Re: More cast than mics, RF gain structure...
I would double patch if you have the inputs available.
Typically, musicals are mixed line by line on VCAs. Every line of dialog is a fader throw. In the songs, each singer with a feature will get a VCA assignment. Ensemble groups can be programmed into a single VCA. If time allows, you can blend these groups as needed on the input faders within the given snapshot. This is a lot of programming but it's the right way to do it. For a recent reading I mixed (two rehearsals and three presentations) I had around 50-60 snapshots for very basic programming. On the current show (regional production) I have 190 snapshots encompassing everything from VCA changes, recalling plugins, sending midi triggers to QLab playback, sending midi triggers to lighting, or any combination of the above.
For your first time out, I would recommend working in any way that you are comfortable and deliver results that are acceptable to the client. If you end up doing a lot of theater, your results will vastly improve with the precision of manual mixing.
