I seem to have volunteered to try and play for this, now I'm slightly confused by the music I've been given, and the paucity of instructions with it.

I have a pit band piano part - so that's fairly understandable - there's a set of piano music in there and that's it.

But, I've also got the vocal score, which appears to be a piano reduction of the full score and I'm not sure how much of that I'm meant to be playing.

The vocal score tells you what parts are playing, but includes such things as 'Pno Solo' when the pit band piano part has nothing to play in a particular number.

So can any musical theatre/cabaret experts enlighten me - is the music really expecting the piano to try and play everything? (Which certainly won't happen under my fingers)

To be 100% sure, you'd have to ask the Musical Director, but it would be normal to only play the pit band
piano part.

The vocal score only has 3 purposes:
1. To be used by the singers.
2. To give every other musician an overall understanding.
3. To be used by the rehearsal pianist - as the name suggest, during all musical rehearsals when the band is not there, which is usually the case for most of the time.

So if you're not the appointed rehearsal pianist, I'd reckon you won't play from the vocal score.

Also depends on how big the pit band will be.

I've often done piano for shows and had to use both pit piano and the other vocal/piano part.
If there is an important solo instrument missing say for example the pit band has no strings, then you will be expected to fill in using the vocal score!!

Unfortunately the pianist is generally the only person who has to do this...there may be the occaissonall cue in say a trombone part for a horn for example, bit it's normally down to the pianist.
Another example may be if there's no double bass..the pit piano is usually rhythm with no bass line..quite often simply chords!!!

Best check with the MD which numbers you'll be playing pit piano and which ones you'll be expected to use the full score.

Good luck..

Well the consensus seems to be that the score instructions don't make too much sense, so I have to try and play as much as possible and some bits (yet to be determined) will be compulsory as cues that aren't being played by anyone else.

The thing is set in some amazingly stupid keys, having 5 flats, 6 flats, 7 flats and 5 sharps in one piece seems a little odd.

Good luck! The whole thing sounds a nightmare, but perhaps when rehearsals are under way it won't seem so bad.

That's almost certainly to make life easier for the singers...

I'm not sure it is - the ranges are frequently horrible for singing.
I exaggerated slightly with the 7 flats, but the Finale has the following keys changes:
Two flats (with some Bnat and F#); 3 flats (with some C# and Anat); Nothing (with left hand having Bb and Eb, and right G,D,A,F# accidentals); 2 flats (plus C & F#); 6 flats (some Dnat); Page turn to 5 sharps (with some Bb, and E#, F & G##); finally 3 sharps (plus A and B #)

Actually, this is John Kander, isn't it? He's known for writing in odd keys...