I’m all too familiar with the shenanigans of amateur musicians in the orchestra pit and apparently the fun doesn’t stop in the pro leagues. The NY Times’ look at pit musicians who are hidden from view (necessitated by lack of space) reveals a fun loving atmosphere fed by the boredom of repetition. On public view in the theatre pit you may see musicians reading the paper or making reeds; at one Broadway show I remember watching the oboist leave and return multiple times as his notes were few and far between (we joked that his timing worked out such that he was simultaneously “moonlighting” at the musical across the street). In the hidden back rooms musicians are able to let loose with hijinks and more involved endeavors such as letter writing and mini-golf, though they deny making phone calls or accepting margaritas from the cast.