New York State Theater by David Shankbone

An orchestra pit is the area in a

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...

(usually located in a lowered area in front of the

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

) in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music (such as

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

and

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form ...

) or in cases when

incidental music Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, or some other presentation form that is not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as t ...

is required. The conductor is typically positioned at the front of the orchestral pit facing the

Construction

In the pit, the walls are specially designed to provide the best possible

acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acousticia ...

, ensuring that the sound of the orchestra flows through the entire venue without overwhelming the performance on stage. Many orchestra pits are also designed to have reasonably low decibel levels, allowing musicians to work without fears of damaging their hearing. Typically, a small platform in the pit accommodates the conductor, so that he or she can be seen by all of the musicians, who may sit in chairs or on bleachers, depending on the design of the pit. All sorts of musicians sit here, from the conductor to the bass player. The lift can usually be lowered all the way to a storage space under the stage, or halfway to floor level, or all the way up level with the stage. When lowered all the way, the lift can be filled with equipment or

props A prop, formally known as (theatrical) property, is an object used on stage or screen by actors during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinc ...

from underneath the stage and then raised and unloaded on stage. The pit can be raised so it is level with the floor of the audience seats to accommodate more seating area. This is common when the stage is being used for a rock show and then the pit area is used for standing room. When the pit is raised all the way up, level with the stage, it can be used as part of the stage to give more room for larger shows. Having a lift set up this way gives the theatre much more flexibility and ability to adapt to different events that occur in the theatre. It allows many different setups, each one personal to certain types of productions. An orchestra pit does not have to be located directly in front of the stage, either, although many patrons expect to see the orchestra performing in front of the stage; when an orchestra pit is elsewhere in the theaters, the conductor's movements may be broadcast on monitors visible from the stage, so that the actors can follow cues.

History

Earlier in theatre history from 1500–1650 the orchestra pit was also called the yard and it was a lower level that lower-class members of the audience would stand to watch the show. It was generally very crowded and hard to see the full stage. The amount of space in the yard varied with different stages. Everyone else would sit in the normal seating where the whole stage was visible. Since then the orchestra pit has been changed and enhanced to work better with modern theatre. Now orchestra pits are designed much better and have a lot of different uses.

Uses

Palais_Garnier_plan_at_the_first_loge_level_-_Mead_1991_p101

Sometimes when an opera or

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

is being performed in the theatre and there is a need for live music the orchestra pit will be lowered all the way down and the musicians will play down in the pit in front of the stage. This way the director of the orchestra is able to see what is happening on stage and has a better feel for when to start and stop the music. Sometimes there are very precise cues that director needs to give for certain sound effects and it is crucial that they are done at the right time. Having the orchestra play in the pit creates a problem because often there is a lack of space and the sound quality suffers because instruments bleed into other instrument’s microphones when everyone is squeezed close together. Before the 19th century the conductor stood at the stage edge, facing the audience and orchestra, with his back toward the onstage performers as shown in the Palais Garnier orchestra pit plan. During the late 19th century the typical conductor location changed. Now the conductor stands in front of the first row of audience, with his back to the audience, facing the orchestra and facing the performers on stage.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orchestra Pit Parts of a theatre Pit

Construction

History

Uses

See also

References