A Pre-Show Obstacle Course

So the GSB’s year end extravaganza “Follies” was last week. I played piano for my friend Kathryn who was singing homage to Milton Freidman set to the tune of “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman”. The performance was a lot of fun. I got to reconnect with some classmates who I hadn’t seen in a while. At any rate, I feel that most people didn’t fully appreciate what was involved in preparing for the act. I don’t mean 25 years of piano study or hours of practice. I mean getting the piano onto the frikkin’ stage.

So the piano at Mandel hall is this gorgeous concert grand. Unfortunately, despite the wheeled undercarriage, this beast doesn’t exactly turn on a dime. Indeed, it floats into place with all the grace and elegance of a slow-motion Hippopotamus on ice skates. We didn’t have any sort of stage crew for Follies, so I had to recruit whomever was standing nearby before our act to help move the thing into place. So the challenge, which recalls a LEAD Outdoor Experience exercise from o-week, is to maneuver the piano from its shaded hiding spot backstage through to its appointed spot stage left. Standing in the way of this are:

• a 12’ hanging video projection screen which is being watched by the audience, so that everyone would notice if you hit it by accident.
  
• a row of 4 chairs from the “Oompa Loompa” skit (don’t ask) placed directly between the piano and the stage
  
• a thick backstage curtain, draped over an orchestral percussion set (yes, really)
  
• the main stage curtain
  
• a motley assortment of audio and lighting cables
  
• a special floor that is apparently traction-free for shoes while being quite resistant to pianos
  

You have exactly 45 seconds to move the piano into position before the spotlight turns on. Ready, Set, Go!