Life in the pit — ‘Transcendence’ bandleader Matt Moisey

Behind every Broadway musical star – though usually in front, and in this case over to the side – is a great orchestra. For the Transcendence Theatre Company, the bandleader, more formally known as Resident Orchestrator and Arranger, is Matt Moisey, who also plays keyboards. Between rehearsals for another “Broadway Under the Stars’ production, he shared thoughts on life in the pit, his summer in Sonoma and Broadway show hallucinations.

Sonoma Sun: First things first… how many players in the pit, and is it a band or an orchestra?

Matt Moisey: Great question! The standard Transcendence Pit Band (and yes, I’m calling it a band) usually has a “rhythm section” (two keyboards, bass, drums, and guitar) and one woodwind, one brass, and one stringed instrument; eight players in total. To me, the difference between a band and an orchestra is, simply, size: an orchestra would have complete instrument groupings, such as a string section, a brass section, and a woodwind section. In the “Golden Age” of Broadway (1943-1959), it was not uncommon to hear a Broadway orchestra of around 30 players. That being said, the size of our band is not a far cry from that of a contemporary Broadway musical — and our players pack a similar punch!

How did you connect with TTC?

In 2012, I was brought in by Robert Petrarca, the Artistic Associate, to be the Music Intern. Robert choreographed the opera “Street Scene” at my school (I played an angry old Jewish man), and during a brief conversation, Robert filled me in on this incredible theatre company! The rest is history. What began as a simple internship grew into an incredible artistic collaboration that has pushed my boundaries not only as a musician, but as a member of the community.

What’s the biggest challenge?

The time, or lack thereof. Which makes it so thrilling. Theatre is a fast-paced art form, and once the actors arrive in Sonoma, things begin to move at lightning speed. The hardest part for the music team is the orchestration process (writing what each band member plays, and when); in any given show, there could be more than 5,000 measures of music that need to be scored for our pit band, often in the span of two weeks. This seemingly impossible task is possible due to the high caliber of the resident team, which consists of myself, Daniel Zaitchik, and Dan “The Man” Mertzlufft. Hearing the band play the music for the first time is a sweet reward. And that’s just the music team! The clock ticks for directors, choreographers, actors, stage managers, stage crew… you name it. But it goes off without a hitch, which can be attributed to the positive work environment and strong sense of community at Transcendence. We’re after the same goal, and when the audience enjoys the show, it’s an experience we can all share and savor—and we sigh with relief.

What’s it like playing in that venue?

Crazy! Fun. Crazy! The bugs. The wind! The bugs… I once had a yellow jacket sit on my middle “C” for an entire song. Stressful. But the sky is a work of art, and the vineyards are breathtaking. It’s unlike any other pit experience. And I love it!

What’s the word on the upcoming show?

The next show, Rhythm of Life, has a variety of musical pulses to look forward to — it will feature some earthy renditions of classic tunes. One of my all-time favorite standards is in that show, so that’s really exciting. That’s all top secret though. Lock and key. You’ll have to see the show to hear it…!

The Broadway show closest to your life story?

Oh man. Probably, “The Drowsy Chaperone.” It’s about an old musical theatre nerd who listens to old vinyls of Broadway musicals—and they come to life in his apartment. I have the vinyls, and I have the hallucinations.

“Rhythm of Life,” the new production from the “Broadway Under the Stars” troupe, opens Friday and Saturday, August 7-8 on the outdoor stage at Jack London State Park. The grounds open at 5 p.m., featuring food and wine for sale, followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. Other show dates: August 14-16 and 21-23. 877.424.1414. TTCsonoma.org