The orchestra was a vital part of opening night as well as future plays at the Cotton Theater.  The theater contained a small yet talented orchestra.  According to Marc Anthony, the orchestra was paid two dollars a night and required to rehearse one hour for each two-hour performance.  The story of the orchestra does not end here, as recalled by Les Hughes, the manager and violin player of the group.  This occurrence happened during one of the orchestra's rehearsals before that night's performance.  The piano player who traveled with the show was to rehearse the music with the orchestra.  However, on this day the piano player seemed quite bored with the musical score and went through the rehearsal so fast that the orchestra could not keep up.  This aggravated the orchestra to the point that Walter Dickey, the trumpeter, and Les Hughes, the violinist, literally threw the piano player out into the audience.  The orchestra then marched out and the piano player was forced to play the whole show with only the aide of a drummer.