where we are right now with the pit band – in the midst of two months’ worth of rehearsing and preparation. All the while, your heart rate continues to increase while you wait for the inevitable plunge. Are we ready for this? How’s it going to look when we finally get to the summit? When you finally reach the top, which is basically the point at which the band links up with the cast and crew of the show for a week of dress rehearsals, you get a quick look at all of the scenery around you – the costumes, lights, sets, etc. Then the drop arrives, which is the run of shows themselves, and it’s over in a blink of an eye. An exhausting experience, but an absolute thrill at the same time.”
The pit is excited to show off the music they have put the time and energy into learning and perfecting during the shows on March 25, 26 and 27. It most definitely won’t be one to miss!
