An Interview with Julia Murney

Doing solo concerts seem to be the "in-thing" these days and almost everyone is doing them for one reason or another. Julia Murney's previously done successful, sold out shows at the Ars Nova, and at Joe's Pub, but hasn't done one in a while. Now, she's making her return. "They're stressful to put together-mostly" explains Julia "and I get worried that no one but my parents are going to show up. I normally drag my feet and get scared and lazy about it, but when Jim Caruso rang and offered me a date at Birdland, I figured I'd better take it." Murney's no stranger to the Birldand stage either, having performed there recently as part of a few composer's nights of music there including Georgia Stitt, Tom Kitt and Amanda Green.

The concert varies in terms of source material, but what runs common is that it's all music Julia loves. "This show really isn't filled with standards, per se, just songs I love to sing or have always wanted to try to sing. It's more pop/rock stuff with some country and a few show tunes dashed in...it's like a patchwork concert, I guess." Audiences can expect to hear songs from her theatrical career including from Andrew Lippa's Wild Party, along with what she describes as a "pupu combination platter of material."

Combination platters are good, and as long as the material is too, they work. When asked to name some performing inspirations whose concerts she's admired and looks at as influences, Julia is quick to rattle them off. "I've sadly never seen her live, but I've always loved Bette Midler's Divine Miss M concert style-she's goes from funny and sassy and then just slays with a ballad, and I think that's awesome. And I'm always inspired by seeing my friends do their own concerts: Gavin Creel, Alice Ripley, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kevin Cahoon...they all put on very different shows, but it's all so honest and out there and their own and I am amazed to be able to say that I get to eat pizza with them too."

Aside from the standards, and known songs that she'll be doing, there will also be a couple of unique treats of songs by Andrew Lippa, and Tom Kitt that she's song before, and audiences have been hoping to hear again.

One of the recent themes in Julia's career has been performing showstopping roles in some of the most high-profile benefits in recent memory, experiences that she's quite proud of. "They've been wonderful experiences, and I am so grateful to all of those powers that be who keep asking me. I don't know how I got on the benefit list (I often refer to myself as the 'benefit bitch'), but it has been so rewarding to be onstage with those people, singing those songs, and I'm hoping that they don't stop asking!"

Benefits will be on hold for a while as she's been cast in the upcoming Broadway tuner – Lennon, featuring the music of John Lennon, and telling his life story through those songs. "We met yesterday to do some stuff for the show, and it already seems charged with love and creativity. The cast is unreal and you couldn't ask for a kinder leader than Don Scardino." LENNON will make its Broadway debut at the Broadhurst Theatre beginning previews on Thursday, July 7th with the opening date set for Thursday, July 21st. Prior to Broadway, LENNON will play an engagement at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, California from April 12th - May 14th and then at the Colonial Theater in Boston, Massachusetts from May 31st - June 25th.

In the meantime though, you can see Julia Murney one night only at Birdland on February 7th at 7pm in a concert that's sure to be a hit.

Julia Murney appears at Birdland (315 West 44th Street, NYC) on Monday, February 7th at 7pm. Reservations: 212-581-3080, Cover: $25 plus $10 food/drink minimum.