Interview: HEAD OVER HEELS Star Rachel York Readies Herself for Her Green Room 42 Show
By: Gianluca Russo Nov. 16, 2018
Since making her Broadway debut back in 1989, Rachel York has become of the most beloved leading ladies of the Great White Way. With roles in productions including LES MISÉRABLES, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, DISASTER!, and, most currently, HEAD OVER HEELS, it's really no surprise she's become a popular vocal powerhouse. Now, in a one-night-only show, York is going to make you fall head over heels (get it?) for her once again.
This Sunday, November 18, York will perform her cabaret, THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC, at The Green Room 42. The intimate show will be a delightful evening for both fans of York and those new to her work. Before the show, we chatted with her to talk all the exciting details.
This interview has been edited for length and content.
GR: How has it been going getting ready for the show?
RY: We've been working on changing some of the songs and making it fun. It's going to be a great show--- very diverse and very fun.
GR: Can you give us a brief overview of the show?
RY: I talk about my vocal influences, I talk about how I got into this business and all the amazing women that have influenced me and my voice, and the friendships that I've had with some of these amazing women that were big mentors of mine. I do many impressions, as well, so there's a lot of fun impressions. There will be some "appearances" by Barbra Streisand, Cher, Julie Andrews, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston--- there's more and more.
GR: Are there any numbers in particular you're excited to perform?
RY: I'm excited to perform all of them because each song is very hand-picked. I have a lot of 11th hour numbers, but I also have many moving numbers. I hope to sing a couple of songs from RAGTIME which are very moving, and one of my favorite songs, "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?"
GR: Will you sing songs from a lot of the shows you've been a part of?
RY: It's sort of an overview--- not of my whole career...but there are a few numbers that go back to roles that I've played before and just mostly the people who've inspired me throughout my life and their music has had a deep meaning to me.
GR: If you had to tell fans why they should come see the show in just a few sentences, what would you say?
RY: It's going to be a very exciting, fun night that I think people will be sad if they miss it. It's a celebration. I have a couple of surprise guests that are going to perform with me and they are pretty amazing. It's going to be a lot of cheering and hollering and fun, and these are songs that are not only nostalgic. Some of them are current, some of them are moving, some of them are just exciting and fun.
Rachel York will perform her show THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC at The Green Room 42 on November 18. For tickets and information, visit www.thegreenroom42.com.
Gianluca Russo is a New York-based freelance writer whose words have appeared in GQ, Vice, Teen Vogue, NYLON, Yahoo and more. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @G_russo1.
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