ABSTRACT
There is no getting round it: compared with a straight play, the musical is costly and complicated to produce, mainly because it involves a unique combination of different disciplines; music, drama, and often dance too. It is expensive to produce for various reasons. Firstly, it often requires larger numbers of performers than the straight play and therefore more expenditure on costume, make-up, etc. In addition, it always requires some sort of musical accompaniment, whether this comes in the form of an orchestra, a band, or simply a piano. In my experience, even when the show is produced in a semiprofessional capacity, musicians wi l l usually require some sort of payment, and in the case of a band or orchestra, this can amount to a large percentage of the budget. Even when the musical accompaniment is limited to a single piano, there are often extra costs to consider, such as payment for transporting the piano, or for maintenance and tuning during rehearsals and performance (in some cases this can be as often as once a week). Also, if larger numbers of musicians are required, the actors on stage wi l l often need to be amplified, whether by means of radio mikes, or other strategically-placed microphones. This can be a very costly procedure, and for this reason, decisions about sound enhancement should be made at an early stage in the whole process.
