The Power of Now. Here. This.

I wish I had the opportunity to see this show sooner so that perhaps there would be more opportunities for people to storm The Vineyard to see the [Title of Show] crew's latest work. Still, even with its final performance only a few days away on April 28th, I have to rave about this show. And apologies for the short notice aside, I urge you to rearrange your plans and cancel everything on your calendar so you can go see this.

I'd been a fan of Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell, Jeff Bowen, and Heidi Blickenstaff ever since hearing the recording of [Title of Show] and watching the [title of show] Show episodes religiously on Youtube ("Get outta here, Cheyenne Jackson!"). Unfortunately, I never got to see [tos] in person, but it only cemented my determination to attend a performance of Now. Here. This.

The truth of the matter is that I always am a little wary of talking about people who have already made it to Broadway on this blog, since the focus is on more up-and-coming writers. But experiencing the intimacy of all four performers in the space of The Vineyard, I found myself in awe of the talented, professional people taking such risks and reaching out to audiences in a way that is so genuine and magnetically charged with human connection.

So what is Now. Here. This. about? On one hand, it's simply about a day at the museum the [tos] crew experiences together, researching the development of the universe to give them inspiration for their new piece about what it means to live in the moment. Of course, that is not all the story is about, as exhibitions bring out stories from each cast members' past, explaining who they are and how they came to be int his moment, on the stage before you. Eventually, the stories converge, making you, the audience, realize the magic of what you are witnessing. And in this way, the piece is really a testament to the magic of theatre.

In [tos] fashion, there is an abundance of smart humor, much of which stems from the lovable performers whose love for one another is palpable. There are set pieces with just enough to conjure a museum-type atmosphere, but the true moments of unbridled joy and ecstatic grief come from musical moments where the background rolls away and the talented actors are more than enough to fill the stage.

Perhaps the end wraps things up a little neatly-- but it's hard not to appreciate the journey and to feel grateful. Grateful to be alive. Grateful for great people and great art. Grateful to be a part of something.

Bonus video: If you want to see a great example of the performers at their most poignant and hilarious, catch this video from an Easter Bonnet competition:

Reflections On Your Own Refection

You know that scene in Garden State where Zach Braff and Natalie Portman scream into the abyss? For some reason, this song really reminds me of that:

Glitches in Technology

Find yourself trolling the internet lately, trying to make a connection? In this day and age, it's hard not to acknowledge the fact that technology is one of main modes of communication, and musicals are reflecting this in song. Here are a few tunes about glitches in technology (and human relationships), courtesy of some new musical writers.

Cait Doyle singing Drew Gaspirini's "The Text Message Song" as a part of her Hot Mess in Manhattan:

The always great "Breaking Up" by Peter Mills, performed at New Voices with Krystle Armstrong & Troy Wageman:

From last month's NY Theatre Barn at the D-Lounge, "My Simple Request" sung by Blake Daniel and written by Joey Contreras:

My Next Story: An Interview with Nick Blaemire

About two and a half years ago when I started this blog, the first post I ever wrote talked about the work of Nick Blaemire. I had recently seen his Glory Days CD release concert at Joe's Pub and being inspired by seeing the work from his Broadway writing debut (along with the many other projects I had seen him perform in prior) was what pushed me over the line to finally start writing about my passion for new musical theatre artists. I know this past month has featured a lot of posts about him, but I am thrilled to be able to bookend the coverage of so many of his gigs as of late with an interview with the man himself (big thanks to Jennifer Ashley Tepper for setting this up!). As mentioned before, Nick is currently in the fantastic ensemble of Broadway's Godspell and has also recently released an EP with The Hustle. So read on to hear about how Godspell is influencing his writing process, what new musicals he's writing now, and what things make him excited enough to "poop his pants" (his words, not mine).

(Interview with Nick for MTI Showspace)

Me: One of this production of Godspell’s greatest assets is its young and incredibly talented cast. What do you think it is about this show that makes it relevant and important for younger audiences (and actors)?

Nick Blaemire: The opportunity to actually be yourself onstage is an incredibly rare and exciting one - as actors we're usually asked to fit someone else's mold to some degree, unless you're creating the character - but even then you're trying to be someone else, where as in Godspell, as long as we're telling the story, we can do it any way we want. So there's a huge freedom there that allows for some really exciting improvisational moments, and a sense that anything can happen. Hopefully that translates to the young people who come to see it, in that their energy in the audiences influences ours, and it becomes this reciprocal, very alive experience where everybody's contributing to what's being created.


Me: Tackling themes of religion, faith, and ultimately just the mention of God is usually shied away from onstage and in mainstream media. How do you feel Godspell has been able to survive and breakthrough this barrier? And how do you as an actor approach this heavy subject?

Nick: I’m not a particularly religious guy, so for me, the way I found to connect to the material was to honor the truth of the lessons jesus teaches. It doesn’t matter how you approach them, whether it's through the venue of organized religion or just as social doctrines, because the content is always just as valid. I do think that what Godspell does successfully is focus on how we as human beings treat other human beings, rather than about "rules" or "a way of life," which can be alienating if it's not a methodology you connect with. But we're all human, so the way we treat each other is always going to be a subject worth talking about.


Me: Has the improvisational nature of Godspell influenced your own writing in any way?

Nick: Absolutely - especially in pop music. That feeling that anything could happen is how a song should feel, especially in live performance, but even in recording - because surprises are what drive us. We continue to live and move forward because we dont know what's going to happen next, and we want to control it as best we can, but ultimately, every new moment is going to be a surprise, and from Godspell I've learned the value in creating new things with that mindset, of constantly jumping off a cliff and trying to just ride the proverbial wave that music and stories provide.

(Nick singing "My Three Best Friends" from Glory Days)

Me: What is it like to be back at Circle in the Square post-Glory Days?

Nick: It's surreal. I cant believe they've allowed me back in the building. It's especially cool because all the tech and maintenance people are still the same, and it's like getting to hang out with old friends - there are even some little remnants of our production around the building that never got taken down, so that's a trip. And artistically, its beyond humbling. It was such an honor to be there with Glory Days, and I’m reminded every day of the magic of that space every time I come to the theatre for Godspell.

Teenage Dreams: Behind the Music-al Style

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.

Blood On Your Hands: Newsadoozies at UCB Theatre

Coincidentally, while my roommate was at the Nederlander 2 nights ago watching some Newsies hawking their papes, I was at UCB watching a very different brand of kids trying to make it on the streets. Newsadoozies, a hilarious musical parody of cult classic Newsies written by Brian Glidewell and Marcy Jarreau (with additional music and lyrics by Kevin Carter), replaces heroic favorites like Jack Kelly, Crutchie, and David with twisted characters like corrupt Billy, innocent Cripply, drug-addicted Smacky, and Hammy ("I like ham!"). Throw in an evil cannibalistic sex cult and a budding romance, and it's not hard to realize how far south you are from the Disney favorite. Even with its absurd brand of humor, Newsadoozies strangely still touches on many of the themes of its inspiration-- kids realizing the freedom and vulnerability of being parentless, leaders struggling to rally the troops and act in the best interest of their communities, and rich minorities carelessly using the impoverished... for food (okay, so maybe that very last part isn't a common thread).

Best of all, the music is catchy. It plays on all the big-hearted musical conventions, from the passionate love duet to the big rallying number complete with every type of revolutionary you can think of. My friend and I agreed that something we appreciated most about the show was that the songs themselves were incredibly funny with lyrics that were perfectly timed for some hilarious moments. Also, the final moment was pitch-perfect in the final beat.

Newsadoozies will be playing UCB 4/6 at 7:30 pm (paired with "THE BACHELOR: Romance, Roses, and Romance") and 4/25 at 8:00 pm (paired with "Dog Fleet"). Keep your eye out on the UCB NY website for more info.

And the winner is...

Congratulations to 'Unknown,' who is the randomly selected winner of a voucher for 2 tickets to see Godspell on Broadway! Email me for confirmation and your prize! Thanks to everyone who participated with some great responses.

Here was our winner's favorite Blaemire tune:

"I'm gonna go for 'Open Road' from Glory Days. The progression from longing to tentative hope to exhilaration is so spot-on for youth.

Also, this lyric: I got into my car, what a lousy piece of shit, but I didn't care 'cause I just needed to try.

That line tends to get lost in the beginning, but man-o, it gets to me every time. I don't really know anyone who rode through their teens/early twenties with the smooth, fine-tuned engine of perfect grace. It's all been, or at least for me it's been: what a noisy, bumpy, inconsistent ride, but still, what a ride.

So yeah, Open Road."