RENT Questionnaire
"Behind the Scenes of RENT"
Name:
David Truskinoff
Title/Role: Music Director/Conductor
How long have you been working on RENT?
9 yrs.
Tell us a little about your job. What does it mean to be a ____?
I have the job/honor of maintaining the musical integrity of the show and conducting the show every night.
Describe your typical day.
On days that we have rehearsal…I usually arrive at work at 1 pm for rehearsal until 5:30…dinner at 6…the show at 8…home at 11:30. Days without rehearsal (or matinees)…I’m trying to catch up on the rest of my life (yeah, right!) and then into work at 7 pm.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Getting inside the music every night
What is your least favorite part of the job?
I don’t get to see my family and friends too much. But they understand!
When did you first become interested in a career in this field?
I’ve been working professionally in the theatre since I’m 15. Started as an actor, though.
What advice would you have for someone seeking a career in your field?
Be as well-rounded as possible…Play all styles, sing all genres, dance all disciplines. The more you know...the more you work.
What is your favorite scene/song in RENT?
Favorite song: “Halloween”…so honest and simple. Favorite song to play: “Another Day”…complete range of emotions.
Tell us about your favorite RENT backstage anecdote. What the funniest/scariest/most exciting thing that’s happened backstage or during a performance?
Favorite moment: on the World Tour, the very beginning of our first show in front of a full audience in Wuhan, China…looking out and seeing all these excited, puzzled faces…in the middle of China (!)…that was a thrill and an honor.
Tell us about the first time you ever heard of RENT
My friend Billy (artist…Nederlander Mezzanine murals) played me a tape of a few numbers from this new show in rehearsal (for the workshop) that our college friend, Kevin (McCollum, producer) was developing. Little did we all know…
Had you seen RENT before you started working on the show? If so, how many times?
Saw it once…1997…standing room. Loved it.
Tell us how you got your job working for RENT. Any interesting audition or interview stories?
Tim Weil (Mus. Supervisor) music directed a show I acted in awhile in college (Cincinnati Conservatory of Music). 12 years later (in 1998) he was hiring for the first national tour of Rent. I played for him…the rest is (Rent) history!
