Musical Theatre West Gets $65K Gift to Fund Broadway-Scale Orchestras for 2026 Season

Musical Theatre West has announced a $65,000 transformational gift from Joel and Karen Fierberg to support expanded live orchestras throughout its 2026 Season of Dreams. 

“Modern musical theatre has increasingly become about how few musicians you can use to create the biggest possible sound,” said Ryan O'Connell, Music Director for MTW's Man of La Mancha. “You're often lucky to have nine or ten players, with keyboards filling in entire string or brass sections. It can sound fine, but at the end of the day, it's an imitation.”

Bren Thor, MTW Associate Producer added, “Thanks to the generosity of Joel and Karen Fierberg, both Man of La Mancha and In the Heights featured the full orchestrations that brought the music to life as it was originally intended. This is the sound of live theatre at its fullest, and our audiences can truly feel the difference.”

The gift directly impacted four major productions this season: Man of La Mancha, In the Heights, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Little Women. This investment ensures audiences will hear the music not through the filter of electronic replication, but as full and vibrant as it was at each show's Broadway debut.

For Man of La Mancha, MTW presented a complete 17-piece orchestra, featuring five woodwinds, six brass, two Spanish guitars, three percussionists including a dedicated timpani player, and bass, with no keyboards filling in missing sections. For In the Heights, the production expanded from a 9-piece touring arrangement to the original 13-piece Broadway orchestration, helping drive the show's high-energy performances and contributing to multiple sold-out audiences throughout its run. Additional musicians will also enhance the musical depth of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Little Women, continuing the elevated sound across the season.

Paul Garman, Executive Director of Musical Theatre West, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the gift. “We are deeply thankful to Joel and Karen Fierberg for their extraordinary generosity and belief in the power of live music,” said Garman. “Their support elevates every production in our 2026 Season of Dreams and reinforces our commitment to artistic excellence. This gift doesn't just add musicians, it transforms the experience for our audiences and our artists alike. We are honored by their investment in our mission and our future.”

Beyond enhancing artistic quality and elevating the patron experience, the Fierbergs hope their gift will inspire others to discover meaningful, production-specific ways to support MTW. By directly investing in the elements that shape what audiences see and hear onstage, donors help preserve the high standard of excellence MTW patrons have come to expect. To learn more about this campaign, visit musical.org/behind-the-curtain.

With this generous contribution, Musical Theatre West moves one step closer to realizing the full sound and vision of each production, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience Broadway-caliber orchestrations performed live and in person.