Interview: Goldie Dver of SWEET BEGINNING at The Laurie Beechman Theatre

Award-winning cabaret artist Goldie Dver is getting ready for a big celebration. The singing storyteller has been working, this year, on a new album, indeed, her first in a lifetime spent on the stage, singing for her supper.

On November 6th, at 7 pm, when Goldie Dver steps out onto the stage of the Laurie Beechman Theatre, her show SWEET BEGINNING: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION will be her return to the cabaret stage since her pre-pandemic show BACK IN MAMAS ARMS. The purpose of this new show? It's a launch party for her album, and for her music video "I've Still Got New York." The show uses the same title as her album, and Goldie is being guided in her efforts by longtime collaborator James Beaman, with Michael Roberts at the piano, and a couple of special friends joining her on the stage.

As the days dwindle until November 6th, Goldie took some time out to chat with Broadway World about her new art, her unshakable optimism, and her long-standing career on the stage.

Photos by Stephen Mosher; Visit the Stephen Mosher website HERE.

This interview was conducted digitally and is reproduced with slight edits.

Goldie Dver, welcome to Broadway World!

So happy to be here Stephen - thanks for inviting me.

You are about to debut your first-ever album, even though you've been working in the cabaret and concert industry for a long time. Put me in the picture of the decision to do an album, at last.

I had thought about doing a recording of my show, Back In Mama's Arms - after we had done the last performance of the run, back in February of 2020. But then, of course, the world came crashing down 3 weeks later in March. Like everyone, in the months that followed, I was trying to find a way through the pandemic, and a way to be productive and keep moving forward - but was having a hard time. Finally, in the Fall of 2020, Bill Zeffiro brought me to PPI Recording, owned and run by Chip Fabrizi - and we started to record the first handful of songs from the show. Starting to sing again, and finding the magic that can be created in the studio was the spark that helped me reconnect with my creativity and my soul.

Was this your first time in a recording studio, or had you done work on projects that weren't your own artistic vision, in the past?

I had been hired as a singer on a few other projects through the years, but I came in, did my part, and left. This is the first time I'm involved in the whole project - from laying down the tracks, through the mixing, editing, and mastering. It's been a huge learning curve, but because of Chip's generous sharing of his knowledge, I feel like I've earned a degree in producing a record. (Maybe a BA - not a Ph.D.). There's still so much more to learn, but it's been very exciting and empowering (and a bit exhausting, too) to be involved in every aspect of this CD.

You are an award-winning musical storyteller. What was the process that you applied, in order to bring your work as a live storyteller to that of a digital recording artist?

Thanks for that, Stephen - because for me, telling the story and connecting with my audience is the most important thing when I'm singing. I also hear certain musical things in my head as I work my way to get inside a song. There are only so many musicians that'll fit on cabaret stages, so we're naturally a bit limited in how songs are arranged. But the beauty of the studio is that we can bring in real strings, and horns, and create the full arrangements I heard in my head. That's why I asked Michael Roberts to come onto this project - to orchestrate and add additional arrangements to Bill Zeffiro's original arrangements that we did in live performance. And Michael gave me everything I had been hearing and more than I could've ever hoped for. These fully realized arrangements allowed me to really live inside these songs and tell each story in a slightly different, but just as meaningful way.

What is the story that you are telling with this album?

There's a wide variety of songs and styles on this album - which are the songs from Back In Mama's Arms - the "comeback" show" I did at DTM in 2019-2020. But this isn't a live recording of that show - there's no patter - we're not telling the same story as we did in the show. This is the Studio Version - so we wanted to create a different experience for the listener. Hopefully, one that will be an interesting journey from song to song. The album is called Sweet Beginning. I believe in always being open to possibilities in life. If you're able to do that - you never know what new beginnings may be behind the next door that opens. But you have to be willing to look for it, and not be beaten down by the difficulties we all deal with at different times in our lives. It's not always easy, but it's doable. This album goes through many emotional colors and delves into the difficult moments. But I hope this album creates that positive mindset and leaves people feeling good, and uplifted at the end.

Do you have a sort of bucket list of songs that you want to perform from which you create your shows (and this album), or do you find that songs will present themselves to you during the creation process?

For me, the beginning of the creation process of a show starts with what I feel I need to say - what I'd like to share with my audience at that particular time in my life. I'm not the first person to say this, but I do feel the audience is my scene partner when I'm on stage in a cabaret - it's about sharing the experience WITH them. Not performing FOR them. That's just one of the reasons I love working with Jamie Beaman, both as director and collaborator in the development of my shows. I usually come into our first rehearsal with the thoughts I want to convey, and a list of songs I've been curating. Then through our discussions, and Jamie's guidance and astute theatrical sense of what will work dramatically, the show starts to take shape. I trust Jamie and know that he'll never ask me to do something that isn't authentic to who I am. Some of those songs wind up in the show, but some will be things that Jamie pulls out of his encyclopedic mind of theatre, pop, and who knows what else. Then when we layer the musical director in, with the magic that he brings - and it just takes everything to that next higher level. There are always surprises that pop up. The creation process is fun, exciting, and emotionally revealing - a bit like good therapy sometimes.

You will be playing the Laurie Beechman Theatre on November 6th to launch the album. Will you be singing through the CD, or will the show be a mixture of songs from throughout your career?

Our Music Director at the Beechman is Michael Roberts, whom I've started developing a beautiful musical relationship with. And Jamie, Michael, and I have already started collaborating on a whole new show for next year. This time around, Michael has been involved from the beginning, and he's been so instrumental (see what I did there?) in the creative process. I leave our rehearsals - with the three of us - totally stoked and excited about what we're creating. So one of the surprises at the show on Nov 6 at Laurie Beechman - will be to give a sneak peek at next year's (still untitled) show. We will, of course, be doing the live versions of a few songs from the album, slightly pared down for a kick-ass 5 piece band of top NYC players. One of the songs we'll be featuring is Bill Zeffiro's song, I've Still Got New York. I'm so happy to have Bill as my special guest - to play that song with me, as only he can! That's the first single that was released this year from the album - and is available on all streaming platforms. (I love saying that - it makes me feel like I'm 25 again!) We're also premiering the music video we produced of Bill's song! (See what I mean about new possibilities - at any age!). And yet - there's still more! I'm so honored to have the amazing Carolyn Montgomery as my special guest as well. She's someone I've loved and admired through the years, and now she's back performing again! Sharing the stage with Carolyn will be a high point for me and a delight for the audience. (We have some fun stuff up our sleeves). And on top of all that, this show will benefit the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, with $5 of every cover going to support their efforts to offer quality healthcare to all women in our industry. We've also set up a separate fund for people who are able to contribute even a little bit more, whether they're coming to our show or not. We have two more weeks to reach our goal of $1000.

Here's the link to their JustGiving Funding page -

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/goldie-dver

So this evening will be an event - a celebration of perseverance, joy, love, and the possibilities of life!

And yes - there will be party favors!

Your longtime collaborator and close friend, James Beaman, helms all of your nightclub acts. What was the experience like, cross-pollinating artistic colleagues and mediums to build an album with a companion cabaret show?

When we do cabaret - and very often, a first album - we're usually self-producing. That's when we start to learn the business side of what we do. Again - I was extremely fortunate in this project to have amazing collaborators - for both the album and the cabaret show. They're all multitalented, so their contributions do overlap from one to the other. But they're also wise enough to know when to defer to each other for the enrichment of the whole project.

Michael and Bill split the MD duties in the studio, depending on what was needed for each track. I always wanted Jamie's feedback on the songs as vocals were laid down, to make sure I was still in the moment emotionally as I was recording. Likewise, it was important to have Michael's feedback as we were finishing final mixes - to make sure we were staying true to the arrangements - musically, and dynamically. Bill came in on certain sessions to offer technical vocal support. But the core team in producing this album was Chip Fabrizi and I. It was the two of us who spent countless hours in his studio listening, editing, and mixing this CD so it would sound the way I heard it in my head. The man has infinite talent and patience, and it's been a joy working with him. He really deserves a co-producing credit on this CD, but he refuses to take it - just wants to be the engineer! The cabaret show was truly an amazing collaboration between Jamie, Michael, and myself. Even in rehearsals, Jamie and Michael worked together so seamlessly, and the exchange of ideas between the three of us was inspiring. There were no egos in the room - only three creative people working together to give birth to a show. (I'm still in labor, but the child will definitely be born on Sun, Nov 6 - even if it has to be by C-Section!)

When an artist releases an album, the best way to sell the CD is to play out. Do you have plans to play a run of shows, or maybe take your act out on the road?

Yes - both of those plans are in the works for next year. And part of the business end of doing the CD, the music video, and the video of this show- which Michael Lee Stever is recording - is to have tools to use for marketing and promotion, to help take my work to the next level, and other venues around the country.

We've seen a lot of change in the cabaret and concert industry over the years - has it changed very much for you, or is the experience of working in this industry consistent?

The part for me that never changes is the deep-down joy I have when I step on the stage. If that ever changes, that's when I'll know it's time to stop. My goals at this point in my life and my career are very simple. I want to keep performing - continuing to do projects that are creative and that challenge me to keep doing my best work possible - and keep bringing it to the next level, both artistically and professionally. The entertainment business has changed - just as everything has over the years. The cabaret rooms ask more from the performers than they ever have - and I get it. The rooms need to be able to survive financially - and we need them to as well, so there are stages for us on which to perform. But it does change the dynamics of booking a show and being able to build an audience, and not go broke in the process. That's why I sincerely try to support people who are serious about their art, regardless of their experience. Cabaret is still a very supportive community, and I hope that never changes.

You are always a very upbeat person, even though you have spoken openly about your life as a cancer survivor and as a widow. What is the spiritual practice that you use to keep your optimism in a world and industry that can, sometimes, be a little darkly oriented?

Life is what you choose to make it. That doesn't mean you won't face some major challenges and some very dark times in your life. We ALL do - we ALL will! You can't always control what happens to you. You can only try to control how you react to those life events, whether personal or professional. Yes, my husband of 41 years, Paul Dver died 4 years ago - and I'm 16 years out from my breast cancer diagnosis. But I still feel so blessed to be alive and thriving! Believe me, life is different being single after so many years with Paul, and after all the treatments I underwent to be cancer free. But once you've looked death in the face, you realize how precious every day is. I have bad days, just like everyone - but on those bad days I remind myself - I'm here to bitch about it! And I realize I can handle that - it's doable. Let's move forward. And I try to do something to give a boost to someone else who needs it. It's funny how quickly that gets you out of your own head.

Goldie, thank you so much for chatting with Broadway World today, and great success with the album and the show.

Thanks so much, Stephen. I always enjoy our chats - whether on or off the record.

Get information and reservations to SWEET BEGINNING on the Laurie Beechman website HERE.

THIS is the Goldie Dver YouTube channel and HERE is the Goldie Dver Facebook page.

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