New York Musical Theatre Festival
concludes its first-ever Spring Concert Series with "Undercover Showtunes" on
Monday, June 18 at 7PM at The Zipper Factory (336 W 37th St.) in Manhattan.
"Undercover Showtunes" is a unique
concert comprised of pop and rock songs that weren't written for musicals, but
sound as if they might have been – songs that tell a story, create a character,
paint a full, vivid portrait as a great song in a musical is meant to do.
For more information on "Undercover
Showtunes" and purchase tickets visit the show website at NYMF.org. Tickets are $50 and $90 with post-concert
cast party included by calling 212-352-3101 or visiting online. Discounts are available here.
Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) is one of the many
talented Broadway and screen stars set to appear at "Undercover
Showtunes." BroadwayWorld.com's Eugene Lovendusky, based in San
Francisco, got the
opportunity to chat with D'Abruzzo about her up-coming performance and
her past
and future stage experiences…
Eugene Lovendusky: I love the premise of the "Undercover
Showtunes" concert. What song will you
be performing Monday, June 18?
Stephanie D'Abruzzo: I will be performing "Unsent"
by Alanis Morrisette and "Synchronicity II" by the Police.
"Unsent" was Jess McLeod and Brian Nash's idea, "Synchronicity
II" was mine. They're both great songs and I'm really looking forward to
having some fun with them.
Eugene: Some musical theatre fans feel they simply cannot
find anything better than the music, lyrics and orchestrations showtunes
provide… especially not on the radio.
How do you feel about this opinion and what kinds of music do you know
of outside of musical theatre (like those presented at "Undercover Showtunes") that might tickle their fancy?
Stephanie: Who are these people? I daresay they are
listening to the wrong radio stations.
There is nothing wrong with loving musical theatre, but I think that
it's naive to hold it superior any other musical classification, especially
since these other genres have been influencing Broadway more and more in recent
decades. Look at Spring Awakening or Hair. These are radio songs. The Color Purple and Caroline,
or Change have R&B all over them. And then there are the jukebox
musicals... even the bad ones have good music in them. There are lots of stories in pop music, lots
of lush orchestrations, lots of attention to detail. You just have to know
where to find them. The best stuff is never overt. "Undercover
Showtunes" should be a really wonderful evening, if the Ben Folds night
was any indication. For those who are already familiar with the pop songs being
performed, they will enjoy the fresh take these amazing performers and
musicians spin on them. For those whom you mention, they will be very educated
and pleasantly surprised and driven to spend many 99-cent increments on iTunes
when they get home.
Eugene:
What kind of music were you raised on?
Stephanie: We did not have many record albums in my house
growing up, so my music exposure as a youngster was mostly movie soundtracks,
television variety shows, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and whatever we listened to on
the radio in the car, which was mostly Top 40 in the 70s and 80s, as well as
the local oldies station. I still remember discovering the classic rock station
when I was in high school and being totally blown away by it.
Eugene:
And what kind of music do you find yourself most often listening to today?
Stephanie: My tastes range all over the place, from vocal
standards to Motown to 70s funk & soul to 80s pop to film scores to artists
like R.E.M., Ben Folds, Prince, Annie
Lennox, the Police, Elvis Costello, Cat Stevens, the Ditty Bops, local bands
that friends of mine are in, and the list goes on... I have no single favorite
genre or artist.
