Over several days in recent weeks, dozens of young cast members, the professional leads, and members of the pit orchestra joined Director Michael Unger, who adapted the Shakespeare work into a contemporary musical, and composer/lyricist Eric Svejcar at Carriage House Studios in Stamford to complete recording for the anticipated holiday season double CD release.

During the brief window The Newtown Bee was invited to monitor activities on October 14, large and small clusters of mostly younger cast members moved in and out of the Carriage House’s main studio.

While stationed in front of or under sensitive studio microphones, the cast members and music director Jeffrey Saver listened to Mr Svejcar, and occasionally Mr Unger, who communicated their cues and directives to him through headphones or monitors. On that session, the young local cast members were thrilled to be joined by Equity actor Saum Eskandani, who played Bottom in both the Stars and Moon cast productions.

Mr Svejcar explained later that approaching a cast recording is somewhat different from handling the cast in a live performance environment.

“In a recording studio you obviously don’t have any of the visual information. You don’t have the sets or the costumes; the energy of a live performance; you don’t have the facial expressions, so everything has to come through the voice,” he said.

The composer said when he’s monitoring the goings on during each take, he even avoids looking through the glass wall between the control room and studio, so he can avoid being distracted by the actors as they go through their paces on mic.

“You can actually get thrown off if you watch. They can be very into it and you can become so taken with their performances in studio that you miss the little things,” he said. “Those little things go by so quickly when you’re on stage, but when you’re recording, the microphone can pick them up in high detail and they will exist forever.

“So there is an ear for detail you need to have in studio,” he said. “So I talk to the performers about really being sure they are not losing the drama of the piece — it’s still a theatrical recording. Even though we are in studio, they have to put themselves into the world of the play — and not [be distracted] by being in the studio. And I must say, they were up to the challenge. Every time we set the bar higher, they met it!”

Two Distinct Casts

Mr Svejcar pointed out that with two different casts, there are specific elements unique to each group.

“Each cast does their own thing,” he said. “There are even some songs in different keys for each cast. For example, our Helenas are very different from one another. But it’s exciting because they are both so right for the role.”

The composer said while the two young leads provide “vastly different takes” on their musical roles, he was ultimately ecstatic to be able to record both in their own styles.

“You’ll be able to hear that between the two recordings,” he said. “I honestly would not pick one over the other, and I’m so happy we didn’t have to make a choice between the two. We were able to make a recording for both of them.”

Mr Svejcar said it is rare that he gets a chance to go from conceiving and composing a musical project, through performance, and then into the studio to complete a cast recording.

“It’s a very special thing. I got to do Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris off Broadway as my first big cast album project. And I got to the Evil Dead: The Musical off Broadway,” he said. “I actually went to grad school for recording because as a composer, I felt like if I knew my way around a studio and sound board I could more easily realize my music. I’m not an engineer, but I can go into a studio and talk the language of the engineer, which helps move things along more quickly.”

The composer, who was also accompanied by his plucky Welsh Corgi Rory during the session, said he wishes he could record every cast.

“You get to hone some of the details that do fly by on stage. This is the opportunity to really hyperfocus on the music and nothing else,” Mr Svejcar said. “I love it — it energizes me. Rehearsals make me tired, but I can spend 12 hours working in a recording studio and I could just keep on going”

Carriage House Comfort

Mr Svejcar said the 12.14 Foundation cast members not only enjoyed spreading out in the ample Carriage House studio, but they were excited to be working on the microphones and in the booths where artists including Beyoncé, Donna Summer, Paul Simon and the rock group Pantera had recorded.

During the October 14 session, most of the studio engineering was done by Ian Callanan, although Carriage House founder and owner Johnny Montagnese was often on hand watching and listening to the proceedings.

“It’s a great old analog studio — most of the equipment was acquired in the ‘80s, although they have kept it up. And a lot of the vintage gear just sounds better than the modern stuff,” he said. “And there is enough space so we could get certain actors into separate spaces where they could see each other but we could record them separately.”

By October 21, Mr Svejcar said he was about 85 percent done with recording, and upon completion, he would be off to another facility in New York City for final editing and mastering ahead of the CDs being pressed and distributed. Anyone interested in preordering one of more copies of the double CD cast of A Rockin’ Midsummer Night’s Dream can do so by visiting broadwayrecords.com/store/midsummer.

Co-Producer Van Dean was also on hand for most of the recording sessions.

He is concurrently preparing the next 12.14 Foundation benefit, a November 7 concert featuring a number of Broadway talents joined by members of the Midsummer, The 101 Dalmatians Musical, and last summer’s Seussical casts.

That showcase, to be presented on the stage of Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, will begin at 7 pm. 

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and can be purchased online at http://broadway-records.ticketleap.com/benefit-concert-for-1214-foundation. They will also be available at the door.

Proceeds will benefit The 12.14 Foundation and its mission to use the performing arts to promote healing and strength.