The Drama Society’s musical “The Prom” has just ended, and everyone is on their feet, applause booming through the auditorium. As the bows finish, the actors gesture to their right, and out from behind the curtains poke the heads of the pit band, clad in all black and holding their instruments. They wave, but in the blink of an eye, they’re gone.
The pit band, run by band and Music Collective teacher Carolyn Castellano, has accompanied theater performances for years. They practice for months on a rigorous schedule similar to that of the actors in the musicals. Though often unnoticed by the audience, the band brings the magic of live music to the school musicals while building a tight-knit community of its own.
According to junior Elena MacFadden, a trumpet player, the pit band experience is quite different from that of the larger ensembles at the high school.
“Something different about the pit band is that we were 10 people this year; it’s a very small band, so it’s really easy to make connections that will most likely last for at least a while, if not forever,” MacFadden said.
The pit band rehearses on the school musical time frame, but they don’t join the actors until a few weeks before a show. Rehearsals look similar every week, but increase in intensity and frequency as the show gets closer. According to MacFadden, that last push brings the members of the pit band even closer together.
“We spent an average of four hours a day together, and then towards the end, or tech week, we were at the school for seven, eight hours,” MacFadden said. “You spend a lot of time with these people. You’re all going through the same thing. There is time just to hang out and talk to them.”
Sophomore Peter Clark, the pit band’s drummer, explained that while the band needs to be in top shape for the show, the pressure is slightly different from what it is like on stage, and being behind the curtain allows for a perfect view of the show coming together.
“It’s stressful, but there’s a lot less stress than being on stage. It’s one of my favorite parts about it because you get to see all the moving parts behind the curtain,” Clark said. “You can see the actors getting ready to go on before and the props moving around. It’s really interesting because you see it all come together for the audience.”
MacFadden said not only can the pit band members observe the preparation for the performances, but they also use free time during the show to their advantage. During the intermission, for example, they get snacks, use the bathroom and grab water. After, they play a quick game together behind the closed curtains, which MacFadden said has become a tradition.
According to senior Abby O’Halloran, an actor in “The Prom,” having the pit band accompany the performers live has many benefits for the cast.
“I think it’s interesting because so many high schools just use a track, but having [the pit band] there means that they can follow us when we’re singing and we don’t have to worry about timing it exactly right,” O’Halloran said. “They’ll follow our cues, and having them there live means that they’ll just do it based on how the scene is going at that moment.”
Though small in size, Clark said that at its core, the pit band is a community of passionate people who love to play their instruments.
“It’s the people, really. In a class, you have to be there, and you have no other choice. But in pit [band], everyone is choosing to be there, and they’re doing something that they love,” Clark said.
MacFadden said she would recommend the pit band to anyone willing to put in the hard work, because it pays off.
“It’s a true bonding experience. You make friends that you’ll never forget, you’ll make memories that you’ll never forget and you won’t be left disappointed when it’s over,” MacFadden said. “You’ll be so satisfied and so proud of yourself.”
