The musical, like this month’s Freaky Friday, is one of the most anticipated events on the NDA calendar, and why would it not be?

So much more goes into the production of the musical than the work of cast, crew and tech staff. The pit orchestra also plays a crucial role in the show’s success.

Beginning in November, pit members begin to gather and rehearse the show’s big numbers, which are the main songs that will take the stage in late January.

The name “pit orchestra” refers to where the band is set up: in the “pit” below the stage. 

Members of the NDA band make up the pit and take on an extra workload to prepare for the show with two-hour rehearsals after school to practice the music.

The first time the pit plays with the singers is called a ‘spitz probe,’ and traditionally happens about two weeks before the show opens.

Many challenges can occur during a pit rehearsal, like having to get certain songs transcribed into a different key signature, or not having a certain type of instrument available for rehearsal. In the past, for example, a certain type of instrument had to be ordered for a particular show. 

Like the cast and crew, the pit also puts in long days when the show is two weeks away. The Spitz Probe opens a long run of rehearsals with the entire group leading up to opening night. 

Depending on the day, a rehearsal could start at 3:30 p.m. and go until 8 p.m. or later multiple times a week. The weekend before the show opens is when much of the final preparation is done, and those rehearsals can start as early as 10 a.m. and finish around 7 p.m.

On show night, the pit orchestra is required to arrive an hour before the scheduled start time in order to tune their instruments and go over any last-second notes. 

The overture, or prologue, opens the show as the audience prepares to be captivated by the story on stage.