I've been making a living with electronics for a long, long time and I'm sure some of my "purist" musician friends have felt less than thrilled. The simple truth is that all things change. we need to be flexible or we'll be left out. The position of the players on strike would hold more viability if they had not ruined it themselves, over the years. They screwed around with a beautiful situation, and now they've ruined it ..... for themselves, other players, and theater fans worldwide. I really believe that even if this strike settles soon - the Broadway experience will be compromised forever.

Many younger people will eventually drift back to the plays even if all the music is canned, but there must be true fans out there who relish the entire "experience" of a live show. I for one, will miss the extra "zest" that can only come with live players.

It's true that I make a living using "compromises" in orchestrations and "feel" .... but when I pay top dollar for a Theater package .... I want the whole deal. This "one man band" situation is ONLY a tool to make money with. It was NEVER my ideal situation, and will NEVER replace the feel, sound or class of real, live players who interact on stage and articulate their craft for an audience.

TV shows like "American Idol" are teaching the masses that the lead singer is the only facet of the performance, and while it IS the "quarterback" of the performance ...... they STILL need the whole team to perform their best. I'm really saddened by the attitudes of the players on strike. There have been electronic instruments in the pits for years. You never saw a trumpet player walk out on strike because they "thinned out" the violin section, by using a keyboard.

This whole industry is in grave danger of becoming a "hobby" oriented art. Why do the schools push sports so much more than arts?
(At least in the US, that is the case)
I would not want to live in a world without music, and it seems that someday ..... that could definatly happen. I may have to go back and sell cars after my crowd dies or stops coming out at night.

I'm sooooooooooooo sad.