Hey, all! I know there's been a lot of radio silence on the blog lately; unfortunately, some of my other writing projects have been taking up a lot of my time and I haven't had a chance to really dive into the musical theatre scene yet this year. One of the biggest things on my plate was working on putting together a reading of my own work, The Memory Queen, which I'm happy to say went well last week. It was a great experience, though something that originally made me feel like this:
Made me also feel like this right beforehand:
Still, I survived and learned a lot and will hopefully be on the scene again blogging for you. That being said, there's a lot of new musical theatre stuff going on right now on the interwebs that has been doing my job for me. Here are some links to check out:
On Crazytown, Michael Ruby has started an interview series with a bunch of great new composers.
On NYTimes.com, Lynn Ahrens, Joe Iconis, and Marcy Heisler write songs about Mayor Bloomberg in celebration of Encores! Fiorello!
Kerrigan and Lowdermilk had their first West Coast show! Watch songs from the concert here.
Smash this season will feature songs from Drew Gasparini, Pasek and Paul, and Joe Iconis. Read about them here, and see "Broadway Here I Come" from the first episode of the new season.
I've expressed my adoration of Cait Doyle and her cabaret show, Hot Mess in Manhattan, a few times on this blog, and I'm thrilled to say that Hot Mess will be taking to the Manhattan stage again in the near future, only this time as a full-length musical! Chock full of songs by up-and-coming composers (including the likes of Ryan Scott Oliver, Adam Gwon, Nick Blaemire, Salzman and Cunningham, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk), this semi-autobiographical tale is sure to debunk some Sex and the City myths with a realistic, entertaining portrayal of life in the big city. Cait is hilarious, and armed with some great original songs, this is sure to be a great show.
Performances start on August 30th, and the show will run until September 8th. You can purchase tickets here, BUT WAIT! Use the code newMTfan at checkout, and you can get tickets for $15 each! Save a little money, see a great show, and come back here and share your thoughts!
I know I'm super late in doing a post about the last installment of the Behind the Music-al series at 92Y Tribeca last month, but I was waiting for videos to be posted so I could give you a taste of some of the awesomeness going on at that event. There was a lot of new material being shared, as well as new interpretations of old favorites, so I thought that being able to share specific performances was key.
The theme of the night was Teenage Dreams, and this was not your Katy Perry love song fantasy (though there's nothing wrong with that, especially singing along at the top of your lungs in the show-- I mean, what?). Instead, moderator Steve Fickinger posed interesting questions not only about the desires of young people, many of which were addressed directly in the songs presented, but also what it's like writing for young actors and how to frame depictions of young people.
Organizers Kyle Ewalt and Michael Walker tackled this material with songs from their show Separate: Battle Songs of Youth, a musical that follows different young men enlisting in war throughout time. It's very exciting to piece together songs from this show at each of the Behind the Music-al installments, and this evening's show didn't disappoint in showing a few other perspectives of boys on the brink of becoming men. Molly Hager also tore the roof off the place singing a song from a new project that will hopefully incorporate more of Michael's dance/electronica style.
Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk shared some favorites from their catalog, presenting songs from The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown and Tales from the Bad Years. Not only was Brian's beautiful music wonderfully showcased through three amazing singers, but Kait's skills as a book writer were shown through conversation about dealing with what is considered 'age appropriate' material and what it means to have faith in audiences to be as real to experience as possible. I also liked how Brian pinpointed something that I have always had the utmost respect for in their music: once the melody is worked out, songs can have fluidity in how they are arranged and orchestrated to continually have fresh interpretations. That was clear with songwriters like Joanna Burns and Jesse Ruben taking the music into their own creative hands (along with a mind-blowing performance by the always talented Kate Shindle).
Last but never least, Nick Blaemire played some of his own music (with one song pitch-perfectly portrayed by Molly Hager), displaying his great dexterity with language and ability to write very authentic voices of young people at life's crossroads. With a song from After Robert Hutchens, Nick showed the fitfulness and struggle in the face of new responsibility. This was only strengthened when Nick talked about his new musical, When the World Ends, which continues to put his characters in extraordinary circumstances that reveal uncomfortable, yet strangely optimistic truths.
Check out all the videos from the Teenage Dream event here, and be on the lookout for the next installment! It's a wonderful opportunity to hear some really talented people articulate the things that drive their work, as well as some really awesome new songs.
Last November, I had the privilege of seeing an installment of Behind the Music-al at 92YTribeca. The whole experience was a total geek-fest for any lover of new musical theatre, and the many insightful conversations and exciting new talent fostered a great sense of community. Much of this can be attributed to composing team Kyle Ewalt and Michael I. Walker, who regularly organize these events and often present their work alongside guest composers. The first 2012 show of Behind the Music-al is coming up on February 22 (with a theme of 'Teenage Dreams' and guests Kait Kerrigan, Brian Lowdermilk, Nick Blaemire, and Steve Fickinger as moderator) and to celebrate this wonderful series, Kyle and Michael agreed to answer some questions about what makes Behind the Music-al so special:
Me: How did Behind the Music-al start? What has been your process of organizing each event?
Kyle Ewalt and Michael I. Walker: We had been working with 92YTribeca for a while, and had done a number of concerts of our own work there, when they approached us about establishing a musical theater series with them. We had seen a series that 92Y does uptown called “Lyrics and Lyricists,” in which a moderator interviews established writers about various songs from throughout their career while singers perform those songs. We really liked how the show combined performances with insight into the writing process, and wanted to try to translate that for a younger audience downtown. We decided that it could be really exciting to have more established writers or producers interview emerging composers about their process in order to give new musical theater fans a look behind the scenes at how contemporary writers work – and “Behind the Music-al” was born.
Our process been pretty much the same since we started last season – we act as curators and organizers for each show, reaching out to songwriters and moderators through friends and colleagues, and picking a theme for each show. Each songwriting team really puts their own set together (they bring their own singers, songs, etc). 92YTribeca produces the show, including PR, venues, etc.
(Molly Hager singing Ewalt and Walker's "Do Not Disconnect"
at Behind the Music-al:Rocks!)
Me: What have been some of your favorite Behind the Music-al moments? What have been some of the most interesting discussions that have come out of the shows?
Ewalt and Walker: We’ve really loved each show and the community we’ve been able to build with the series. Getting the chance to share the stage with all the other great writers and talk with them about their work has been so much fun for us.
Each show seems to have its own magical moments, but a few stand out. When Stephen Flaherty was moderating, his stories were incredible. At one point, as he was talking with Drew Gasparini, Drew just stopped and said, “I need a moment. Oh my goodness, I’m talking with Stephen Flaherty!” Seeing Drew’s excitement talking to one of his idols was really fun.
And in our last show, watching Adam Guettel work with each of the songwriters was truly like being at a master class. At one point, he suggested that Michael Holland do a song a second time without any accompaniment. His singer performed the song again, and it was hauntingly beautiful. You could sense that everyone in the audience knew that Adam’s suggested had affected Michael’s ideas about the song. We were watching a musical get written, in real time. That doesn’t happen very often.
2011 so far has been insane -- in one of the best ways possible -- and one of the things that has blown my mind is all of the great shows I've had the privilege of seeing in this new year. Since I haven't really had time to recap them all, I just thought I would share some of the highlights from the past couple of months and some of the videos from them that are (thankfully) up on Youtube for all to enjoy.
This past weekend, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk finished their "You Made This Tour" with a final performance at (Le) Poisson Rouge. While I didn't get a chance to make it out for their last hurrah, I have been rather obsessed with the following two performances from their other "You Made This Tour" gig:
The Spring Standards singing "Berkeley":
Lewis Grosso, Aaron Bantum, and Sarah Safer singing "She's the Best"(music by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, lyrics by Adnan Ahmed [age 9]):
With the recent release of his first songbook, Ryan Scott Oliver celebrated with a concert at Joe's Pub packed with old and new favorites, fun anecdotes, and a whole lot of talent. A couple great ones from that night:
New song "Agnes" sung by Alex Brightman:
Katie Thompson singing "To Do":
I know I've been talking up Joe Iconis'Things to Ruin lately, but I also loved letting loose at his Friday Night Commotion at The Laurie Beechman before the run. A lot of newer songs made an appearance, with a few that are still stuck in my head:
Krysta Rodriguez singing "Broadway, Here I Come!":
Jeremy Morse singing "Kevin":
Aside from Joe & Company, one of the most raucous nights of music I've had lately was attending a concert of The Civilians' new show, Pretty Filthy, at Joe's Pub about the porn industry (my friend even won a prize for thinking up a porn title based on Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, so it was the show that kept on giving). Michael Friedman's music is so astute and conversational -- it's really a joy to watch. There aren't any videos available from that evening, but here is a video of Greg Hildreth singing another song from Pretty Filthy, "Impossible Girls," which was performed at the NewMusicalTheatre.com concert that also took place recently (fair warning: Not Suitable For Work):
Also, be sure to check out some other videos from the NewMusicalTheatre.com concert at their Youtube channel because there was an awesome assortment of writers in that show. One song in particular I've always loved is Gaby Alter's "Deep in February," sung here by Catherine Brookman:
...And all of this only begins to scratch the surface. If you really want to get in on the experience of some of the new musical theatre happenings lately, you can also watch, in full, streaming concert footage from Drew Gaspirini's Joe's Pub concert here or David Henry Hwang, Kevin So, and Kevin Merritt's concert of their new musical Great Wallhere.
On another note, even with all of the new concerts and shows in development, I actually saw a couple of the latest Broadway musical offerings (the first time in a while) and just have to comment on how funny it is that a lot of things out there (even the newer musicals) are so much in the traditional musical realm. I have to admit it was almost a little jarring last night seeing How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with so many huge dance numbers and such elaborate sets, when I had become so accustomed to minimal staging and small casts. There was something very reassuring in it, though -- to see to see how things have changed and to see how the tradition is still being carried on and paid homage to. Most of all, I was really happy to see that a musical that first was released in 1961 can still feel joyous, that satire and wit can still assert themselves in song, and perhaps most importantly (especially with How to Succeed), that talent can still find energy and passion in material years down the road. Having that as a little takeaway, I'm excited to see the future of these new writers who constantly bring their talent and passion in droves are continuing to share their music, bring houses down, and, hopefully, endure.
...Even if it means I go broke in the process of following their work.
I know I missed out on a lot of shows/concerts too. Anyone else see something awesome recently worth sharing?
Now you do! If you live in New York City, tonight is PACKED with musical theatre goodness that is begging to be seen.
You've got John Znidarsic's Songbook Concert Series at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center at 6:00 p.m., which will be featuring the music of Beth Falcone.
There's Are You Working on Something New? at Don't Tell Mama at 7 p.m., which will feature music from Gary Apple, Adam David Cohen, Mark T. Evans, Patrick Gallagher, William TN Hall, Jake Honoroff, Timothy Huang, Dave Hudson, Eric Kubo, Emmy Laybourne, Paul Libman, Jim Merritt, Andy Roninson and Katya Stanislavskaya.
Check out the songs of Mishaela Faucher in her show Blame It On The Boozeat NYTB D-Lounge at 7:30 p.m.
Make your way to the Canal Room for an awesome double header. Kerrigan and Lowdermilk open with a set at 7:30 as a part of their their You Made This Tour, to be followed by a concert from NewMusicalTheatre.com writers, including songs by Michael Friedman, Gaby Alter, Sam Carner & Derek Gregor, Bobby Cronin, Drew Gasparini, Jonathan Reid Gealt, Paul Gordon, Michael Kooman & Christopher Dimond, Joshua Salzman & Ryan Cunningham, Jeff Thomson & Jordan Mann, and Will Van Dyke at 8:30 p.m.
And to top off your night, Joe Iconis' Things to Ruin will be back and badder than ever at (Le) Poisson Rouge, kicking off their latest 4 performance run at 10:00 p.m. (...and more on my excitement for this later!)
So what are you doing? Get out there and enjoy some new musical works!
Want to be a part of the process of recording a CD? Want to help a fantastic songwriting duo get their music out? Trying to figure out what to do that large pile of cash you were going to burn before you realized you were out of matches? Good news! Kerrigan and Lowdermilk are making a CD, and they need your help! Visit their Kickstarter page and make a contribution. Not only are you helping two amazing artists produce their quality work, but there are also some really fun bonuses they're offering in exchange for your money (private concert, anyone?). Check it out, open your pocketbook (or wallet, as I hear they call it these days), and listen to their music on their website to get a preview of what's to come. Everyone wins!
Maybe it's been the heat or the fact that I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately, but I've definitely been due for a pick-me-up. There's something about the summer that leaves feelings of restlessness, so for no other reason than conjuring images of the open road and getting out of the crowded haze that is the city, here are some of my favorite travel songs as of late:
First up is Brad Alexander and Adam Mathias' "See Rock City" (sung here by Josh Young) from their song See Rock City & Other Destinations, which is currently playing at The Duke at 42nd Street:
And outdoing any Mapquest directions or GPS in style and delivery are Jay Armstrong Johnson and Alex Brightman singing "Halfway" by Ryan Scott Oliver:
And last, but hardly least, is my quintessential musical girl power road trip song, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's "Freedom" from The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown, performed by Helene Yorke and Phoebe Strole:
So the inspiration for this blog comes from how much joy I've gotten over the last month listening to the BMI Workshop Songbook podcasts here. And there are many reasons why I absolutely love these. First of all, the Broadcast Music, Inc. workshops help cultivate talents that continually contribute new, exciting works from new composers. Second, this collection of podcasts features the talents of 20 writers/songwriting teams, with composers and lyricists like Andy Monroe and Jack Lechner, Maury Yeston, Tom Kitt and Amanda Green, Barry Wyner, Joy Son and Jill Abramovitz, Michael John LaChiusa, Beth Falcone, and Jeff Blumenkrantz. With all this creative talent, there's a wealth of vocal talent from the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Cheyenne Jackson, Victoria Clark, Gavin Creel, and Christine Ebersole. Perhaps my favorite parts besides all the music are the great interviews, which are really more like conversations about the craft of creating a musical. And through these conversations, a lot of interesting ideas are raised in many of the podcasts, from the difficulty of obtaining rights to adapt popular source material to how 9/11 created a sense of community in one of the classes. If you enjoy the music, you can also buy the Songbook on CD here.
In speaking of process, I revisited Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's Freshman Experiment website the other day and am continually amazed by the scope and ingenuity of this venture. Through two college Freshmen's blogs, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk created songs based on their subjects' experiences, almost all of which are now fan favorites. Through the blogging done by all parties, it's also easy to chart the evolution of the songs as lyrics are tightened and ideas are formed.
For another great resource for hearing about a journey of a show through grassroots promotion, check out MTI ShowSpace's Vault for videos from Pasek and Paul as they discuss the process of creating and getting productions of their song cycle Edges, much of which was done while they were still in college at University of Michigan. It's a fascinating story of how they were able to bypass the Off-Broadway dream by taking the show on the road on a non-equity bus tour and managed to get a slew of college performances long before their first professional production.
And to top off this theme of songwriting and creation comes more Jason Robert Brown blogginess. In this two part blog, JRB gives examples of some lessons he goes over with USC students, from a list of examples of different musical theatre songwriting techniques to how to construct a cheesy disco melody.
Didn't get a chance to make it out to see the Nick Blaemire and Danica Dora concert last Thursday, the Kerrigan-Lowdermilk performance on Friday, or the Joe Iconis show on Saturday? Honestly, me neither. But though I'm still awaiting videos for Joe's show, the formers already have youtube clips up and running (and some of these are pretty awesome). Rather than describe them, I'll let you see for yourself.
Nick Blaemire singing (somewhat) original tune "Empty Handed":
Danica Dora singing "Slowin' Down":
And, though not an original tune but because it makes me incredibly happy, a cover of Justin Bieber's "Baby":
From the Kerrigan-Lowdermilk set, David Goldstein singing "Living the Dream":
Skylar Astin and Emma Hunton singing "Run Away With Me":
Just had to share that I had a hilarious moment tonight seeing My Boyfriend Is A Zombie at Theater for the New City that had me laughing all night to myself because it reminded me of this Onion article. I think my intense discomfort from actors going into the audience stems from an incident as a kid seeing a Halloween parade go down the aisle at a play adaptation of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile put on by Honolulu Theater for Youth.
Perhaps the most fitting quote from the article?
"Oh, man, are they? Shit," one audience member was overheard saying as the energetic ensemble began filing down previously unseen stairs and past the front row. "Shit, shit, shit."
Also, on a completely different note: I love, love, love that Kerrigan and Lowdermilk will be doing an impromptu performance tomorrow at 6 at the Lincoln Center steps. If I wasn't going to be cooped up at work, I would be enjoying the sun and awesome music. Follow their twitter here to get the latest updates on the line-up. Looks like with all the concerts going on, this is going to be a new musical theatre kind of weekend!
Last night's newmusicaltheatre.com launch concert was like an incredibly tight compilation of six of your favorite band's greatest hits. Pasek and Paul, Adam Gwon, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk, Nick Blaemire, Ryan Scott Oliver, and Joe Iconis all channeled their superb brand of music and lyrics through a slew of awesome performers, creating an impressive soundscape of where young musical theatre is heading. Many of the songs featured on this blog were performed and there were many familiar faces, but the beautiful thing about this concert was the way all the music fit seamlessly together, while still having a distinct voice behind each piece. I watched Matt Doyle move from a romantic drunken piece about an encounter in New York City to inhabiting a seductive vampire preying on Emma Hunton's dreamy idealism of the undead. I smiled at Kelli O'Hara's back and forth with husband Greg Naughton after having been almost moved to tears by her recollection of a romance gone by. The music was transformative-- powerful voices that demand to be heard.
And what is most profound, perhaps, is the whole reason behind the concert. There's something incredibly reassuring about the idea that all of these artists can come together and form an alliance with one another, working towards a common goal. Because while even amongst just the original six songwriters and songwriting teams, each person has a diverse background whether their work has made it to Broadway, won awards, has earned them teaching positions, has toured the country, or has been recorded to CD. All of these voices unite to bring a dialog directly to the fans--to provide those in the community with great songs to be performed and shared, in a forum where these young composers can profit and communicate directly with the customer. I think it's encouraging, and I think that combining all this music only makes the works stronger and shine far brighter.
Many of the songs performed last night have had a video on here before. But here are some highlights that include new songs:
The opening number starring the cast from the night:
"Twisted Teeth" by Ryan Scott Oliver, performed by Emma Hunton and Matt Doyle:
"Fine" by Adam Gwon, performed by Kelli O'Hara and Greg Naughton:
"Ready to Be Loved" by Pasek and Paul, performed by Nikki James:
Also, be sure to check up on the New Musical Theatre website often... word on the street is that a bunch of new composers will be added in the next week or so, including Jeanine Tesori, whose song was the closing number of the night.
I’m still reeling after an amazing night of performances last night at the Kerrigan and Lowdermilk concert, Under the Influence, at the Birdland. As I’ve raved about this songwriting duo before, the night was an incredible combination of some sweet tunes. I was impressed with the kind of narrative they set up through their song selection—an amalgam of their well-known songs with stories of the pop music that influenced them, as well as some covers of songs that impacted their musical style.
Perhaps the thing I loved most about the concert though was their decision to re-orchestrate and rearrange their most popular songs. In fact, the highlights included a (gasp!) male version of “Two Strangers,” a revamped version of “Runaway With Me” with the eclectic and whimsical Spring Standards, and a re-orchestrated “Not a Love Story” with Kait Kerrigan at the violin. There’s something very admirable in a musician’s willingness to play around with their music, and the beautiful new creations that came out of that play showed how malleable their music is.
Hearing their influences was also powerful. I’ve always felt that their music has such a distinct female voice and has a contemporary sound that is distinctly theirs. Ironically, this comes from the fact that they borrow from contemporary pop musicians, building a musical theatre reflections of popular hits.
So, through the power of youtube, I leave you with some videos of my favorite performances of the night: Jay Armstrong Johnson, Morgan Karr, and Matt Doyle singing “Two Strangers,” Katie Thompson singing “Five and a Half Minutes,” and Jenni Barber, Kait Kerrigan, and Brian Lowdermilk singing "I'm Sorry."
If you've enjoyed some of the composers I've profiled so far through the blog, I highly recommend checking out this relatively new site, New Musical Theatre, a place where you can order sheet music directly from many of the composers I've talked about. All you have to do is find your music, pay online, and then download/unlock your sheet music right on your computer.
With many of these composers, I've seen more of a grassroots approach to promoting shows and material, and I fully support this site's outreach to people who would like to perform their work. So, if you're in the market for an audition piece or just want to gather around the old keyboard and belt out some tunes for your friends (...or your cats, who am I to judge?), then head on over and do a little shopping.
After all, who wouldn't want to belt out a little "Blue Hair" by Joe Iconis at a recital:
Or drown your sorrows by doing a rendition of "Like Breathing" by Pasek and Paul:
Or inappropriately serenade your teacher with "What I Wouldn't Do For You" by Ryan Scott Oliver:
Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk are a musical match made in heaven. Their songs are rich in nostalgia, self-awareness, and seem to adapt to their subject matter like a glove conforming to the contours of a hand. Their work, from original musical The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown to song cycle Tales from the Bad Years to their adaptation of popular children’s book Henry and Mudge, ranges in audience and style, but their ability to communicate emotion and perspective is something that always seems to remain constant.
Recently, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk announced on their website that they will begin licensing Party Worth Crashing, a “do-it-yourself concert” in which performance companies can put on a custom-made song set of Kerrigan and Lowdermilk songs for a simple licensing fee. This marks a first in many ways: this is the only kind of show with Kerrigan and Lowdermilk music currently on the market for licensing (as far as I know), this is the first time I’ve heard of where a concert set up of a composer’s music is available for licensing as a complete show, and this is the first opportunity to hand pick the story arc and specs of a performance.
A common complaint of many people who don’t care for musicals is that they feel like musicals are just plays in which people “randomly burst into song.” Where big production numbers and spectacle used to play a huge role in the musical theatre experience, I think the videos and performances featured in this blog alone shows a trend against that impulse (even though this is still a philosophy going on strong on Broadway). Up-and-coming musical theatre works can be just as insular as they are performative on the exterior. They are more personal, able to even stand alone out of context, and they communicate universal themes in small windows of opportunity where a character can pour their heart out, rail against the man, or tell a story that reflects the truths of his or her experience. Kerrigan and Lowdermilk’s Party Worth Crashing is our first glimpse into the possibilities created by this movement, and depending on the success of this project, could become an option offered by many composers, widening the range of what exactly constitutes as “musical theatre.”
In any case, I am very curious and excited about this and can’t wait to see people starting to take advantage of the offer. To check out the information for licensing Party Worth Crashing, take a look at their page here. For the licensing fee, a company has a pick of any song in the Kerrigan and Lowdermilk songbook. So, to end out this blog entry, as well as give some audio/video clips to be entranced by, here are some videos of the songs I would have to have in my set if I was assembling a performance of Party Worth Crashing:
"Run Away With Me" sung passionately by Michael Arden
"How to Return Home" gorgeously rendered by Krysta Rodriguez
"Just This One Time" hilariously and sweetly performed by Morgan Weed and Caissie Levy
"Not a Love Story" delicately told by Phoebe Strole
"Girl Who Drove Away" brilliantly interpreted by Jenni Barber
"Say the Word" sung with touching humility by Julie Reiber
"Not Her Way" given attitude and flair by Kate Shindle
"Pretty Girl Blues" with soaring harmonies by Helene Yorke, Caissie Levy, and Dennis Moench
"My Heart Is Split" sung by the beautiful Kait Kerrigan herself
