Drama Dictionary: Sitzprobe

 

(Photo Credit: Philip Arno Photography/Shutterstock)

Welcome back to the Drama Dictionary, a place to learn the definitions for the most obscure terms relating to theater, so you can be in the know and slang like a pro!

One of the luxuries of live theatre is having the chance to sing and perform with a live band. Not every company uses one and not every show calls for one, but when it does, it’s wonderful…if the band is good. A talented band takes a lot of weight off the actor’s shoulders because a lot of time the band follows the actor. 

When a production is using a live band, there is a magical day when the band and the cast come together and perform the songs as one company for the first time, and that brings us to the word of the day: sitzprobe /ˈzɪtsˌproʊbə/.

When I first heard that word, I immediately thought of that probe robot from Star Wars that they use to torture information of out rebel spies. But don’t worry, there’s no torture going on in a theatre sitzprobe. Unless it goes horribly and feels like torture which, unfortunately, is possible. 😬

Sitzprobe is a German word that translates to “seated rehearsal”, which is a pretty straightforward definition. During a sitzprobe, sitz for short, no blocking or choreography is rehearsed. All the actors sit with music stands in front of them and they’re allowed to read from their librettos, or music books. Sometimes actors are mic'd up, but not always. The conductor leads you through the show, song by song, and if something sounds funky they will run through it several times to work out the kinks. That is EXACTLY what a sitzprobe is for - smoothing out creases. The goal is for the cast to meld with the band and to build trust between them. The actors should leave thinking Phew! The band has got my back and the band should leave thinking Phew! The actors know their stuff.

I’ve been lucky enough to take part in a few sitzprobe rehearsals, and some were absolutely beautiful and other times I left wondering if we were gonna have a show. The job of a sitz is to find those holes where the music needs work and to fix them.

Common protocol during a sitzprobe includes standing when you have a solo. Additionally, be quiet and respectful. This is not a time to goof off or chat with your neighbor. Feel free to ask questions and be patient with others who might have questions. Bring something to take notes with incase anything is changed. And above all, even though you aren’t physically rehearsing each song, sing each solo exactly as you would onstage so the band can get a feel for what it would be like in a real performance. 

As for the plural of sitzprobe, I've seen "sitzprobes", "sitzproben", or simply "sitzprobe rehearsal". I'm not sure which is the traditional plural so if anybody knows please enlighten me!

I hope this has helped, and that you’ve learned something new about Broadway today. If you have any questions, or you have come across a theater word that you don’t understand, please comment below and ask me about it! I would love to hear from you. 

Make sure to stop and smell the roses! Curtain up!

Rosie