Written by Haley Flood
I’ve never seen so few people leave a movie while the credits rolled. The Broadway Sinfonietta demanded attention throughout the entirety of its performance of the music from Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, from Sony’s company intro to the last note of music in the score.
The all-female orchestra is touring the United States and the United Kingdom this fall, playing the entire soundtrack of Spider-Verse over a screening of the movie. Luckily, the Kansas City area made the roster at the Johnson County Community College in Overland Park.
Excitement could be felt in the air as soon as I stepped into the theatre. Audience members ranged from young families to singular Spider-Man fans decorated with hero masks. Regardless of age, everyone performed the classic Spider-Man pointing meme during the ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’ preview before the event started.
Once the lights dimmed and the movie began, the audience was transported into the narrative through the immersive sound. Each beat was on point and none of the live sound overpowered the dialogue. Yet the music had its own presence that could not be ignored as it focused attention. Honestly, I became so enraptured with the story that I forgot the musicians were onstage in front of me multiple times.
The immersive spell fell on the entire theatre. People were simultaneously glued to the screen and dancing in their seats. Many feet were tapping along to the constant percussion of scenes. For further effect, the colored lights on the stage changed with the sound of the orchestra, personifying the music. The performers enhanced the movie’s magic with their crisp, precise airwaves.
A brief intermission was earned by the hard workers onstage, and the audience sang its praises while waiting in line for soda and snacks. Everyone couldn’t wait for more.
The Broadway Sinfonietta didn’t miss a beat for the second act. As the movie plot intensified, so did the music. Every emotional moment was escalated, and pieces of the score that would regularly go unnoticed stood out while the live musicians heightened the stakes. After the completion of the “What’s Up Danger” climax, applause erupted for the unforgettable moment.
The movie ended with a standing ovation that seemed to last forever. The musicians did not stop until the screen went dark, and the audience congratulated them through the entire credits, highlighting each performer. Energies were high as people filed out of the theatre, whispering of an experience that impacted them deeply. The mixture of live music and cinema was a performance to be remembered.