This Sondheim show starts out with a concert bass drum/field drum 3/4 time cadence that sneaks in from pianissimo to fortissimo.  I decided to attach a bass drum pedal to my 36"" concert bass drum to get the large, open resonant effect. 
This is in addition to a conventional kit bass drum.  I also decided (with the blessing of the music director) to just come out out of the gate at fortissimo.  Many patriotic-like grooves throughout makes this one a fun and engaging production to play. You just have to wait around through all the book scenes.  What I recall from playing this one is that most of the music is very mood-setting, so I needed to be careful to play very chamber music like.  The small effects are very important; triangle, temple blocks, light timpani, mark tree, and bell tree.  There are also some nice concert bass drum rolls in there as well.
You do need to have some competent rudimental skills/chops for the fast 6/8 marches.  There is also a nice musical reference to Bernstein's ""America"" from West Side Story there! 


Photo taken on site at the Arden Theater, Philadelphia. PA"