Traveling companies, how do they do it?

[ronny]

How do ballet companies pull off a fine performance on the road?

Lets take an example of the Kirov company and lets say that they are performing "Sleeping Beauty" in a number of distance locations. They cannot possibly take EVERYONE along. I have seen recordings of some of the Kirov over the top productions and there must be 50 to 75 people on stage at one time! And this is not to mention the supporting personnel and of course the orchestra.

So I would like to know how a traveling company does it. Do they borrow the local philharmonic... and hire local dancers for the smaller parts... or do they just scale down the whole thing to make it more "portable"?

How does the traveling ballet company pull off a decent show "on the road"?

[Mel Johnson]

Wow! Major logistics question on touring! The touring company must bring its dancers, of course, but small mime roles and spear-carriers and such can be supernumeraries, hired locally.

The company has to bring a certain number of its own technical people along, to include the stage manager, lighting personnel, key grip, and other major staff, and the local house fills up the vacancies as negotiatied with IATSE, the stagehand's union, beforehand.

Likewise, the American Federation of Musicians must be consulted about local hires for the orchestra, whether it is to be entirely local, or just the first chairs of every section be company, or whatever variation is worked in staffing. Sometimes the whole orchestra also travels with the company, but this is rarer and rarer nowadays.

The costume people are almost always company people, because there is just no other way to keep costumes and dancers properly connected. This part of the production team may be supplemented from local resources.

Administration also travels with the company, in order that the home office stays informed of what's going on.

Travel is prearranged by the company manager, as is housing for the dancers, and per diem payments made in addition to wages, and/or salary.

Repertoire selections are made with an eye toward what the local houses can support. A view of many company sites will inform would-be producers of what the company's technical requirements are.

Does this help?:confused:

[ronny]

Yes Mel, that is terrific. You really know your stuff. It almost sounds as if you have organized a few of these tours yourself!!

Thanks for the very comprehensive reply. That clears up the whole thing.