On The Town musical production
4th - 22nd September 2019
I would like to share some incredible memories and thoughts from the recent Bernstein's musical On The Town production that I was involved...
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In fact, as I'm updating this webpage, it's been weeks, or almost say months since the production, yet still, the music, the melody, the singing, the lyrics, and... those incredible drumming, still plays in my head often...
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I would say that On The Town production is certainly one of the highlights in my life... Maybe not percussion score-wise, as some of the interesting xylophone parts were cut due to space, which I was looking forward to before... But, this experience has become one of the highlights for the sole reason of meeting and being able to work side be side with Dean Cooper, our incredible drummer, but more importantly, a wonderful dear friend to me...
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As I was helping Dean packing up after the final show, he said: "Here we are, we opened it, and we closed it... successfully..." Yes, it was absolutely successful, every single show was sold out, every single show...
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This production was Bernstein's On The Town first time ever produced professionally in Australia.
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Start from the first evening walking into the rehearsal room, everything still vividly in my mind, handshaking, introducing, turning around suddenly seeing Dean sitting there, and I thought I must be in the wrong room as I know Dean as a great drummer who works on all superb professional productions with my friend Greg, and I've seen Dean many times in distance on the stage... Walking to my percussion station... It felt like a dream...
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Lots of interesting memories... On the final dress rehearsal night, my nose suddenly started bleeding madly right in the middle of the playing... difficult time... trying to stress about the playing, not drop blood onto instruments, and the poor nose at the same time... It was tricky to find time to grab a tissue... Thanks to Bernstein... As one often says: Bernstein is never kind to percussion... or really, any instruments... Apart from that, dropping my glockenspiel mallets onto the glock, then picking them up and dropped them onto timpani again, fun time, I must be the most clumsy percussionist ... while the best part was, after dropping them, I ended up sitting on the chair with a big smile on face and wasn't even worried... (thanks to the half cup beer before the show, I know, I'm very bad, the "Dropsy percussionist")...... Second last show, right in the middle of the fast timpani playing, the headphones cord got caught on timpani edge, and my headphones smashed onto timpani... so there was I, stood there suddenly can't hear the orchestra properly for about 10 seconds, couldn't figure out where I was in the music, trying to watch conductor on the screen but can't hear the music in time, and played through half page a bit like in deaf situation... Glad my recover was reasonable fast enough though...
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Being at the back stage as the only one from the band was a bit sad... watching conducting from the screen, under quite dim lights, feeling a bit left out, etc... Not everything was easy... But the best part was, I could always feel free to jump up and down a bit, do a little dance along with the amazing drumming, watching the audience reaction on the screen, get a few interesting photo of the famous dinosaur scene... and... really smile and cry when hear the incredible drumming and the music...
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During the final closing show, the cast at the backstage did this nice little "personal show" for me to let me took a bit of video... and, along with one of my favorite piece - Luck To Be Me... I remember finished playing the first a few of my notes, then turning around, holding up the phone, hearing the beautiful music, and of course, the mesmerising brushes on the drum, seeing these lovely ones dance right in front of me, listening to those nice lyrics which I've known by heart so well, and with tears really streaming down my face without control... "... What a night, Suddenly you came in sight, Looking just the way I'd hope you'd be, I'm so lucky to be me... "
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I remember myself counting down the time since day 1, from 6 rehearsals down to 1, from 9 shows down to 6, then down to 3... feels like I've been counting down the time since the beginning... All because I've been enjoying this production experience too much for some reasons... and counting down the time silently, all because been having too much joy, and yet have to face the parting at the end...
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Every night, at the start of the show, I feel like as if one of my favorite pieces in the show, I'm so "Lucky to be me" - "What a day, Fortune smiled and came my way... what a night... I'm so lucky to be me......" Then as the show goes on, it becomes "Some Other Time" as it speaks - "where has the time all gone to... haven't done half the things I want to... too many words are still unspoken... Just when the fun is starting... comes the time for parting......" Then walking away finishing the show every night... the next piece from the show plays in my head - "The crowds rush by, a million faces pass before your eye, still, it's a lonely town......"
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The tears at the backstage (at the percussion station...) have been increasing more and more at every show... whether simply those of my favorite pieces with great lyrics, or dancing along with the superb drumming rhythms with smiles on my face, always been too much choked up with tears the same time......
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It was wonderful to be able to catch up with Dean for dinner between the two final shows, and having his encouragement and acknowledgement. Dean has really become a wonderful friend during this production. This production really didn't last long enough...... I feel very fortunate to have accepted the offer to play in this production, otherwise our paths probably would never cross... In my mind, I can't quite see the possibility, but Dean seems believe we will work together again one day. I'm sure that would be a privilege for me.
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As I've always said, it has been my favorite time of the day, walking into the band's room, and then walking down to my percussion station... and it's been my saddest time of the day, walking away and leaving the show... I've done many concerts or other programs, there's always sadness leaving the show in the end, but, never had one like this time giving me such strong impact and overwhelming and special feelings...... I'm finding myself walking around daydreaming now, feeling lost and missing... and finding myself every night in the sleep filled with vivid dreams: still walking in and out of the band's room, nodding along with the rhythm, chatting, smiling, crying, missing feeling, that torn apart feeling of parting was so real, even if just in my dreams......
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It has been magical, and no words can describe the feelings, so I guess, when words fail, music speaks my heart...
