Interview: 13 Year-Old Joshua Turchin Explains How He Made THE PERFECT FIT Cast Album in Quarantine

Today, July 17, Broadway Records releases the cast recording of the award-winning new musical The Perfect Fit, written by 13-year-old musical sensation Joshua Turchin. The "Remote EP" is the first musical concept EP ever recorded entirely virtual, and is now available digitally everywhere music is sold.

The full EP star-studded cast includes Laura Benanti (Gypsy, My Fair Lady, Meteor Shower, TV's "Supergirl," "Younger," "Nashville"), Nikki Renee Daniels (Company, Book of Mormon, Porgy and Bess), Joshua Turchin ("The Early Night Show with Joshua Turchin," Trevor the Musical, Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol/The Actor's Fund, "The Little Mermaid" Live-To-Film/The Hollywood Bowl, A Christmas Story Broadway National Tour, The Pill, School of Rock Promo Tour), Carly Gendell (School of Rock), Grace DeAmicis (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Ellie Kim (School of Rock, Trevor the Musical), Swayam Bhatia (Disney+'s "The Mighty Ducks," "Really Rosie"), Lily Brooks O'Briant (Matilda, Netflix's "The Big Show Show"), Luke Islam (Disney+'s "The Mighty Ducks," "America's Got Talent" Golden Buzzer Winner), Audrey Bennett (Frozen, Amelie, Amazon's "Hunters"), and Fabi Aguirre (On Your Feet, Les Miserables).

The Perfect Fit had its first ever developmental production in Tony-award winning producer Ken Davenport's Rave Theater Festival last summer. The show was selected as one of 20 out of hundreds of submissions from around the world. The Perfect Fit won awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Ensemble. The show garnered critical acclaim from The New York Times, New York Post, Wall Street Journal and others.

Now Turchin is telling us all about the new musical and the challenges of creating a recording in quarantine!

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What has happened between the musical's premiere and now? How did you make the album happen?

The Perfect Fit was actually already slated for a full cast album, but the pandemic happened and shut Broadway down. Between the last production and the release of the album I've been doing rewrites, adding new songs, and trying to make the show as strong as possible.

I've always tried to find ways of creating opportunities for our industry. When opportunities for everyone seemed to stop this year, I realized that we needed to figure out a way to create a remote version of the cast recording more than ever so our industry can adapt quickly and move forward. So I co-arranged the songs with the incredible Dan Garmon. We ended up creating the first cast recording ever made in quarantine. Everyone was at home- no one was with each other. It's really cool! And now I'm so excited that we get to release it!

And you did it all remotely! Was that process really difficult?

One of the hardest parts was notes. If I had a note for someone and they already recorded the take, I would have to rerecord my part or they would have to rerecord theirs. But there was a silver-lining! It was great for socialization, because right now I can't see any of my friends.

How did you get so many amazing people to do the album?

Well, I did a #SunshineSongs concert with Laura Benanti. Then I have a show called the Early Night Show: Virtual Edition, and I asked her to do that with me. From there, we worked on The Perfect Fit. And Carly Gendell plays the role of Elizabeth- she was actually one of the first people ever to be involved with the show. I think she sang the first song I ever wrote for the show! She and Grace DeAmicis and Swayam Bhatia did the Rave production as well. And I'm good friends with Luke Islam too!

Can you tell me more about what the musical itself is about?

The Perfect Fit follows different teenage performers who are hoping to avoid the dreaded theatrical 'dead zone.' The 'dead zone' is this place in theatre where you are too young to play an adult but too old to play a child. They navigate through a web of stage parents, dance classes, and auditions, while their stories unfold trying to find their perfect fit.

You've graciously allowed us to share the song "Fades Away"- what can you tell me about that track?

The track takes place near the end of the show. It's two parents [played by Laura Benanti and Nikki Renée Daniels] realizing that they've gone through the same experiences over the course of the story. They learn to...not let go, but accept.

And I hear that some kind of documentary is coming?

Yes! Starting in August when we did the production and all the way to now we've been filming the journey that the show has taken us on. It's going to show how COVID came in and... didn't ruin all of our plans, but allowed us to make new plans for the future of the show. We really had to think outside of the box to figure out how we could put on a show in a quarantined world.

Is the goal to get The Perfect Fit to Broadway?

Yes! That's the goal!

I know you've also been working really hard of The Early Night Show. What can you tell me about that?

Back in New York I did this thing called 'The Early Night Show Live with Joshua Turchin'. We did it at the Green Room 42 and I would bring on different Broadway guests. We were planning to do another one, but then everything came to a halt. That's when I had the idea to create a virtual edition: Coronoa Cabaret. I did it to help benefit The Actors Fund, which is helping people in theatre who are unable to pay for things like rent in this time.

How many episodes have you done at this point?

[Today] is the 50th episode. And this one will be live to celebrate the release of The Perfect Fit.

You're only 13 years old and you've already accomplished so much. What else do you want to do?

Just to keep composing, acting, singing, and dancing. Oh, but I also want to be an engineer... but composing comes first!

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For more information and updates on The Perfect Fit visit: theperfectfitmusical.com.