Sierra Boggess performed “A Little Bit Less Than” from the Broadway production of It Shoulda Been You (Festival 2009) for The New York Times’ In Performance series.
Watch Lisa Howard sing “Jenny’s Blues” from It Shoulda Been You (Festival 2009) at last night’s Tony Awards.
This month, we check in with Aaron Thielen (Fest ’10, The Bowery Boys), Artistic Director of the Marriott Theatre outside Chicago, and his showOctober Sky, that he has written with fellow Fest Alumnus Michael Mahler (Fest ’09, How Can You Run With a Shell on Your Back?), as they prepare for the premiere this August.
The beloved Universal Pictures film October Sky is now a new musical. It was 1957, and Sputnik lights up the October sky over the small Appalachian mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Homer Hickam, the teenage son of a coal miner, is determined not to end up like generations before him. Inspired by the world’s race to space, Homer and his buddies begin to light up the starry skies with their homemade rockets and dreams of glory. This rich and emotional story is for anyone who ever dreamed of something better and reached for the stars.
October Sky was highlighted in our Songwriters Showcase at last year’s Festival. What was the response to the show like after the showcase?
There was an immediate attraction to not only Michael’s music, but to the title and project as a whole. The film really resonated with so many people. The era. The basic American dream of reaching for the stars, and making it. Literally!
October Sky is being presented at Marriott in conjunction with Universal Stage Productions. What has the experience been like working with Universal on their property?
The incredibly busy New York awards season is underway, and the hard work of many NAMT members and alumni has been recognized in this full season of musical theatre. Congratulations to all!
“I went to three weddings in a very short period of time that spring,” Anselmi says, recalling 2003, when she was scrambling for show ideas to present in the second year of The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. “I was taken back to what happened at one of the weddings: a friend of mine hooked up with somebody in the bathroom, and the guy on my right side at the table, I wished that he had married the bride.”
In 2009, Lisa Howard played Jenny in It Shoulda Been You for the first time at NAMT’s 21st Annual Festival of New Musicals. She spoke with The New York Times about the role as It Shoulda Been You began previews on Broadway this week.
A cast recording of the Off-Broadway production of The Memory Show (Festival of New Musicals 2009) at member theatre Transport Group has been released digitally and is coming to CD soon.
Last month, we caught up with alumni Creighton Irons and Sean Mahoney about the development of their 2009 Festival show, Factory Girls, and their upcoming reading and concert in NYC.
In 1843 in the new industrial city of Lowell, Massachusetts, best friends Sarah Bagley and Harriet Farley are using their published writing to prove to the world that “factory girls” are virtuous and intelligent and have accepted their positions as laborers voluntarily. But when a fellow spinner is worked to death, Sarah decides to use her pen to lash out against the corporation, jeopardizing their friendship and shaping the fate of the American worker.
Factory Girls was very well-received at the Festival but it was at a very early stage of development. What did you learn about the show from being in the Festival?
We loved being a part of the Festival in 2009. The show itself was still being written by just the two of us (Sean and Creighton), and while we had a wonderful experience working with [director] Vicky Bussert and an amazing cast, we knew the songs were much stronger than the book at that time. Our NAMT consultants have been such incredible supporters of us and of the show as we’ve sought to improve the book in various workshops since then.
The Broadway-bound cast of It Shoulda Been You (including several members of its 2009 Festival of New Musicals presentation cast) has a gorgeous photo shoot in Vanity Fair previewing the show and its wedding attire designed by William Ivey Long.
An interview with writer Duane Nelsen about the big changes to his 2009 Festival show Ripper as it prepares for a production this month in Chicago.
Ripper is a musical thriller set against the backdrop of history’s most notorious unsolved crime spree. Centered around the PennyWise Music Hall where a magician amuses her audience with deathly illusions while real murders are taking place on the streets outside—the show explores how acts of evil impact our lives and the simple desire to be safe in a dangerous world. The main character, the mysterious Ripper himself, is omnipresent, yet never on stage in this big ensemble show in which what we see is never what it seems.
Ripper had a production at Broadway Rose Theatre in Oregon a few years ago. What did you learn from the full production?
So much! Ripper had been through a lot of readings, recordings, workshops and festivals, but nothing compares to a full production. Probably the most important thing was discovering that Ripper needed to be an ensemble show. There had always been multiple stories in the show, but one of them involving the reporter, Chester, was always in the forefront. In production, I saw that it made audiences think the show was about him, when it really wasn’t, and his journey didn’t reflect the importance that people were putting on him. It had the additional effect of making the other stories around him seem either less important than they were or somehow subordinate to his, which was also wrong. I saw that I really needed to equalize the stories in importance and strengthen the single thematic idea that they all hang on; this way, the real “star” of the show, the physically absent yet ever-present Ripper, could shine.
What has changed in the story of Ripper since that production?
Chester, the reporter, had always been part narrator in the show, so that was the first thing to go. The fourth wall is still broken, but now it’s broken by the victims after they’re dead, or by the “voice” of the Ripper, which now haunts many more scenes. The opening has been completely reworked to bring equal emphasis to the stories we’re going to follow, and the last 15 minutes were completely re-conceived in order to bring all of the stories together more effectively, both musically and thematically. Another three songs were cut or replaced, and at least half the book was rewritten, too. More humor was added thanks to the expansion of several minor characters, and overall, there’s both more clarity and more complexity to all the characters. But the most important change came as a result of the Newtown massacre. That horrifying event really hit home for me, partly because I have two school-age children myself. Witnessing what all those families went through and hearing the common refrain of “Why, why, why?”—just as we did on 9/11 and too many other occasions—really brought into sharp focus for me the horrible price innocent people pay for senseless acts of violence. The common thread in all of those stories is that those terrible expressions of evil are also countered by extraordinary acts of love and kindness, and sacrifices often by the least expected person. And that’s where Ripper found its heart. All this horrible stuff happens that shatters our faith in humanity, and then someone comes along and restores it in ways we never thought possible.
What other physical changes can we expect to see?
The O’Malley Theater at Roosevelt University seats 250, so it’s less than half the size of the Broadway Rose, and it’s a 3/4 thrust, so the physical show is going to be quite different. It’s really in your face, and I love that. The fantastic set design by Michael Lasswell blurs the line between the PennyWise Music Hall and the audience, and they will really feel part of the show. It’s built like a Transformers toy, where it appears like a unit set and then suddenly turns into something else. It’s very cool. Overall, we’re taking a very theatrical approach to many aspects of the physical production, using tight pools of light to emphasize the isolation and darkness surrounding this world. There’s still a fair amount of magic performed on stage, but some of it has been altered for this production–I’m not sure if they have the guillotine yet! Another interesting change is the use of a 4-person “choir” to sing the voice of the Ripper. It’s all in 1st person, with tight harmonies, and very creepy. The biggest physical change may be that we are doing the show with no doublings, which means we have a cast of 29, plus an orchestra of nine! It really points to the vital role that universities like Roosevelt can play in developing large new works.
How did this production come about?
The director, Ray Frewen, who happens to be an accomplished actor, had been connected to the show since the very first recording many years ago. At the time, I hired him to play Mr. Raktin, the proprietor of the PennyWise. In the course of rewrites, Mr. Ratkin became Mrs. Ratkin along the way, and Ray was out of a gig. Fortunately, he’s a great director, and has been wanting to get his hands on it for years. The stars finally lined up and here we are.
Why should people swing by Chicago to check out the revised Ripper?
Because these incredible students are going to scare the life out of you in the best possible way, and make you laugh, and break your heart, and make you wish you could see this show again and again—all the reasons I go to the theatre. There’s so much more to the show now than there was at NAMT or at Broadway Rose, and this is a great opportunity to witness the results that came from those earlier opportunities. It’s never been better. But even if you can’t make it to Chicago, you might still be able to see it. We’re working on doing a live streaming event! Keep up to date at ripperthemusical.com, facebook.com/rippershow and twitter.com/rippershow.
An interview with Sara Cooper and Zach Redler, writers of The Memory Show from our 2009 Festival, about the life of the show and its upcoming Off Broadway production.
The Memory Show is a two-person comic tragedy about the troubled relationship of a woman who has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her estranged daughter who moves back home to take care of her.
What has happened with The Memory Show (other than a shorter title) since the Festival in 2009?
We had a reading and then a production at Barrington Stage Company, which was an excellent experience. The Memory Show was also translated into Korean and produced in Korea this fall season. We got to go out there and see it, and it was awesome!
What was it like having the production up at Barrington and seeing the show on its feet?
We were so fortunate to have Bill [Finn] and Julie [Boyd] supporting us and believing in our work, and to have such an amazing director and MD and actors and designers. It was a really smooth process. We were so happy with how it turned out.
What has changed in the show since your NAMT Festival reading and what has changed since Barrington?We did some rewriting after NAMT, and then Joe [Calarco, director] and Vadim [Feichtner, music director] were really helpful in figuring out what to cut at Barrington. Basically, the piece has just gotten tighter.How did The Transport Group production come about?
Barrington produced a closed reading in New York, and Jack and Lori from Transport came to see it. We love them. We can’t wait for the production.What is most exciting about finally having your show Off Broadway?
Because the piece is so personal, we are just really excited to share it. The piece takes place in Brooklyn and so the tone is very New Yorky. We feel like it’s just coming home.
Why should people come check out The Memory Show?
It’s a wonderful cast and creative team (truly!!!) and they have really brought our little two-person musical to life. We poured a lot of ourselves (and our parents, and our grandparents) into this piece, and we think it says something very truthful about parent-child relationships. We hope this is a show that is universal because it’s so real to us.
For more information about The Memory Show, please visit www.transportgroup.org.
A guest blog entry from writer Gaby Alter, from Nobody Loves You, about promoting readings and shows to the industry. Gaby was recently in the Festival with his show Band Geeks! in 2009.
A demo recording for a musical is an odd thing. So much of the impact of a song in a musical depends on it being experienced live. The facial expressions of the actor often provide the subtext, or fight the subtext of the song. And hearing a score played live under the actor is one of the electrifying things about theater. It lets us know that the art is being created, in part, in front of us. It begs our active participation in imagining the story.
The fact is, however, that a demo recording is now critical to the fate of any musical. It represents the show to a producer, or a literary manager or artistic director, who are too busy to come to a reading (which can only happen in a blue moon anyway, given the resources it takes); or who live outside New York. If it’s good, a demo will transmit the piece’s musical world and vocabulary. It will get people excited to see how the musical would look on stage.
For good or ill, the difference between a good quality demo and a so-so one is usually a large factor in a piece’s perception. And, in an escalating arms race of quality, demos are now usually expected to be fully produced, often near-album quality pieces with vocal and instrumental arrangements, mixing, EQ-ing, etc. As the need for a high-quality demo continues to rise, and the level of quality expected, so too does the cost, which generally falls on the artists.
To help this situation, NAMT has started a RocketHub campaign to help cover the costs of printing the demos of its musicals. Supporters of a specific musical, and those who care more broadly about the development of new musicals, can donate towards this cost, knowing that they are helping with a critical step in the process of realizing our shows onstage. With hundreds of CDs to give away to industry professionals, a musical’s chance of finding its backers at NAMT and after it have risen greatly.
A small note: NAMT is the one festival where all costs related to the reading are covered. Once you’re in, you’re in–there are no rental fees, production costs, actors’ stipends to pay. However, there still remains the cost of the demo, which is technically not part of the reading. And even at NAMT, not everyone can make it to every reading; many will still need to hear a recording. And those who do see a show they love still need to go back home and sell the show they loved to the rest of their staff.
So the demo remains an indispensable tool at NAMT.
Some trips are quick little excursions to see a new musical and visit a couple members.But every once in a while, the stars align and I get the opportunity to see a lot of everything in a short period of time.In my recent trip to Portland and Seattle, I was able to see 4 members, 6 shows, 11 Festival alumni; all while enjoying 3 planes, 2 rental cars (which included a free upgrade from a compact to a new mustang!), and 1 train. These are my favorite trips, even though they are quite exhausting.Nothing makes me happier at NAMT than getting out to support our members’ new musicals and seeing them in action on their home turf.
Up first was Tigard, OR (just outside Portland) to catch the world premiere of Ripper at The Broadway Rose Theatre. Ripper was in our 2009 Festival of New Musicals and is written by Duane Nelsen. Luck would have it that when I was out there, Duane was back in town to see the show so I got to have dinner with him and Sharon Maroney, Producing Artistic Director of The Broadway Rose, pre-show. The dinner gave us a chance not only to catch-up but also to talk about the process for both Duane and Sharon. This was Broadway Rose’s first large-scale new musical and world premiere—a bold and brave undertaking since Ripper is not a small show. If you want to start producing new work, definitely call Sharon (listed in your Little Black Book) as her company learned a lot in its first go-around.The production was really great and fully realized…what more could any writer ask?The production was not only educational for the theatre but also for Duane who was able to learn so much about his show that he was not able to glean before from just readings.Now, Duane is ready to work on the script while looking for the next-step production, and Broadway Rose can start the hunt for their next new musical, both wiser from the experience!
The next morning, it was off to Portland’s Union Station to take a train up the coast to Seattle and Issaquah, WA for the next stop on my Pacific Northwest Tour…
Abe Reybold directs Ripper, which will officially open Aug. 4. Performances continue through Aug. 21. Ripper has book, music and lyrics by Nelsen.
Nelsen’s musical received a 2007 reading starring Davis Gaines and Annie Golden, and was presented as part of the 2009 National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals.
Nelsen loosely based his script on the Jack the Ripper tale, according to the Broadway Rose. “Neighbors, friends, and lovers are all suspects. Some are driven to find the truth. Others stop at nothing to obscure the facts and manipulate the situation to their own advantage. From the reporter who covers the story and the magician who runs the brothel, to the police and, of course, the prostitutes, an intricate plot unfolds that interweaves magic and mayhem, the lively nightlife of the music halls, and the ever-present danger of a killer lurking in the shadows.”
So was this transition to directing a long-held artistic desire that Mr. Pierce has waited years to fulfill? “No,” he said unequivocally in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “Exactly the opposite. People have told me for many years that I should direct. Even back when I was doing ‘Frasier,’ the camera people on ‘Frasier’ would say, ‘Oh, you should really direct.’ And I’ve never wanted to until now.”
What made the difference, Mr. Pierce said, was the musical itself, which features a book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove and music by Barbara Anselmi, and which he said he had been a fan of in various incarnations. (“It Shoulda Been You” made its New York City debut in 2009 at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals.)
Mr. Pierce said he also responded to the musical’s philosophy on parenthood, which, he said, “is similar to what I’ve come to learn about directing, that you hope for the best and you embrace the unexpected, and ultimately you let people find their own way.”
I just got back from two weekends of catching great Festival shows. First I was in Seattle to catch Vanities a new musical (Fest ’06) at The 5th Avenue and Iron Curtain (Fest ’09) at The Village Theatre. Then this past weekend I swung down to see Liberty Smith (Fest ’00) at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC. All three productions were fantastic, inspiring and very worthy of future productions.
The Festival is just the first step in the process of getting great new musicals out into the field. The next steps rely on theatres seeing each other’s work, sharing work and spreading great musicals around the country. I know the economy is still rough but when you set your next budget, try to find money to include some travel for your key staff to see other work around the NAMT membership and maybe even find a little more to help host a NAMT member at your theatre during your next great project. No one wants a new musical to only have one production, and that can change with you taking one quick trip to a fellow NAMT member to see their great work!