The musicians’ dispute with Broadway producers over how many musicians must be hired for a show centers on the cost of musicians. But “most people are misinformed about the world of Broadway pit orchestras. They’re not as expensive as you might think (only $1-$6 of a $75 ticket goes to the musicians), and successive contract concessions have whittled their size to a fraction of their Golden Era heyday. There used to be 30, 40, even 50 (musicians) in the pit at a Broadway show. Now the (size) is as small as three. ‘Phantom’ is probably the biggest show on Broadway, and it has only 26.”