After learning all of the music for the 9 to 5 musical, junior Evan Ovitsky was inspired to try out for the pit orchestra.  

Ovitsky passed the tryout and started practices shortly after. He has only been playing the tenor saxophone for a year, which is the instrument he is playing in the pit.

Ovitsky believes that performing in the pit, a submerged area beneath stage level, is less stressful than playing on stage for a band concert.

“We have a lot more comfortability when playing, as no one is watching you, which takes the pressure off,” Ovitsky said.

But the music is challenging, musical producer Cassidy Cooper said. She is impressed with how well the musicians are handling the music.

“It’s so impressive because this is Broadway-level music,” Cooper said. “It’s not a junior version, so it’s complicated to play and that makes the pit even more important because they are working so hard to make it right.”

Participating in any part of the musical takes up a lot of time. Ovitsky recognizes the struggles of balancing school life in addition to his role on the pit. 

“We rehearse multiple times a week leading up to the show, including Highlander Times. Then in the final week we have tech week, where we rehearse every day,” Ovitsky said. “All of the commitment and dedication is definitely the most difficult part”.

Senior Zaynah El Maghrabi agreed with Ovitsky on the time commitment that comes with being a part of the pit. She has been playing the trombone and the baritone for the pit since the beginning of her junior year. 

While preparing for production, El Maghrabi believes the pit orchestra works very hard. She finds it easier to balance their practices due to the new scheduling process implemented at Baldwin. 

“Trying to exist outside of the musical is definitely the most difficult part of being in the pit. The A/B schedule has been really relieving in the sense of allowing a full day of grace with harder classes. However, if we are at the school late, it always gets hard to balance. With personal life – especially during March – there is barely any time for personal life,” El Maghrabi said.

Even with all of the struggles and stress that come with being in the pit orchestra, pit director and band teacher Emery Palmer believes they are doing well.

“I think they are doing really well,” Palmer said. “Whenever we get together, we practice very well, and even individually they are doing well practicing on their own.”