You may recall that back in January, Laura Koch, the production
property supervisor for a new Broadway version of "The Music Man,"
was seeking a player piano to be used on stage.  She stated that people
would be dancing on the piano.  There was an ensuing discussion in the
MMD about this (MMD 2000.01.16, 2000.01.17, 2000.01.19, and
2000.01.20).

The 54th Annual Tony Awards were televised last night.  This annual
broadcast is always very lively with song and dance selections from the
nominated Broadway shows.  One of the shows nominated for Best Revival
of a Musical was "The Music Man."  The cast performed "Seventy-Six
Trombones" which included the dance number with the player piano.

After the MMD discussion, it was fascinating to see how the number
was actually staged.  Part of the dance included building a temporary
staircase on each side of the piano using large blocks.  The actors
then marched up the steps, across the piano, and down the other side.

A photograph of this scene, with Craig Bierko as Harold Hill standing
on the player piano, can be found at:

  http://www.tonys.org/news/photos/02musicman.html

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/

 [ "On-Stage" is at http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/KWIC/O/on_stage.html
 [ The "how to do it" letter to Laura Koch from MMDer Dave Kerr is at
 [ http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/200001/2000.01.20.10.html
 [ -- Robbie