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Sweeney Todd - Sam Wisman

Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Sam's write-up below photos.

Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Sam Wisman:

"Playing Sweeney Todd presents some interesting challenges. Primarily the fact there are at least three versions of the percussion book in existence and none of them is ideal. The reduced 1-player book is full of errors and the 2-player books underestimate what one player can pull off. For this production there is an 11 piece orchestra playing the 'full' orchestration using two keyboards to support 9 live players. With that in mind, I created a hybrid book playing primarily both parts simultaneously from the most current 2-player book while stealing some parts and philosophy from the reduced 1-player book.

I am set up on stage and had to deal with the usual space limitations plus navigating some support poles. I mount as much as possible from STRONG cymbal stands and stack cymbals to save space and allow easy one handed rolls. Also, I use the chimes to mount several of my 'toys'. The vibraphone frame and bars (as long as you don’t need the notes!) are a good place to rig things as well. This all allows my footprint to become smaller.

Having a smaller drum set bass drum AND a grand cassa is pretty essential for the sound of this show. Often I hit my grand cassa using a bass drum pedal with an oversized, heavy beater.

Lastly, having some timpani mutes (in this case folded suede leather) has been very helpful achieving staccato timpani notes without much hand dampening which allows me to quickly start playing the next instrument.

And, as always, the Miller Machine is an absolute necessity and has a central spot in the set up."

Sweeney Todd - Regional - Sam Wisman
March 2018

Sam Wisman’s combined book setup for Sweeney Todd at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

"After a grueling four years at SUNY I still had one theory class left to finish. I was really depressed. A classmate of mine recommended me for a tour of a Broadway show. This completely changed the course of my life."
  • 7 min read
"When I first got the call to start working on Ain’t Too Proud - The Life And Times Of The Temptations, I was curious about which era the show was going to focus on. Their career began in the early 1960’s and they’re still releasing albums today."
"The unique part of Groundhog Day was that the drummer had to play on stage, in a groundhog costume, wearing a giant groundhog head. Since I could barely see out of the head, it was impossible to read a chart (and there wasn’t a music stand), so it had to be memorized."
  • 4 min read
Paul Hansen's setup for Bruce at Seattle Rep in Seattle, Washington.
Patrick Lehosky's percussion setup for In the Heights at the CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale, New York.
Jay Mack's setup for the National Tour of If/Then at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington.
Steve Gadd's drum solo from the track "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". From the album Live Stuff (out of print) from the legendary 1970's New York based band Stuff.
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.

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