Professional drummer Thomas Sporrer from Schwabbruck has unearthed the hatchet or the folding chair: He is the percussionist who, in the spirit of actor Bully Herbig, hits the drum in the musical “Schuh des Manitu” in the Deutsches Theater in Munich.
Schwabbruck / Munich
- We meet Thomas Sporrer (39) between rehearsals with his students, whom he still teaches in his old home in the rehearsal room of the Schongau town band, and a musical performance in Munich. The commitment to the “Schuh des Manitu” is a stark contrast to the 39-year-old's last assignment with the Berlin Philharmonic.
"I really play anything that can be used to create sounds," says Sporrer modestly.
Xylophone, timpani, vibraphone, bass drum, percussion: the list of instruments is long and the structure is extensive.
The instruments stand 360 degrees around Sporrer in the orchestra, the structure of the percussion instruments is gigantic at five by three meters.
And musically, the project is not a gift even for Profi Sporrer.
Eventually he switched from the classic to the swing, on to the Broadway western.
"The range is really very versatile."
The 20-year-old film has always done Sporrer
From classical orchestra to musical: how did it come about? "I thought the film was super funny back then," reveals Sporrer, looking back at his younger years. After all, the Bully Herbig film is already 20 years old - Sporrer was just 19 years old and was still studying at the Augsburg University of Music. Play a musical once, be there when many different characters meet and something great emerges together. Experience the interplay of musicians, actors and technicians: "I really like that."
No sooner said than done: Sporrer auditioned for the position in July 2020 - and was immediately accepted.
And then there was another Corona.
Just one day before the planned premiere, everything had to be canceled.
“That was tough.” After all, Sporrer had spent weeks preparing, memorized a whole stack of notes, memorized - so that only the fine-tuning had to be done in the 14 days of rehearsals.
Now, a year later, he's finally sitting here in the Deutsches Theater, allowed to set the pace for a funny musical that filmmaker Bully Herbig is also enthusiastic about.
“He partly followed our rehearsals and supported the actors.
He had a lot of fun with it, ”says Thomas Sporrer from the sewing box.
Wild stage fun in a new staging
And how is he the bully, for real? "He's totally funny, but also super-professional - a mega-cool guy." The "pretty cool connection that developed between the actor and the ensemble:" It gives us another real boost. "The audience, in turn, gets it rewarded with a standing ovation. After all, the musical apparently gives off a lot of anecdotes without chewing on old camels. So wild stage fun in a new staging.
Does Thomas Sporrer like the musical? "Sure, the humor has changed in the last 20 years," he compares the revised musical version with the original film. He doesn't want to reveal much, but: “The audience can look forward to a few additional gags.” Let's see if Sporrer can still laugh about it after the last performance in January. In the end, he then played 50 out of a total of 100 performances. The “Schuh des Manitu” at the Deutsches Theater expires in January. Then it goes on to the Landestheater Salzburg. Sporrer is no longer there - who knows which vibes will drive the musician on which stage.
One thing is certain: His students in Schongauer Land can continue to look forward to a super-cool drum teacher who cannot keep his hands off any musically attractive drum engagement.
That he now knows Bully Herbig and is helping to revive the “Schuh des Manitu” for the 20th birthday of the cult film: a combination of skill, adventure - and courage.
Indians!
- Goodbye.
