I'm taking a break from the band and GD music to do another musical. I'm doing Shrek the Musical at the Haymarket Theater on the Virginia Tech campus Aug 8-11, 15-18. Tonight was opening night and it was a blast! The cast is awesome especially Donkey and Farquaard. The most fun has been playing in a 22-24 piece orchestra with strings, horns, woodwinds, percussion, keys, bass, and 2 guitars (I'm one of them). With no amps those motherfuckers are loud! I'm playing electric, acoustic, and ukulele. I'd never played a uke before, those things are fun!
I highly recommend the experience to anyone out there that hasn't tried it. First, it's good to do something structured after playing pretty loose Grateful Dead music. Second, it's good to force yourself to read music - especially we guitar players that tend to avoid it (including me). Finally, it's way fun to play in a big orchestra.
Here's the horns, strings, and winds:

I highly recommend the experience to anyone out there that hasn't tried it. First, it's good to do something structured after playing pretty loose Grateful Dead music. Second, it's good to force yourself to read music - especially we guitar players that tend to avoid it (including me). Finally, it's way fun to play in a big orchestra.
Here's the horns, strings, and winds:
