I consider we have been very fortunate to have kept the flag flying at our Theatre for twenty-one years. Audience participation is more often found in musical shows than in other kinds of dramatic presentations. The occurrence of a particular popular melody means that even if there is not open singing on the part of the audience, there is a subtle mental participation. In The Quaker Girl for instance, the older patrons sing the well-known choruses. To be able to do that is an added attraction.
Musicals can be a headache to the stage staff, and costume and props departments.
As we can usually draw on willing helpers for these sections, we are not unduly worried. My stage manager, I fear, would tell me it is not quite so easy at the present time. We are meeting a little more reluctance, compared with how it used to be. Chorus work can often be done almost without the cast knowing they are rehearsing. We start the songs by having a record session.