Urinetown - Eli Maniscalco - The Miller Machine

2 min read

Eli Maniscalco’s setup for Urinetown at the YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore, New York.

"The pit was extremely small, so I had to leave out the toms as well as the big instruments, but was able to cover most of the other sounds. Playing this book on a small setup was a fun challenge.

After trying several options for the anvil sound, I chose my LP Salsa Sergio Cowbell and struck it on the edge toward the back. For the tambourine, I covered everything on the mounted LP Cyclops.

The Miller Machine is, of course, essential; you can see it to my right, holding the Alan Abel 4" triangle. I didn't have the Finger Cymbal Machine for this run, so I played that by hand (it's one note in the whole book) and kept it on a "trap towel" on the floor along with my emergency batteries and gaffer's tape.

As a working musician who gigs around town, I favor lightweight hardware that packs up small, and use the same hardware for theater work. The hi hat stand and main cymbal stand are DW Ultralight Flat Base. To the right is a Pearl Convertible Boom Stand; it has a reversible flat/tripod base and was recommended as one of the lightest stands with enough flexibility and stability for musical theater setups."

Drums:

Pearl Sensitone Elite 14x5.5" Aluminum Snare
Rogers Script Logo 20x12" Bass Drum, a converted marching drum, w/DW large felt beater

Heads:

Snare: Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated Batter, Diplomat Snare Side w/20 strand wires
Bass drum: Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear Batter, Ebony Ambassador Reso with center port and a small pillow touching both heads

Cymbals:

Sabian 14" AA Regular Hats
Istanbul Agop 18" Xist Crash
Masterwork 10" Iris Splash
Sabian 20" HHX Stage Ride

Percussion:

LP Jam Block Blue
LP Black Beauty Senior Cowbell
Grover Pro Spectrasound Mark Tree
Steve Weiss Ratchet
LP Salsa Sergio Cowbell (as anvil)
LP Cyclops Mounted Tambourine
Alan Abel 4" Triangle mounted on Miller Machine
Sabian Finger Cymbal

Sticks:

Artifact Percussion Broadway Swizzles

Urinetown - Regional - Eli Maniscalco
May 2019

Eli Maniscalco’s setup for Urinetown at the YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore, New York.

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