Interview: Daniel Ruffing, Noah Meaux of SECRETS THE MUSICAL

Musicals born and raise at streets of imaginations of young people. Daniel Ruffing and Noah Meaux have been working on a promising new musical called "Secrets the Musical" which is about a shy geek who gets a job at CIA(!) and complications he faces. The show gives the vibrations of "Dear Evan Hansen" and "Be More Chill" meets "Bonnie and Clyde". Songs such as "Fly", "Goodbyes" and "Hearts Made of Paper" make sure that you get the initial taste of an energetic and heart-stopping musical coming on our way. -Pun intended-

Onur Alec Kadioglu: What would you like to tell us about yourself?

Daniel Ruffing: My name is Daniel Ruffing, and I'm currently a freshman at Baldwin Wallace University, majoring in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship. I am from Norwalk, Ohio, and attended St. Paul High School there. I began composing music during my freshman year of high school and have always been interested in writing for musical theatre. I started my composing career by writing purely instrumental songs, and I released my first song, Labyrinth, in October of 2016, and since then, I have released two other songs. My most recent song, Journey, has received quite a bit of praise, receiving an Honorable Mention award in the 34th Annual Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. I am the co-founder and director of a cancer benefit concert called Concert for a Cure, which features various musical acts in a night dedicated to raising funds and awareness for cancer prevention.

Noah Meaux: My name is Noah Meaux. - pronounced "Moe" - I am a freshman at Baldwin Wallace University working towards my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Acting. I am from Annapolis, Maryland and attended Broadneck High School. I started doing theatre in seventh grade and fell in love with it right away. It was much different from ice hockey, the sport I have played for 18 years. Ever since I stepped on stage, I wanted to be on Broadway or be involved with Broadway somehow. I started writing musicals my sophomore year of high school because I was inspired by Lin Manuel Miranda. I thought it was so cool that someone could write and star in their own musical. I also found that writing musicals was very therapeutic and helped with any anxiety or depression or anything that was harmful. When I wrote, I got to be in a world that I created.

OAK: For how long have you known each other?

NM & DR: We have known each other since October of 2017, but we didn't start talking about musicals or writing Secrets until the middle of November.

OAK: What exactly drew you two into musical theatre world?

DR: My mother and a few family friends have always been into musical theatre, so I kind of grew up knowing a lot about it. My mom is a pianist and singer/songwriter, so I have always been exposed to music and encouraged to strengthen my musical skills and knowledge. I really wasn't interested in musical theatre until I saw my first show on the stage, which was "Wicked". From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to have a career specializing in some aspect of the musical theatre world.

NM: I have always been involved with chorus and have always been a performer in some way so it was only a matter of time. I was only interested in becoming a singer until I auditioned for "Kiss Me Kate" at my high school and fell in love with the atmosphere.

"Never stop believing in yourself!"

OAK: How did you come up with the idea for "Secrets the Musical" and what does the story revolve around?

NM: I came up with the idea for "Secrets the Musical" when mulling over which show I wanted to put the song by Daniel and I, "Fly", into. I was up late in my dorm one night when I had the idea of a spy singing "Fly" to a girl he loved who had gotten captured in the line of duty. That's basically what the song is about. From there on, the show took off. I worked hard to not make the show a copycat of a "James Bond" movie and rather make it a situation people can relate to. The show follows a recent MIT graduate named Chris Hawkins. Chris has lived his whole life behind his computer, and one day he is recruited by the CIA. Throughout the various trials and challenges he faces during his work, - which we certainly don't want to spoil just yet! - Chris has to conquer his fears, trust himself and become someone completely different to save what he loves. The main message of the show is to never stop believing in yourself. If you do that, you can do anything. Even when times get tough, just a little faith in yourself can get you through.

"Drama, comedy, romance, action, a great score, and a great script!"

OAK: What should audiences expect from Secrets?

DR & NM: Audiences should expect a little something for everyone! Drama, comedy, romance, action, a great score, and a great script!

OAK: What do you think it takes to transfer a musical to the Broadway stages from scratch?

NM: You have to have an intriguing story with a progressive and captivating score, and people who are willing to take a chance on your show and watch it.

OAK: Which shows inspire you along the way of crafting a world?

DR: The shows that inspire my composition work the most would have to be "The Light in the Piazza, Dogfight, Finding Neverland, Wicked, Little Women" and more recently; "The Band's Visit, Daddy Long Legs, and Dear Evan Hansen"! But, in all honesty, I'm inspired by every single musical I see/listen to. The amount of work that goes into each show is incredible and inspiring in so many ways.

NM: "Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Heathers and Dear Evan Hansen" , again. I have an unhealthy obsession with the show.

"Never stop working hard. Even when you're tired or about to throw up, keep going. The payoff is worth everything in the end."

OAK: What is the best piece of advice you've ever got?

DR: I actually haven't really gotten personal advice on my songwriting specifically, but the feedback I get from family, friends, and even strangers all collectively have enhanced my skills and made me a better composer. However, I owe a lot of my success to my piano teacher, Penny Seward, who has been so immensely helpful in building my piano and songwriting skills, along with my band director in high school, Chris Clark, and of course my mom! I also owe huge thanks to Kathleen Sigsworth and Dina Lukasko, two family friends, who have always given me honest feedback about my songs and have been willing to test songs out with me.

NM: Never stop working hard. Even when you're tired or about to throw up, keep going. The payoff is worth everything in the end.

OAK: Who do you look up to?

DR: The two composers I look up to the most are Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Their hard work really shines through in their music, and I aspire to be as successful as them one day. My biggest dream is to meet them and possibly be mentored by them! One of the other composers I look up to is Adam Guettel. His music is so unique to him, and I have taken such great inspiration from his songs!

NM: I look up to Lin Manuel Miranda. The man is theatrically brilliant. His stories flow with such a brilliance that you can't help but fall in love with them. I hope to one day have him work with me on a show or be in the front row of a show I write for Broadway. I'd also like to bounce ideas off of him and freestyle with him.

"An astonishing theatre piece captivates audiences with an amazing story and incredible score."

OAK: What do you think makes an astonishing theatre piece?

DR: To me, an astonishing theatre piece captivates audiences with an amazing story and incredible score. The two work together seamlessly to give audiences an experience like never before.

NM: An astonishing theatre piece should bring the viewer into their world. A good show is able to keep the attention of an audience to the point where the crowd is in hysterical laughter or as silent as the night. I believe a solid story and a great score can achieve that.

OAK: Why did you want to be a contributing artist?

DR: I wanted to be a contributing artist for "Secrets the Musical" because I want my music to be heard! I work so hard on my songs, and I want people to feel the emotions and stories that I put into my music. I want to start while I'm young so that I can inspire more young people to write songs!

NM: I have always been able to write music and stuff but I wanted to up my game and got in touch with Daniel. I believe that two voices are easier to hear than one so I write the book and lyrics and Daniel is behind the brilliant songs.

"T.U.S.S.O.N."

OAK: What does "T.U.S.S.O.N." mean and what is the story behind it?

NM: T.U.S.S.O.N. is the name of our fandom! It stands for "The Undercover Secret Society of Nerds." I was live streaming one night and a few fans of Secrets wanted to create a fandom and needed a name so they all got together and named it "TUSSON".

OAK: How do you decide where the music should start and end?

DR: Deciding when to start and end the music is both simple and difficult. In some scenes, it just makes sense to add background music or to transition into a song, but in many other scenes, it can be hard to decide when the right moment is to start the song without ruining the mood of the scene.

"Stop working on it and work on something else."

OAK: How do you deal with writer's block?

DR: When I have trouble writing a song, the best way I overcome writer's block is to simply stop working on it and work on something else. Most of the time, I just start playing through various scores of other musicals, and it helps clear my mind to focus on writing more.

NM: I deal with writer's block by putting down my laptop and playing Call of Duty, going for drives, - while belting show-tunes - or by just thinking of a different way the show could go.

"No idea is too big, too small, or too weird."

OAK: Do you have any advice for upcoming artists?

DR: The best piece of advice I have for composers is to save EVERYTHING you work on. Even if you think it sounds terrible or you are completely lost on where to go, save that song, because you never know when you'll use it again! For example, one of the songs in the show, "Hearts Made of Paper," was created out of a three-year-old, 6-measure song I had abandoned, but saved. I simply needed a story to continue the song, and it worked!

NM: No idea is too big, too small, or too weird. If you have an idea that you think people will like, DO IT. Don't listen to anyone else but yourself and trust your instincts, we all start out somewhere. For me, it was getting pied in the face as Lefou in Beauty and the Beast Jr. Also, have fun with it. There's no point in writing something if you don't like it.

OAK: What are the responses from fans like so far?

DR: The response has been incredible so far. Since this musical is still in development, we weren't really expecting as much attention as we have been getting. It's amazing to have so much support from family, friends, and now fans. One of the craziest things was logging into our Instagram page one day and discovering we had received 1,000 followers and many fan pages overnight! The musical theatre community on Instagram has been so incredibly supportive, with many accounts willing to do shoutouts and others performing covers of our songs!

NM: It is so surreal. I never thought a piece of my work would gain this much attention and it only goes up from here. I love seeing more and more people following and commenting on our musical. I'm grateful for all the support from my family and friends and for all the fan-art people have created. It's really interesting seeing everyone's interpretation of my characters! People love it!!!

"If you enjoy musical theatre, you will enjoy "Secrets the Musical"."

OAK: Do you have anything to say to our beloved readers?

DR: If you enjoy musical theatre, you will enjoy "Secrets the Musical". Our show has something to offer for everyone, and Noah and I both really hope you'll give the show a chance and take a listen to the soundtrack. We have both worked so incredibly hard on this show and cannot wait to see how far it goes. If we could request, simply tell your friends and family about the show! Our Instagram is @secretsmusical, and we'd greatly appreciate any support!

NM: Thank you so much for the support and love! Danny and I have spent many late nights working on this project and I am so excited to share this show with you all. What we ask of you, dear fans, is to spread the word about the show so we can get more support. Tell your friends and family about the new musical that is coming at them full speed! #RuffingandMeaux

Follow these fellows' show from their instagram;

https://www.instagram.com/secretsmusical/