At 09:31 AM 3/4/97 -0500, you wrote: > Subject: Time: 9:31 AM > OFFICE MEMO An Interesting Request Date: 3/4/97 > >I received this request recently in regard to piano service......... > > > Hi Ken. Jean Davidson told me to get in touch with you concerning >the guidelines for physical manipulation of the baby grand in Warner >Main. I'm a Theater student planning to audition a piece for Spring Back >dance concert that would involve converting the piano into a large puppet >constructed of some lightweight material. I would also be lying on top of >the closed lid for a brief time. Also I'd like to prepare the piano by >inserting towels between the frame and the strings and perhaps placing >slightly heavier objects such as textbooks on the strings themselves. Let >me know as soon as possible if there are any problems with this, as I >will need to explain my project in detail to the auditioning committee. >Thank you > >What would your reply be??? Ken, First thought? "Eat doo-doo and die." Seriously, I've had the mis-fortune to have helped other theater-types turn pianos into props, and what I would suggest here it to have the audition er construct a prop from scratch, and use taped music(if required). In several cases I've known of or dealt with, the piano sound(or playability) wasn't really an issue. When we took a real mid-size grand into the middle of White Sands, it was played by a actor that had to be in both unions, and he was accompanied by a h ot-shot accordion player from New York. I don't believe they ever used the audio! Other film shots of moving hammers and dampers couldn't be played by crew, the Actor had to be the only one to play if the footage was to be used! Anyway, you do have an int eresting "props-osal" to deal with. Good luck! <center>Guy Nichols, RPT, chapter 799 nicho@lascruces.com "A mind is like a parachute, it works best when open." </center> If at first you don't succeed, so much for skydiving.
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