I would like to get some input here. I recently shoot a local community theater production and am trying to make some post decisions about the edit. This is not a public release and I can't put up clips. The license only allowed a set number of DVDs distributed only to the cast members and specifically stated no public online distribution.

For those of you that have ever shot a musical (or seen one live), there is an extensive overture played by the orchestra that sets the stage for the live performance. In real life the curtain is closed and there is nothing happening visually. I have seen many discs that cut this out and just jump in when the first scene starts, but the orchestra did a spectacular job and i would really like to include the overture. It is about 5 minutes long and the way it blends from segment to segment cannot really be edited down. I was toying with opening credits during the overture but 5+ minutes of opening credits might be over the top. So what have you guys done in the past for these things do we dive in at scene 1 or figure out some way to make the first 5 minutes more visually exciting and deliver this stellar overture performance....

Thoughts please?

I should probably also mention that i am about 9 days away from the delivery deadline so timely input is greatly appreciated...

Thanks!

maybe you could do credits, then throw up some production photos in a sort of introductory slideshow? Perhaps headshots of the leading cast menbers . Put their stage names and "as played by"

That's the only thing I can think of.

I've always just pulled a Kubrick and made the overture play with a black screen. I usually repeat the overture during the credits at the end though.

For those of you that have ever shot a musical (or seen one live), there is an extensive overture played by the orchestra that sets the stage for the live performance. In real life the curtain is closed and there is nothing happening visually.


Too late now but I always try and get a camera on the band/orchestra (with permission of course) and try and catch the MD/Conductor with another. But as a classically trained musician I know my overtures that helps a lot when deciding who to point the camera at.

More helpfully, do you have a printed programme for the show? Some scans/rostrum shots of that can be used to pad out the visuals but not if they are going to duplicate the titles. Also, exterior locations of the theatre (still or video), arty static "still life" shots featuring relevant props eg a watch, a mask conductors baton and a bottle of champagne set on a table for "Die Fledermaus" is the usual cliche. In desperation you could use CU shots panning over bits of musical instruments' anatomy (you can stretch that idea out a lot). Pictures of the conductor and producer poring over a score - the list is endless.
You can tell I've been there and have several teeshirts.

If the overture was during the intermission before the second half of the show, you could put some video highlights (just the video without audio) of some "flashbacks" of what happened during the first half. Re-tell the story with visuals, this will then lead into the opening of the second half seamlessly. You can also add some soft focus or color grading to your flashback scene so the viewer knows it's a flashback.

Or a variation of Warren's suggestion - an overture usually introduces the main themes in the music to come. Since in a sense it's a preview of the rest of the show, why not use stills of the visuals where a particular theme first appears as sort of a "prequel" as the overture plays, fading to black and fading in again as the overture ends and act 1 begins.

Outside images of the front of the theatre, punters coming in, some views of the auditorum, and of course the orchestra itself. Add the headshots as mentioned and you can pad it our rather well. The entr'act between halves I always thing is not the place to put extras in, and I let this one, which is usually shorter, play out with the image the audience see - either house tabs or open stage depending on the show. I don't like long black periods.

I always include the orchestra. Often the conductor is the vocal coach for the cast. It is also a big insult not to include them as they are vital to a good musical production.

I usually let the overture go until an early crescendo and then splash the title overlay for the production. Then that's it. I focus on the orchestra and it's members.

Credits go at the end of all of mine.

John

You could always just make the opening overture a special feature on the DVD .. separate from the main edit. Or you could just use the audio from the overture for the DVD menu audio. Those would be two quick solutions.

Thank you everyone for your great insight. I appreciate all the ideas. To address a few specific comments.

Too late now but I always try and get a camera on the band/orchestra (with permission of course) and try and catch the MD/Conductor with another. But as a classically trained musician I know my overtures that helps a lot when deciding who to point the camera at...You can tell I've been there and have several teeshirts.

Colin, this is a great idea and I wish I had given it some thought before hand. I probably could have staged this as the angle I was allowed to shoot from could not capture the recessed orchestra pit. Next time this is the sure fire alternative!

If the overture was during the intermission before the second half of the show, you could put some video highlights (just the video without audio) of some "flashbacks" of what happened during the first half. Re-tell the story with visuals, this will then lead into the opening of the second half seamlessly. You can also add some soft focus or color grading to your flashback scene so the viewer knows it's a flashback.

This is precisely my plan for the overture on the second act. It is a 2 disc DVD set so I think this will bridge the performance nicely. Great minds...

You could always just make the opening overture a special feature on the DVD .. separate from the main edit. Or you could just use the audio from the overture for the DVD menu audio. Those would be two quick solutions.

I considered this but I would really like to work the music in. The production is the King and I and the first act opens with Anna and her son arriving to Siam via boat. So I think I am going to go capture some footage of gentle waves at a local lake. Open with exterior of the opera house, transition to water footage with some foggy effects, overlay slow opening credits, maybe a 25% opaque overlay of a travel route animatic of the trek from Singapore to Bangkok and then roll on into the scene one footage....

Just because it bugs the heck out of the musical theatre artist in me, the music before the second act is NOT an overture, but is known as the "Entr'acte".

When I shoot a musical I do all my credits at the top of the show (remember when all movies did that?) and time them to use the duration of the overture. That is if I need to do a credit roll at all.

I never see a need to put other images on the screen, as really I'm trying to recreate the theatrical experience as much as possible. It's also the orchestra's only chance to really stand out on their own, so rather than distract from the music, by just using a shot of the grand drape it focuses more attention on the music. These overtures really are brilliant pieces unto themselves, and deserve to be the primary area of focus. If I'm able to get shots of the musicians I do, but I insist that they be edited in sync with what they're playing.

If I'm able to get shots of the musicians I do, but I insist that they be edited in sync with what they're playing.

You've found a pit orchestra that that plays in sync in the first place??

:-)

Leave it in, its a part of the show - especially if pit members are buying it. I always put a chapter marker just after it as well, so if someone doesn't want to sit through it, they can just hit 'next.'

Thank you again for more counter points. And Frank, you are right to correct our terminology usage. Thank you for the clarification. To address more specific points...
When I shoot a musical I do all my credits at the top of the show (remember when all movies did that?) and time them to use the duration of the overture. That is if I need to do a credit roll at all...

Unfortunately, my contact requested no actor credits on this project. I am going to address this with them again because I am not sure if this is their preference or if they were trying to save me work. If it is the later than I would really like to include the actor credits, and if it is the former, than i will respect their wishes.
...I never see a need to put other images on the screen, as really I'm trying to recreate the theatrical experience as much as possible. It's also the orchestra's only chance to really stand out on their own, so rather than distract from the music, by just using a shot of the grand drape it focuses more attention on the music. These overtures really are brilliant pieces unto themselves, and deserve to be the primary area of focus...

Interesting point. Am I truly trying to recreate the theatrical experience? This is a good question for one to ask one's self. In this case I do not think so. I am trying to deliver a motion picture experience of the event hence the multiple cameras and 5.1 surround. I want to give the impression of being there but with the optical benefits of being delivered in your own home. In a musical, the orchestra gets to shine throughout the entire piece but this is the orchestra's "solo" moment. While I understand the principle of the blank curtain when you are at the live event, I would equate this to showing the entire processional on a wedding video. To me there are times that things need to be remastered when made for home delivery. Frank, thanks for getting me thinking....
Leave it in, its a part of the show - especially if pit members are buying it. I always put a chapter marker just after it as well, so if someone doesn't want to sit through it, they can just hit 'next.'
It is part of the show, and to my knowledge no pit members have purchased a copy. And as it sets the stage for the live performance it also sets the stage for the DVD/BD delivery and in my mind, at home with 5 minutes of curtain to stare at, people are more likely to hit the next or FF buttons rather than listen to the overture or entr'acte, but if I give them something to watch with it they just might let it play...

By far the best thing to do with an overture is also one of the most difficult but ultimately the most rewarding for all involved. You create a montage from rehearsal footage and cut it to the music.

Its probably too late for you now, but next time go to the the dress rehearsal or preview, get in close with a handheld camera and record the most visual parts of the action, the dance movements, gestures facial expressions, anything that is visually attractive and is representative of the piece.

Then comes the difficult bit. You run through your 45-60 mins of footage and clip out the best bits - your favourite shots, key moments that are properly framed and focussed until you end up with maybe 10-15 mins of good stuff.
You drop this on the timeline over your overture audio track then start trimming the clips to match the mood, pace and duration of the music.

With practice you will find that something magical then happens - the combination of music and movement takes on a life of its own - it will either work or not work and you just keep tweaking and tightening until it starts to happen.

What you end up with is a mini preview of the show set to music - plot spoilers don't matter because only the cast and crew will see it. Overtures are typically 3 mins but I've gone to 5 and 8 mins for some shows.

With a lot of practice you can cut the clips and choreograph the on-screen movements with the beat of the music - its a stunning effect if you can do it.

So is it worth all that effort ?

If you get it even half right then you will have your customer booking you straight away for the next show. You will have performers and crew telling you how much they enjoyed the montage and how they showed it to their friends and relatives (rather than subject them to the full 2.5 hours !) and will you be doing their next show please ?

I know all of the above to be feasible because I've done it for many shows over the past two decades and its a tried and tested formula that distinguishes your product - if you can put in the extra work and develop the skills. It will force you to develop some real camera skills often in difficult and fast-moving situations during rehearsals - much more so than lolling around on a tripod at the back of the hall tweaking the zoom.

Go on - give it a try next time - I'll be disappointed if you don't !

Tony-
Thanks for the advice. i always shoot the dress rehearsal to test angles, lighting, coordinate cam ops, notate entrance and exits, and all that other fun stuff that makes the live shoot go smoother. On this one I caught a great out take with the director adjusting a piece of scenery while the lead is singing a solo directly in front of her...but, I digress. i am familiar with the montage idea and try to pitch it to clients whenever possible but at this venue, behind the scenes and close-up shots are problematic.

Bryan ...

For me, most of the fun of stage work is worming into the nooks and crannies of the venue to get dramatic shots of performers and backstrage crew in action, close-up. Cast and crew are surprisingly tolerent of the 'video guy' lurking about in the wings as long as you don't get in their way and deliver the images they want to see (most actors love looking at themselves!).

Another incentive you can offer is stills from video, taken from the rehearsal footage. Often there is no official photographer present, and even the best of them cannot hope to capture as many 'decisive moments' as you can with your video camera, and if you work in HD the quality of the stills will hold up very well. I used to sell prints from video but it was such hard work that I now put a set of stills on Flickr.com for people to view and download - anoher reason for you to be asked back next time.

Good luck with the oveture !

Tony - thanks again for all the great advice and follow-up! This company hires in a photog but I am offering some merchandise (coffee mugs, mouse pads, prints, etc) through my nline store once the DVD's are finished.

The venue I shot at has a lot of restrictions on where you can shoot from but the bonus is they created a very nice video booth area right next to the sound guy.

I will definitely take your suggestions to heart. Perhaps if I become more established with this locale, i might be able to figure out which rules are rigid, which can flex, and which are outdated.

I have finished the overture piece and I am pretty happy with it. I am arranging for a preview with the founder of the theatre company/music director for this weekend sometime. I will let you guys know how it goes.

Hi Bryan,

I've always thought that one of the best openings during the overture is the beginning of West Side Story. First of all the overture itself is great, but if you haven't seen it you might want to watch the opening of the movie.

Garrett

Garrett ...

Agree about West Side Story. I saw it in 70mm as a kid and the opening aerial shots have stayed with me ever since.

Bryan ...

Don't get too tied up by venue 'rules'. They are there to stop the staff getting in the way of a paying audience, which is fair enough.

During rehearsals anything goes, so long as you don't get in the way of cast and crew, and even then they can be very forgiving.
Don't forget that you are equaly as professional as they are, and you're paid to get the best possible images without hindrance.

Tony

Hi Tony,

I was actually thinking about the beginning when the drawing of the city scape changes colors and slowly transitions from a very abstract picture to eventually become a photo of the city skyline. I was thinking Bryan could take a still of one of the sets and photoshop some interesting treatments and artistic effects. As the the overture is playing transition through each effect. That way he should already have the shot.

I may try that for the next stage show I shoot. I usually take the overture and use it during the credit roll at the end.

Garrett

Garrett, Tony - Thanks for the ideas.

My big issue with venue rules is not making waves with the floor manager (who authorizes my electric usage and board feed) and not getting in the way of the director. When I showed up to record the final dress, they were in crisis management. One of the supporting cast broke his leg the day before and the actress playing "Anna" had strep throat but performed anyway. The director and key staff were quite busy and me being in their face or backstage would have made things more complicated. But I do think next event for them I will try to make 2 of the dress rehearsals and spend one floating getting behind the scenes and cutaways and the other to do the planning phase. I have not seen Westside on TV in a number of years. I am thinking a about uploading a copy of my video for the overture. I can't upload the soundtrack with it but you could see the concept. Would you be interested?

Bryan

By all means, upload the video - always interested to see how others tackle this sort of work.

Tony

Just got it uploaded to Vimeo. Of course there is no audio. It plays through the overture clip and about 5sec of the first scene so you can see the transition.
No Audio-King and I video for overture on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/4667890)

Would love a little feedback, if any of you had the chance to view the clip. I am sitting around waiting on a batch render to finish running and for UPS to deliver the blank hydroshields from Discmakers and so my brain keeps rethinking the choices made while editing... Anyways, thanks to everyone for their great ideas and insight. I really appreciate your shared knowledge base.

Leave it in, its a part of the show - especially if pit members are buying it. I always put a chapter marker just after it as well, so if someone doesn't want to sit through it, they can just hit 'next.'

You could follow Nate's suggestion but have a nice picture on screen and "INTERMISSION" written in big letters. Then it would be like watching a long film with an intermission, such as Lawrence of Arabia or The Bridge on the River Kwai. It would be an easy way to do it if you don't want to spend lots of time editing and people won't get frustrated if they can skip it.

Bryan:

As some other posters said, I would address the initial 5 minutes with a chapter marker option.

Put the initial credits and titling at the beginning

Copy & paste the primary titles to the video just before curtain

Render the full video

On the DVD authoring, link the startup or play button to just before curtain. Most people will watch it from this point.

Create another button or a special feature menu to include the preliminary music.

Five full minutes of music only on a video would be like watching paint dry.

Bryan ...

I liked it - nice choice of stills to keep the interest going, although a few more would have been good.
Luckily you are working with a classic musical and the overture stands up on its own - other shows I could name would be much harder to work with.
And what do you do when the show doesn't have an overture but the performers really want to see a montage of the show - picking suitable music can be really tough.

Anyway well done - you've got away with it !

I am up to my ears in duplicating and printing, so i haven't been able to check back in (or check facebook for that matter.) I gave a pre-release copy to the music director/founder of the theater company and they seem quite pleased. Thanks for all the feedback. In this case there is a chapter marker placed right after the overture and Entr'Acte but i am leaving both in. People can hit the next button if they want to skip it. In this performance, it really compliments the finished piece. Thanks again everyone for your time and input. I went with a video montage to overlay on the Entr'Acte.

...And what do you do when the show doesn't have an overture but the performers really want to see a montage of the show - picking suitable music can be really tough...

Interesting question Tony, I guess in this case i would go back to the master tracks and isolate the orchestra and create my own interlude mash-up of the key songs but i haven't had to cross that bridge yet. I will keep that in mind as this is a market I am really trying to build... Thanks for the thought provoking question!

Hey Bryan--

Sorry to be so ridiculously late to the party, but I just stumbled across this thread (thought the forum was only about weddings and as I don't do those, never thought to look here).

But in my case, it's been made quite clear to me that we are there to "document" the production, not to make it "better." I got quite a talking to when I decided to "enhance" some lightning strikes on stage with those of my own creation. Ouch.

So for me, I'm just trying to replicate the experience of someone sitting there with really good seats, so I'd never consider showing anything except the curtain during the Overture and Entr'acte. I'm with Frank all the way on this. And with all due respect to Tony, I would never, ever do that. Maybe as an extra, but not during the Overture. But your clients are the bosses, and if they like it, hey, that's what you're paid for.

I think the idea of a chapter marker is a good one, though, and I do use the opportunity to put a few titles at the beginning -- basically whatever is on the front cover of the program -- so and so presents, show title and authors, that sort of thing. (I do the credit roll during the bows at the end.)

And I remember exactly what Garrett was talking about in West Side Story; I remember thinking it was a player piano roll when I first saw it, as it was all vertical dots and lines, and gasping when the graphic pulls back and morphs into the still shot of lower Manhattan. Ironically, this piece of music wasn't in the original stage musical -- it was added for the movie. The stage musical had no overture -- it went straight into the "Prologue" which, for the movie, was where the moving aerial shots began. Just a bit of trivia.

Adam -
Thanks for the reply and never too late to share experiences and opinions. In my case, the client loved the piece I created. i understand what you are saying about "documenting" the performance and while I agree 100% when it comes to lighting correction and other aspects which set the tone, I will disagree with you on the whole watching the curtain idea. Of course every client is different, so it is best to work with your client and find what works for you. In your experience it seems that works well for you. To bring back the notion from the beginning...
...I have seen many discs that cut this out and just jump in when the first scene starts, but the orchestra did a spectacular job and i would really like to include the overture...
I really cannot believe how common it is (in this region) for the videographer to leave it out. To me, it seems pretty brazen to edit part of the performance out without consulting the client. They were pleasantly surprised that I left it in and blown away by the opening piece I created. I spent some time talking to them about the next production I am working with them on and have arranged to get a special dress rehearsal with the orchestra so I can be in the pit and over the pit to film them for the Overture and Entr'acte. I will still generate a short piece for titling and then transition to the orchestra shots followed by the live performance and they thought this was the best idea they ever heard.

I am also hoping that i may convince them to allow me to do a cast and crew credit roll at the end. They were quite adamant that they did not want it this time around so I will see what headway I can make on this issue. Several cast members have inquired about it's absence and I have referred them to the theatre company for reply.

I really do love this kind of work and appreciate you taking the time to share your experience whenever. Thanks.

I'm also late to the party and, though not a video professional, I was a professional actor for 15 years and have a couple of advanced degrees in theater.

The overture is not "preliminary music." As another poster mentioned, it serves a number of purposes, including introducing musical themes that will occur later. The nature of music is such that the structure is better appreciated after having been heard before. The overture also serves to set the mood for the production, so the overture (and the entr'acte before Act II) are critical components of a performance.

The sequence of events for a traditional musical are as follows. While the audience enters and is seated there are "curtain warmers" on the curtain or set. When the overture begins, house lights are brought to half. At the end of the overture, during audience applause, house lights are taken down completely along with the curtain warmers and either the curtain is raised or, if there is no act curtain, the actors take their place on the set, the stage lights brought up for the first cue.

There are a limited number of professionally-produced videos of professional Broadway productions (though not necessarily produced on Broadway). These frequently include an initial wide shot taken from the back of the house showing the audience assembling and dissolve to a curtain shot when the overture begins. Frequently, credits are run over the overture. Though this does not completely reproduce the feeling of the opening of the show (it's too dim to read the program during the overture), it comes the closest in my opinion.

And a couple of my pet peeves about videos of stage productions, from the standpoint of a one-time theater professional (actor and director):

1. When theater is done correctly, the entire audience experience, from entrance into the auditorium to exit after the bows, is considered. This means that the anticipatory buzz of audience conversation before the house lights dim is relevant and part of the theater experience. I don't like videos that try to treat a stage performance like a film by, for example, using the overture as an underscore for shots of actors getting made up, people buying tickets, stagehands moving set pieces, etc.

2. Theater is a bit like always having to shoot with a wide-angle lens. Stage directors use a combination of composition and lighting to direct audience attention, sometimes to multiple areas at once, in a way that is very different from film. I absolutely hate it when a video of a stage production is directed and edited like a film, with lots of close-ups, pick-ups and POV shots. Theater simply doesn't flow that way, and the result is always choppy and feels, to me, like looking through a keyhole at the stage.

3. As a general rule, stage acting is broader than film acting. This isn't quite as simple as it sounds, but a stage actor includes the audience in his/her interactions with other characters, whereas in film, the interaction between characters is kept to the characters themselves and expressly excludes the camera. I've seen too many videos of stage productions in which the video director seems unaware of the extent to which the audience is included in the actor's communication (and it is actually bi-direction communication, i.e. what the audience does influences the actor's performance which, in turn, influences the audience's response, etc.). I would strongly recommend that a film/video director who hasn't much experience of live theater attend several performance before even beginning to think about things like camera placement and shot lists.

4. In a traditional musical, though the music itself is a "performer" and part of the story, the musicians are not. I hate it when video/film directors cut away from the actors to shots of the pit musicians. There are exceptions, of course, particularly for those shows in which the musicians are on-stage and part of the performance. As a general rule, however, such cuts are distracting and introduce an element of commentary that is completely alien and antithetical to the directorial intent of the stage director.

5. The same is true of cuts to actors waiting to go on stage, the view from the wings, etc. Unless the video is about producing the show, as opposed to recreating the experience of the show, these kinds of shots add nothing to the experience of the productions.

These are just my views from the standpoint of someone who spent nearly 20 years in the theater, but may be helpful.

Paul, I think you are right on the money.

The only thing I'd add is to point 2, and it's this: while this is technically and theoretically correct, there's a difference between being there and watching on video, just as there is a difference between live and recorded music. The director does in deed "direct" our attention thorough his use of staging and lighting, and our POV in the theatre is indeed fixed, but our minds actually do the panning, zooming, cropping, etc for us (just as it changes white balance instantaneously and unobtrusively) while sitting in the theatre. But we can't do this in our minds, at least not very well, when watching video, so as shooters we have to physically do those close-ups, pans, zooms (only as necessary and not to excess) for the viewer... just as the white balance on the video must be physically adjusted to make it look "right."

So my goal is to always try to do as you said, which is to re-create the theatrical experience as closely as possible without adding anything that wouldn't really have been there and available to an audience member sitting there live. Of course, all this other stuff could be added as extras, but the main video itself is always just the show as presented, as close as I can get to it.

But the client is the boss, and I'll generally do whatever they want.

Adam, I agree with you completely re: reproducing "mental" pans, zooms and closeups with the equivalent camera move. That has to be done -- otherwise you might as well just set a camera in the middle of the house with a wide angle lens on it, turn it on and go home. The trick, I think, is thinking like a stage director, rather than a film director -- I find the "rhythm" to be different, if that makes any sense. I do find that there is seldom, if ever, a need for extreme close-ups, and two shots tend to work well when bringing in focus from the entire stage to a "small" scene.

One thing I forgot to mention is makeup and costume (and, for that matter, sets). Because theater is designed to be viewed at a distance, stage makeup is much, much broader than film. Similarly, costumes and sets are constructed to "read" from the middle of the house and, when viewed closeup, look cheap or fake. From my perspective, that's another reason to avoid extreme closeups.

...otherwise you might as well just set a camera in the middle of the house with a wide angle lens on it, turn it on and go home. And the shocking thing is many people do just this and still get paid for it.

If everyone posessed Blu-ray players with 42" TVs then perhaps it would be possible to simulate the 'theatre' experience with a fairly static camera, relying on the resolution of HD to display enough detail to replicate what an audience member would see from the auditorium.

However, my customers are not members of the audience, they are the amateur performers and production team who have put heart and soul and several months of their lives into the production with no reward other than the applause, hopefully a good review, and the chance to see the show and their own efforts on DVD.

I would be lynched if I gave them several minutes of curtain instead of a carefully crafted memento of the show and their performances in the form of a montage, set to the overture, that they can show off to friends and family. A good montage actually enhances the overall quality of the product and if done properly can be a piece of art in itself.

They would also not be pleased with an 'audiences' view of the show. They want to see every gesture, expression and movement that they have so lovingly crafted over the months, and they want to see it in as much detail as possible.

So it is my job to portray the performers in as much detail as I can, while still capturing all of the essential onstage action in a smooth and professional manner with whatever cameras I have at my disposal.

As Adam pointed out, the client is the boss - do whatever they want.
But don't miss the chance to add some of your own art to the product.

Tony, I wasn't suggesting that any video of a stage event be done with the sole aim of reproducing the theater experience. Particularly, when you're doing a commercial video that gets sold to the participants, you do what will sell the most DVDs. The context in which I made my comments was the "archival" video done pursuant to license, where the stated purpose is preserve the production for future viewing and study.

Thank you to everyone for continuing the discussion on this subject. Paul, Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts from the other side of the lens. This is valuable information to all of us on the production side. I agree with you on many of your points and actually have several years of experience as a musical actor too so I see where you are coming from. To address some of your points...
...The overture...serves a number of purposes, including introducing musical themes that will occur later...I would strongly recommend that a film/video director who hasn't much experience of live theater attend several performance before even beginning to think about things like camera placement and shot lists.
Excellent points here. Going in blind and just shooting will always produce inferior results and not having a grasp of the concepts in general can really hinder your ability to produce a quality product. The overture to a musical is there to introduce the themes and draw focus to the music you should expect to hear later just as the Entr'acte music bridges (and often reinforces) the musical themes and introduces the elements of the next act. Thank you for addressing this Paul.
...And a couple of my pet peeves about videos of stage productions, from the standpoint of a one-time theater professional (actor and director):

1. When theater is done correctly, the entire audience experience, from entrance into the auditorium to exit after the bows, is considered...
...and good video of a stage performance should address this but in a manner that is intriguing to the video audience as well. As an audience member the grand curtain builds anticipation but on video we are accustomed to more action and staring at a blank curtain for many, I believe would conjure boredom, not anticipation. Some have used the behind the scenes shots to build that anticipation, but in my opinion that detracts from the performance too. Some shots of the orchestra performing, I feel, add to the live feeling and draw you in to remembering that this is live. No CDs or mixing booths, this is real.
...2. Theater is a bit like always having to shoot with a wide-angle lens. Stage directors use a combination of composition and lighting to direct audience attention, sometimes to multiple areas at once, in a way that is very different from film. I absolutely hate it when a video of a stage production is directed and edited like a film, with lots of close-ups, pick-ups and POV shots. Theater simply doesn't flow that way, and the result is always choppy and feels, to me, like looking through a keyhole at the stage...
This style bothers me too. I agree that the POV and ECU shots have little to no value in theatre. I have found (in working with stage choreographers and directors) that the terminology of close-up, ECU, wide and extreme wide have very different interpretations than those used in video. In my experience, most stage people consider a head to toe shot to be a close-up and an extreme close-up is one actor torso only. These interpretations of terminology can really muddy the water if you block shots with the director, assistant director, or choreographer.
...3. As a general rule, stage acting is broader than film acting. This isn't quite as simple as it sounds, but a stage actor includes the audience in his/her interactions with other characters, whereas in film, the interaction between characters is kept to the characters themselves and expressly excludes the camera. I've seen too many videos of stage productions in which the video director seems unaware of the extent to which the audience is included in the actor's communication (and it is actually bi-direction communication, i.e. what the audience does influences the actor's performance which, in turn, influences the audience's response, etc.)...
another excellent point but there is a limit too how much the audience can be involved in the performance. In my opinion, the audience should be heard but not seen. This is an area where surround sound is your friend. I always try to frame (full) shots to the edge of the stage so that you feel you are in the front row, but include the audience in final shots of the first act and the curtain call to get a larger participatory feel (my daughter actually stood up in our living room clapping with the audience when we screened the DVD together.)
4. In a traditional musical, though the music itself is a "performer" and part of the story, the musicians are not. I hate it when video/film directors cut away from the actors to shots of the pit musicians. There are exceptions, of course, particularly for those shows in which the musicians are on-stage and part of the performance. As a general rule, however, such cuts are distracting and introduce an element of commentary that is completely alien and antithetical to the directorial intent of the stage director.
Interesting points. I both agree and disagree with you here. Shots of the musicians during the performance are anti-climatic, but I think during the overture/entr'acte can be a good tie in. Also, in my case, the orchestra is a potential source of revenue and their inclusion opens up additional sales options...
5. The same is true of cuts to actors waiting to go on stage, the view from the wings, etc. Unless the video is about producing the show, as opposed to recreating the experience of the show, these kinds of shots add nothing to the experience of the productions.
With you 100% here. IMHO, these shots are great for bonus material but in the main piece are distracting and break the suspension of disbelief.
..The trick, I think, is thinking like a stage director, rather than a film director -- I find the "rhythm" to be different, if that makes any sense. I do find that there is seldom, if ever, a need for extreme close-ups, and two shots tend to work well when bringing in focus from the entire stage to a "small" scene...One thing I forgot to mention is makeup and costume (and, for that matter, sets). Because theater is designed to be viewed at a distance, stage makeup is much, much broader than film. Similarly, costumes and sets are constructed to "read" from the middle of the house and, when viewed closeup, look cheap or fake. From my perspective, that's another reason to avoid extreme closeups.
Again more wonderful points. It is not just the shot type but also the rhythm, costume, and props that differ from stage to film...
If everyone posessed Blu-ray players with 42" TVs then perhaps it would be possible to simulate the 'theatre' experience with a fairly static camera, relying on the resolution of HD to display enough detail to replicate what an audience member would see from the auditorium.

However, my customers are not members of the audience, they are the amateur performers and production team who have put heart and soul and several months of their lives into the production with no reward other than the applause, hopefully a good review, and the chance to see the show and their own efforts on DVD.

I would be lynched if I gave them several minutes of curtain instead of a carefully crafted memento of the show...So it is my job to portray the performers in as much detail as I can, while still capturing all of the essential onstage action in a smooth and professional manner with whatever cameras I have at my disposal.

As Adam pointed out, the client is the boss - do whatever they want.
But don't miss the chance to add some of your own art to the product.
Tony, welcome back and thank you for your many counterpoints. For those of you who don't already know Tony, he is very accomplished in theatrical filming and has a lot of experience shooting these type of events. In talking to my clientele on this event I found that most of the actors wanted both a piece that captured every detail of their performance while preserving the original stage feel to show off to their friends. My goal was to find balance...

Thank you to everyone for continuing the discussion and adding to the scope.

Bryan, I agree with everything you've said, and would offer a clarification:

Musicals get video taped in a variety of situations. Sometimes, it's for the purposes of making DVDs available to cast, crew, parents, friends, etc. Sometimes it's to make an archival record for the producing entity. Sometimes it's for later broadcast and/or distribution.

Each is going to result in a different approach to the shoot.

My posts in this thread addressed only archival recording and/or subsequent broadcast and distribution and relate, primarily, to professional stage productions. For videos of amateur and school productions, where the intent is to create a saleable keepsake for those involved, all bets are off and I have no opinion whatsoever -- as with wedding videos, the event videographer knows what works. I certainly don't. I consider myself an expert on musical theater. I do not, in the least, consider myself even remotely competent when it comes to professional videography.

I'm just finishing up editing a small ballet production of The Sleeping Beauty. Since many people only think of the Disney movie when they here the title the director was nice enough to outline the story and summarize what happened in each act in the program. During the overture I have the story showing in front of the curtain so that the music coincides with the words for each act. That way the viewer will have an idea of what is going on and can associate each act with the music they are listening to.

Doesn't work for every situation but it worked out for this one.

Garrett,
I have always wanted to shoot "Sleeping Beauty" and Swan Lake," two of my favorites. Kudos on getting to shoot that and I am glad it worked out for you. I am looking forward to some additional theater shoots but in my area there is not much demand for it these days...but I do what I can to change that.

Paul, you are so spot on about the audience determines the finished piece but I think you really brought up some great points that are universal regardless of output. Thanks for taking time to share your experience with us.