A labor union representing Broadway musicians has expressed opposition to the upcoming David Byrne show Here lies love Due to the show’s plans to stage the production with pre-recorded tracks rather than live music.
“A show without live music and pre-recorded tracks is an absolutely existential threat to Broadway — a cultural threat to musical theater worldwide,” said Tino Gagliardi, president and CEO of the American Federation of Musicians, in a statement. . “For generations, audiences have experienced Broadway shows with live music performed by the world’s best musicians, and by using pre-recorded tracks not only drives down art prices, it puts jobs and livelihoods at risk. Our musicians are saddened that David Byrne — the legend — He tries it and we very much hope he reconsider.”
Here lies love is a disco-pop based on Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s 2010 concept album of the same name, which is about the rise to power and subsequent fall of former Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos in a people power revolution. All previous productions—which have taken place in London, Seattle, and off-Broadway—have featured pre-recorded music.
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According to production spokesperson Adrian Bryan-Brown, pre-recorded tracks are a staple of the show. “All production was done for the pre-recorded track; this is part of the kind of karaoke that’s inherent in the musical concept and production,” said Brian Brown. New York times. “music Here lies love Inspired by the ‘track runners’ phenomenon, which allowed club audiences to keep dancing, much as this production aims to do.”
to update: A response posted via the production’s social accounts claims that “Here lies love Not a traditional Broadway musical” and “a live song performance of the pre-recorded synthetic track is crucial to its concept art.” Read the fully written Q&A below.
Led by Hal Loftig, the production team Here lies love The show sought to declare a “special case,” a category in the labor agreement that would allow fewer musicians to be employed. The application must be evaluated by a panel of impartial observers along with representatives from Local 802 and the Broadway League, which represents producers and theater owners.
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Here lies love It officially opens July 20th at the Broadway Theatre, with previews starting Saturday, June 17th.
