Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Get to Know MY HEART IS THE DRUM

An interview with Stacey Luftig, Jennie Redling and Phillip Palmer, writers of the 2013 Festival show My Heart Is the Drum, about how they explored African society to create such a dynamic piece, their musical and cultural inspirations and how NAMT has evolved their show throughout the Festival process.

What was the impetus to create a story around a young girl with dreams larger than her African village? 

Phillip, who had been traveling and studying traditional music in South Africa and Ghana, wanted to dramatize the people and important issues he encountered there, namely the intersection of the devastating HIV/AIDS epidemicparticularly for womenand the deep poverty that is so different from what Americans experience. He also wanted to tell a story of a person with great potential who most likely would be wildly successful if she had been born into a middle-class American family, but who had to fight like crazy to have even the most basic opportunities where she happened to be born. Phillip's original outline also explored the connection between people in different countries, including a separate plot line about a dynastic Virginia cotton farming family that lobbied for the American cotton subsidies that depressed the West African cotton market and drove Efua and her family into poverty. Jennie, who had written several plays with strong teenage female protagonists and who was also a rape crisis counselor, was drawn to the material. Keeping the core characters and setting Phillip created, she reshaped the story and breathed life into Efua and the coterie of strong women who surround her.

The struggle between embracing tradition and moving away in search of progress seems to be a central theme of this piece. What are you trying to negotiate in this discussion?

This has been a big topic for the three of us; not only the theme of tradition versus progress, but education versus ignorance. Efua, our heroine, rebels against tradition. Her main means of rebellion is her pursuit of a college education (rare for girls in her community), because she wants more for her life "than just marriage and babies." In doing so, she looks down on some of those around her, whom she considers ignorant because they are less curious and more content with their lives. Understandably, her arrogance becomes destructive to these relationships. While she does have some book knowledge, what Efua lacks is experience and wisdom. While seeking the chance for a college education, however, Efua does acquire a degree of wisdoma quality she didn't know she needed. Her growth is characterized by a greater open-mindedness, compassion, and a new appreciation of some of the traditional values and beliefs that she pushed away in the first place. However, traditional beliefs

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

FESTIVAL SHOW UPDATE: Ripper

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.

NEW WORK IN PROGRESS: Snapshots

An interview with Goodspeed Musicals' Bob Alwine about their current production of Snapshots, a new musical that uses the songs of Stephen Schwartz to tell a new story.



Sue and Dan, after 20 years of marriage, have drifted apart. They discover a box of photographs in their attic which leads them to relive the memories captured in the snapshots. The couple discovers the humorous twists of how love united them and why life has pushed them apart. All couples will see themselves in Snapshots.

How did Snapshots find its way to Goodspeed?
I saw a production of Snapshots at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto in 2008. I knew that the writing team was looking to develop the work further, so I suggested a production with Goodspeed Musicals. I remained in touch with the team for the last five years which lead us to the current production in our Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, CT.

The show has already had a couple of productions. How can Goodspeed help further the show's development at this stage?
The journey began in 1991 when the book writers approached Stephen Schwartz to see if he was interested in a revue of his work. Over the years there have been several breaks in the writing process. During these breaks the writers grew as artists, as did their respective life experiences. This journey helped to inform the characters while expanding the body of available songs. The various productions have had different creative teams, so these productions became very useful in showing the writing team what did and didn't work. This collective information will be applied to the production at Goodspeed.

How much do you anticipate changing while at Goodspeed given that you never officially open the shows at the Terris?
Like all shows at the Norma Terris, the team will continue to work during the run. Since the show has been through several previous incarnations, more emphasis will be placed on refining the work under the leadership of a creative team new to the show. Stephen Schwartz and book writer David Stern will be available to us during the process as we explore the storytelling aspects of the show.

What drew you to this show?
The show has a unique format. At its core the show features the catalogue of celebrated songwriter Stephen Schwartz. However, the structure of the show, unlike a revue, has a complete emotional arc for the main characters. To make the storytelling work, Stephen Schwartz made revisions to some lyrics in order for the repurposed songs to make sense. His active participation in the process, including writing one new song for the show, has created a work that is neither a revue nor a book musical, but instead a musical scrapbook.

What do you think will surprise people the most about the show when they come catch it in Connecticut?
Audience members who know the Stephen Schwartz songbook will be surprised at how the songs from Wicked, Pippin and Godspell have been repurposed and combined with songs from Rags, Children of Eden, The Magic Show, Enchanted, etc. to tell an emotional journey of the central couple, Sue and Dan. Audiences who are not familar with his body of work will be introduced to the full breadth of this celebrated songwriter.

For more information on Snapshots, please visit www.goodspeed.org.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

FESTIVAL SHOW UPDATE: Lizzie

An interview with the writers of Fest 2011 show Lizzie (formerly known as Lizzie Borden), Steven Cheslik-deMeyer (SCD), Alan Stevens Hewitt (ASH) and Tim Maner (TM) about the upcoming concert, three productions around the world and a studio cast album!



In 1892 on a sweltering August day in a small New England town, “somebody” brutally murdered a well-to-do elderly man and his second wife with an axe. Lizzie Borden, their youngest daughter, was the primary suspect, arrested and tried. Without any witnesses to the hideous crime, she was acquitted, and the murders remain unsolved to this day. Though Lizzie was ultimately declared innocent according to the law, her infamy lives on.

Lizzie has had quite a bit of development since it left the Festival.  Other than the new name, what has changed with the show since it was at the Festival?
ASH: If you think of the show as a gatefold vinyl double album (a la Tommy, or Jesus Christ Superstar), pretty much the entire Side 1 has been rewritten, with the addition of two solos for Lizzie and one for Alice to allow the audience to understand where they are starting from and to get onboard with them. Also, one of the central musical/lyrical themes (which is reprised, transformed, at the end) is now introduced in a completely different way from how it had been previously. Whereas it had been an internal dialogue for Alice, it is now a lullabye ("Maybe Someday") sung by Alice to Lizzie. It brings the harrowing "Side 1" to a gentle close.
SCD: We wanted to strengthen the introduction of Lizzie's friend Alice who becomes so pivotal in the story, so we wrote a solo for her early in the first act. We also rewrote Lizzie's song “Gotta Get Out Of Here” to be more explicit and hard-hitting. Those are the big changes, but we also made lots of little tweaks here and there. 


You had the opportunity to have the show developed at Baldwin Wallace University and at the Village Theatre.  What did you learn about the show as it changed theatres, actresses and regions? 
SCD: The BWU production was the first time the show was produced where we weren't closely involved. It was great to find out that we really can hand it to a group of talented folks and feel confident that our idea of what the show is remains intact. It helps that the BW students directed by Vicky Bussert are phenomenally talented! We made discoveries about the first act and the Alice character that led to the changes mentioned above. Village gave us the opportunity for a trial run of lots of new elements: Alice's new song and the new orchestrations, a more rock and roll-style set and lighting. The folks at Village gave us great support in the process.
TM: We've learned new things every time, from new design teams, from different levels of production, from the unique variations all of the amazing women who have taken on the roles have shown us. We've gotten to really look at the show from different perspectives that have strengthened it at every turn.


What has surprised you about people’s response to the show outside of New York City?
ASH: I don't know if there have really been any "surprises" for me about how Lizzie has been received. It certainly has been thrilling though, and immensely gratifying to experience it connecting so strongly with people.


The show played last month at TUTS in Houston, having a concert version in Philly this fall with 11th Hour Theatre Co. and then jumping over to Denmark for a production in the spring.  What is it like to have your show spreading around the country?
SCD: It's tremendous! This show has been cooking for a long, long time. It's always felt really special to us, like it had the potential to connect with a wide audience. Now that that is starting to happen, it's incredibly gratifying. As an artist that's what you always hope will happen.
ASH: Around the country AND THE WORLD!  (Cue demonic laughter....) Are you kidding? It's AMAZING. I'm particularly interested to see how this subject from classic American mythology goes down with folks who have a different cultural perspective.
TM: It’s kinda unreal, but amazing. All those years ago when Lizzie began it was really pure fantasy to think anything like this could happen, and now it’s happening. It’s a rare thing in life to actually have a fantasy come true, and I’m very thankful.


A studio cast album is being released this fall.  Tell us a bit about recording the album and working with that cast. 
SCD: The conceit of Lizzie has always been that it is a rock concept album come to life on the stage, despite the fact that until now the album only existed in our minds. Now it's real. It's great to have this thing that we can hand people and say, "This is the show. Everything you need to know about Lizzie is here on this record." And the guys who play on it and the women who sing it blow me away every time I listen.
ASH: Well, we were very fortunate that we were able to get all the planets to align. Much credit to our producer Brisa Trinchero for green-lighting it and actually making it happen and to Broadway Records for their commitment to the project. I don't even know where to start talking about the album cast... Carrie Manolakos, Storm Large, Carrie Cimma, Ryah Nixon. Incredible, one-of-a-kind talents, all.  Really, so privileged to have been able to work with them, and they each turned in phenomenal performances that reward repeated listens. I am very proud of what we accomplished. I can't wait for people to hear it. And hear these women.
TM: The women are just amazing. Incredible singers/performers, and great people to work with. Same for the band/musicians. It was an incredible team effort from artists, to producers, to graphic designer, to our amazing engineer and more.


What are your hopes for the Borden sisters in the next few years? 
TM: I hope the House Of Borden continues to expand to include more theaters, more audiences and more amazing artists through new productions, concerts and the release of the album.  I want to attend many more opening nights.
ASH: I would love as many people as possible to have the opportunity to connect with Lizzie. I love the idea that, with the record available online, a kid in Japan, or Alaska, or Brazil, or Iceland, or Lithuania, could potentially find his or her way into the piece.  And I would love to see people continue to come together in dark rooms all over the world and experience great artists bringing it to life right in front of their eyes and ears.
SCD: More productions! We're at the end of the option period with the producers we've been working with the last couple years, so we're giving a lot of thought to next steps. We would all love a big New York production, since New York is home, but that's the tough nut to crack. Everything is kind of in flux right now. Stay tuned!


For more information on Lizzie, please visit www.lizziethemusical.com

NEW WORK IN PROGRESS: The Black Suits

An interview with Center Theatre Group's (CTG) Associate Artistic Director, Kelley Kirkpatrick, about their upcoming production of The Black Suits by Fest Alumnus Joe Iconis (Bloodsong of Love, '12) and Robert Maddock.




Every rock and roll fantasy begins in a garage. Scattered among the drums and guitars are the hopes, dreams, angst and rebellion of a new generation screaming to be heard. Joe Iconis takes us behind the music as four teenage Long Island misfits band together to escape Garden City, to conquer the world, to be “cool and whatever.” Now if the Black Suits can only win the St. Anne’s Battle of the Bands, their friendship just might survive the perilous transition to adulthood. The Black Suits celebrates the wannabe rock star in all of us: with a score that sends us out of the theatre singing and longing to be eighteen again.

How did The Black Suits find its way to CTG?  
I first became aware of TBS after seeing Bloodsong of Love at the NAMT Festival in 2011. I spoke with Joe and his agent, Scott Chaloff, briefly after the NAMT presentation, as I wanted to let them know how much I enjoyed it. Scott followed up (like a good agent always does) with me the following week and we had a long conversation about Joe and where he was in his composing and writing career. While ultimately I didn’t feel that Bloodsong of Love was quite the right fit for CTG at the time, I thought Joe was a tremendously gifted composer. Scott sent me The Black Suits to read along with a few of the songs from the show.

After reading and listening to it, I thought The Black Suits showed a lot of promise, but CTG wasn’t in a position to produce a new musical in the upcoming season, so I had to pass (for now). I asked Scott if he could arrange a meeting with Joe and me in order for us to get to know each other a bit more; sort of like an artistic first date between composer and not-for-profit institution. Joe and I had a terrific meeting discussing his past and future projects as well as ideas he had for future shows. I felt that Joe would be an exciting artist to share with CTG’s audiences in Los Angeles and we agreed to stay in touch and look for the right opportunity to work together in the future.
Fast forward to the fall of 2012 and Scott Chaloff called and asked if I would look at a new draft of The Black Suits as they had just completed a developmental production at Barrington Stage Co. I read it right away and was very excited by the work that had been accomplished since the last draft. I immediately passed it on to Michael Ritchie and asked him to read it and consider it for the 2013/14 season at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.

How does the show fit into CTG's overall new works programming? 
At any given time, CTG has 5-7 plays and 2-3 musicals in various stages of development. Whether they be commissioned, submitted or discovered, CTG has the great luxury of working with a very wide vocabulary of new works due to our three unique theaters. CTG can go from a new musical by Kander & Ebb (Curtains) at the Ahmanson, to Michael John LaChiusa & Ellen Fitzhugh at The Taper (Los Otros) and finally to Alex Timbers and Michael Friedman (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) at the Kirk Douglas.

We decided to present The Black Suits at the Kirk Douglas as that serves as our primary home for early and mid-career artists that we want our audiences to develop a long and lasting relationship with.

CTG has been very active on working on the show including readings and a workshop.  How does CTG make a plan on how to specifically develop each show and why was this course chosen for this show? 
Once Michael gave the thumbs up to start moving forward with the show, I met with Joe and John [Simpkins, director] to discuss next steps. At CTG, we tend to let the artists chart their own course while we remain at the ready to support, advise and keep them from running into the rocks when needed. I asked Joe and John one question: "What do you need?" It is my favorite question to ask any artist. We ended up doing a two-week workshop focusing on the book while starting to explore the choreography (with the incredible Jennifer Werner). Prior to this, they had never had the opportunity to spend a prolonged period of time just working on the script with actors. Before the workshop began, we had several note sessions and generated a list of the areas of the script we wanted to focus on during the workshop process.

In the end, the workshop taught us a lot about the show, but we agreed that there was still more work to do. We didn't have the script we wanted to start rehearsals with. So, we gathered again for a lengthy note session and decided to do a one-day “work session” with actors. We spent the morning of the work session putting in new pages, reordering songs and trying out new ideas that came out of the prior two-week workshop. That afternoon we read the script for the creative and production team as well as CTG’s commercial producing partner. A week after the one-day work session, the team gathered for one final note session prior to going into rehearsals. We now felt that we could begin rehearsals with a script that allowed Joe and John to focus on getting the show up in front of audiences and less on “fixing” the script. Of course, there will still be things to address in rehearsals, but the heavy lifting was finished.

What are your hopes for the show while it is at CTG? 
I simply want to give our audiences the best show possible. I can’t wait for them to “meet” the incomparable Joe Iconis and the insanely talented team behind The Black Suits.


Why is this show a good match for your LA area audiences? 
This show is right up our audience’s alley at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. They are always up for a new voice and new experience. They love to be challenged and entertained and be the first to see and hear the next generation of theater artists.


Why should people hop over to CTG to catch The Black Suits this fall?
Because for any NAMT member who comes I will personally buy a drink at the bar and regale them with stories of new musical development!


For more information on The Black Suits, please visit www.centertheatregroup.org.