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Once On This Island - Mariana Ramirez

Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Read Mariana's write-up about the show, below the photos.

Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. "I am currently on the first National Broadway tour, playing the percussion/drum book of the Tony Award winning Best Revival Once on this Island. It is a joy to be able to play Taino and Afro Cuban rhythms along with this amazing story while sharing the Haitian Afro-Taino culture around the US.

This unique hybrid set up that combines drum set and hand drums was developed on Broadway by Javier Diaz. He combined the basic structure of a drum set (kick drum, snare drum, hi hat, and cymbals) with hand drums such as congas, bongos, djembe, and surdo, making the congas the central sound of this set up instead of the snare drum. Likewise, the set up includes glockenspiel, and accessories such as wind chimes, bell tree, triangle, finger cymbal, shakers, caxixi, shekere, jingles, nut shells, and a variety of cowbells, even one played with the left foot.

Since the band is visible on stage, I get to wear a costume and be on the beach (the stage) every night. It is so much fun!

My favorite part of the show is the percussion solo for "Ti Moune’s Dance". When Javier Diaz created this solo, he combined Afro Cuban and Taino rhythms such as Yuba Makota and Palo, among other rhythms with some improvisation. In rehearsals, the choreographer, Ricky Tripp, explained that this solo accompanies the most important dance break of the show where Ti Moune dances in an amazing African-influenced choreography where her and the cast pays tribute to their ancestors.

The book is very challenging as it requires a skill set of drum set independence and hand drums at the same time, as well as needing to switch sticks and instruments constantly with a careful choreography that uses 180 degrees as I have instruments on the right, and left side. This challenge is so much fun to play every night and I always see the audience dancing with the Caribbean rhythms from the show!

It has been an amazing experience since we started rehearsals with Michael Arden (Director) and Justin Scribner (Assistant Director) back in September in New York City. I saw how they made magic and created a new production for the tour (different from the Broadway theater, which was in the round). Likewise, it is a treat to hear the talented cast sing and play with the band every night.

I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to share some of the Caribbean traditions around the United States."

www.marianapercussion.com

Once On This Island - Tour - Mariana Ramirez
January 2020

Mariana Ramirez's setup for the National Tour of Once On This Island at the Cadillac Palace Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Eric Poland's drum set setup for the Broadway revival of Nice Work If You Can Get It at the Imperial Theatre.
David Thalmann’s setup for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Murray Arts Guild - Murray Park Amphitheater, in Murray, Utah.
Mike Drake's set up for Side Show at the Casa Mañana Theater, in Fort Worth, Texas.
  • 3 min read
"Thursday, February 16th, 2017 was a special day. I was both excited and nervous as I stepped into SIR Studios in Manhattan to start the first orchestra rehearsal for the Broadway production of Miss Saigon."
"When preparing a percussion book for a new Broadway show, we occasionally get the music in advance. That allows us to start our “treasure hunt” early, to have the right sounds ready, and to get a jump on the setup. But often, Broadway is the first appearance of the fully orchestrated show, and we have seen very little before the first rehearsal."
  • 5 min read
"The musical experience of recording a Broadway cast album ranges from easy to difficult depending on the circumstances. I find that the two factors that contribute most to the quality of the experience are: 1) how good the band is; and 2) how soon after you started the show you record the album"
  • 5 min read
Robbie Ameen's drum solo from the track "Spring Fling".

Gene Krupa's drum solo from "Gene's Blues" from the album Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich released November 1955.

Bill Stewart's drum solo from the title track of his album Snide Remarks.

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