Interview: Kelly Lynne D'Angelo Goes Van Gough with New Musical, STARRY

From the musical theatre writing team Dahan & D'Angelo comes STARRY, a new musical. STARRY is the story about two brothers, Theo and Vincent van Gogh, and their journey together to find the power of expression.

Based on the brothers' correspondence, STARRY is a full-length musical that's been in development since early 2017. From sold-out concerts at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City and sold-out workshop runs at Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Angeles, every step of STARRY's journey has been met by audience and critics alike with resounding praise, including their recently released Concept Album, which hit #14 on the iTunes Pop Charts.

Need to know more about the new musical? Below, we check in with book writer/lyricist Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, who gives us a sneak peek at what it's all about!

---

What made you want to tell this story?

I love history. But I realized early on that reading textbooks and listening to lectures, as fun as that may sound, wasn't the key to understanding the past: it was feeling it. I gravitated more towards history through art, through the music, stories, food, clothing or paintings of the time. When I was young, I always found myself being drawn to, if not a theatre, an art gallery or museum. As I started to fall more and more in love with art and its ability to translate and connect us to history, I couldn't help but feel more and more drawn to Vincent van Gogh's work during my Humanities course in high school.

From there, I was inspired to somehow musically tell his story and began to read the letters Jo Van Gogh-Bonger collected. I let my curiosity for their story lead me to getting a degree in History of Art at Syracuse University where I drafted up an outline for the concept. The most powerful thing about this story is that, yes, it takes place in the late 19th century in France. But these people, their struggles, and their momentum are so... modern. History is marked and curated by the storytellers of it. I felt that Vincent had something to say, something that wasn't explored yet, that he wanted to get out. Is it weird to say the inspiration for this show was the Van Gogh brothers themselves? The serendipity of Matt Dahan and I meeting under a Van Gogh painting in 2014 just doesn't make sense otherwise. Under "Almond Blossoms", we found out we were outlining the same story for years. There, we decided to combine forces to make Starry a reality. And it's been a glorious slew of strange, cosmic serendipity since.

What came first - the music, lyrics, or story?

The story was first because Jo Van Gogh-Bonger did such a phenomenal job at recording it. It was all right there before us. Matt and I came together and knew the exact locations, time period, and characters we wanted right away. We understood where the story had to begin and end. From there, the music and lyrics filled the emotional plot, and then the book followed.

How much research had to be done as a part of the creative process?

Simply said, a lot. From my classes in high school to getting a degree in History of Art and focusing my final project on Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, I probably read over a hundred books, articles, and essays to get context to the world politics, painters, and creators of the time. Originally, I went into school to study French and Art History as a means of becoming an academic or museum curator in this field. So with that knowledge, I applied everything I could to this story alongside Matt. But the thing that's been most enlightening is the letters themselves. Jo Van Gogh-Bonger. What a brilliant, brilliant woman. She dedicated her life to translating Theo and Vincent's letters in order to tell their story. Matt and I have read each of those letters several times (of which there are hundreds) as well as reading all the journals and letters of Jo, Theo, Paul Gauguin, Émile Bernard, and more. And everyday, we are still learning.

Is the musical still in any kind of development or is it for the most part complete?

We've been workshopping the show since 2017, but have only staged it once. But with that, it feels complete. The story is there, tight, exciting, emotional... I want to share it with the world. The world needs this story, right now, more than ever. These painters wanted to create something new... something revolutionary. And little did they know, someone in their circle, post mortem, did - but not in the way they expected.

For those who haven't listened yet, what would you compare the show to?

This is such a great question because we always struggle to define our show. It's a mixture of sounds - but fundamentally a love letter to late 90's, early 2000's alternative pop-rock mixed with the romanticism of traditional musical theatre. So perhaps we'd say Spring Awakening, Tick Tick Boom, Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, and The Lightning Thief with a hint of Wicked and Disney classics. I am more than open for better comparisons!

There is so much happening in the world and more particularly the theatre industry right now. Do you have anything to say about feeling marginalized by the industry as a BIPOC?

[The industry] has made it impossible for us to tell our stories. Impossible. I hate using that word, but that's what it been, especially for women of color. Just look at the amount of BIPOC musical theatre writers celebrated and elevated enough to put their shows on an established, well-financed stage. The numbers are dismal. I have been ridiculed, laughed at, and told that our show would never amount to anything by agents, producers, and high-up talent in the field. Instead of lending a helping hand, they have slammed the door in my face. I come from such a humbly small background. The need for connections and mentorship and accessibility has never been gifted. We need allies to step aside, allow BIPOC people to step into their jobs and roles, step into their positions. We need to be lifted. Not stifled. Not told "never." But what good is "never" to someone who has nothing else? In the face of adversity, we have still persevered. But now, we will shine.

How can people listen/find more about Starry?

To find out more about Starry, visit: https://starrymusical.com/

Kelly Lynne D'Angelo is a comedy, animation, and musical theatre television writer based out of Los Angeles. Most recent credits include MAO MAO, FINAL SPACE and MY LITTLE PONY: EQUESTRIA GIRLS. You can also see her storytelling in shows such as Dungeon & Dragon's 'Girls, Guts, Glory' and 'Sirens of The Realms.' She holds three degrees from Syracuse University, in History of Art, Cultural Anthropology, and Television/Film as well as minor in Native American Studies.