Hard Work Having Fun: Baltimore Rock Opera Society

What defines the quintessential sound of a rock opera? 

Cynthia Schatoff, who goes by Darmock (band director): Rock opera cannot be narrowed down to any 1 sound or style. Each and every show has a various story and style. From rock ballads to funk, pop, metal, and additional. What is at the core of all of the songs are memorable tunes that help the tale of the exhibit.

Are there unique instruments or musical strategies that are one of a kind to rock opera?

Darmock: There have been a quantity of diverse varieties of devices employed in rock opera performances, but none unique to rock opera. Frequently there are drums, guitars, bass, and keyboard. From time to time there are other devices these types of as aerophone, cello, saxophone and much more dependent on the generation.

Due to the fact the rating is prepared by a variety of composers, what do you do as the band director to create cohesion all over the musical quantities?

Darmock: The composers should really be specified credit history for doing work with 1 one more and employing each and every other’s works when setting up tracks to make cohesion. As soon as the band had the compositions we worked alongside one another to harmony our areas and make adjustments rhythmically or dynamically the place needed.

 

How extended have you been performing on BROS productions? 

AG Sherman (costume designer): Like a whole lot of us, I have been performing Baltimore Do-it-yourself things for many years. I volunteered with BROS for the first time on the next run of their very first show, Gründlehämmer. I went off to do other things for a whilst and came back correct before the pandemic, whomp whomp. Corona compelled us all to concentration. Considering that then, I worked on some puppet things, a handful of sculptural masks, and ran Costumes for Glitterus. 

Can you talk about how intently you work with lights, established layout, and props in developing the costumes?

AG Sherman: BROS is all about collaboration and the electricity of teaming up. This time, Costumes worked most intently with Props (genius Michael Bull also will make our weapons and armor), the Dragon Staff (way too numerous to record but led by Sam Hanson, who arrived ready to breathe hearth and kick-ass), and the incomparable Creatures Krackens, Justin Sabe and Tracey Townsend. Tracey and I designed the sleaze-spider, Zeth, collectively for Isiah Dorsey’s stellar functionality. I have experienced the satisfaction of figuring out [Creatures Designer] Justin Sabe for over 15 a long time. He continues to be consistently entire of delightful surprises. 

Simply because of the elemental nature of the display, early on I pitched to Aran Keating, and the demonstrate creator, Sarah Burns Gilchrist, that the costumes should be based on the Tarot. They and director Amanda Rife allowed me the independence to color the Arcana with my have ‘70s-tinged design and style, ensuing in an anachronistic underground heavy-metal seem that hopefully feels timely and suits the issue make any difference. Lighting expert Chris Allen and the Sets Workforce, led by Max Sobolik and Kate Smith-Morse, created things that just gelled organically. Kate and I talked about finding the perfect shade and depth for precise vignettes, but we had been unquestionably on a similar wavelength from the start.