Interview: Gretchen Cryer & Gracie Hyland Celebrate HOUSE ON FIRE Album Release at GR42
Gretchen Cryer (I'm GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER) wrote a brand-new musical with her granddaughter
Gretchen Cryer, the legendary theater songwriter best known for the beloved musical I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, with music by Nancy Ford, has a brand-new, and timely, musical House on Fire, which she wrote with her granddaughter, Gracie Hyland. The show, which has environmental themes, is celebrating the release of its new cast recording with a New York City concert at the Green Room 42 on Tuesday February 4 at 7 pm. The evening – directed by DeMone Seraphin, with Jody Shelton serving as music director – with feature the album’s full cast: Angela Birchett (The Color Purple), Michael McCorry Rose (Wicked, The Queen of Versailles, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder), Gabriella Joy Rodriguez (The Color Purple National Tour, Five: The Parody Musical) and Tyley Ross (Miss Saigon, The Who’s Tommy in Toronto), in addition to Cryer and Hyland.
The album was released on January 31 by Precious Days Records, in streaming and digital formats. The band features music director Jody Shelton – who also provides orchestrations and produced the recording – on piano, Lee Nadel on bass, Joe Choroszewski on drums, Oscar Albis Rodriguez on guitar, and Leigh Stuart on cello. You can find the album HERE.
We spoke with Gretchen Cryer and Gracie Hyland about the new show, and the album release concert.
How did you feel recording your new musical as an album?
GC: It’s been very exciting putting it all together and hearing the sound of the show. Our music director/ arranger Jody Shelton has done such a great job capturing the tone of the show - which is very upbeat, but edgy.
GH: It’s so wonderful hearing our songs come to life with such a powerhouse cast. And Jody has gone above and beyond in the arrangements and production.
What are you looking forward to about your coming Green Room 42 show?
GC: We are looking forward to the excitement in the room - and because our show is about climate change there is a special urgency about it, especially with the L.A. fires having just happened.
GH: I’m looking forward to celebrating all of the incredible artists who have contributed their gifts to this project.
What made you tackle environmental themes in the show?
GC: I’ve been concerned about what we are doing to the planet for a long time - 40 years, in fact, when I wrote two of the songs that are in this show - “Captain of Industry” and “Precious Days’ - about a guy who heads up the biggest fossil fuel industry in the world and his conflicted wife, and I knew I wanted to write a show about climate change. But at the time, I didn’t know where it was going so I didn’t write another word - for forty years. Then a couple of years ago I saw an article in the New York Times about the last two Northern White Rhinoceroses on earth - Najin and Fatu, mother and daughter - and I was very touched, wondering what is going to happen to Fatu when her mother dies and she is the only one left on earth. Then I read a more upbeat article in the Times about the fact that the California condors who were almost extinct in the ’80s - down to 23 condors, but somehow the females had rallied and had started reproducing without a mate - virgin births - and now the species is recovering and there are now 504 of them. So a story was starting to come together in my head, but I still didn’t know where it was going. And because I wanted to have animals in the story, I knew it had to be a fairy tale.
Then my granddaughter Gracie showed up, just out of college, and had written a song called “Early Teenage Crisis.” It was great song and I suddenly thought, oh my god, that’s it! The Captain of Industry and his wife have a 13-year-old daughter who is rebelling against them and wants to run away from home to try to save Najin and Fatu! And then I got the idea that Mother Earth should be a dominatrix and suddenly we had a show! It’s a musical fairy tale based on real stuff.
GH: Being of the generation that is going to have to continue the effort toward a sustainable planet, I feel that it is important to spread a message that is more hopeful than fearful for our future. With this show I hope that people of all ages are encouraged and empowered to make a difference in their own small way.
Who should listen to and watch this show?
GC: Everybody.
GH: Everybody!
How did you feel about collaborating with your granddaughter/grandmother?
GC: It was so exciting because Gracie is a great singer/songwriter and I thought she would be able to capture the young characters in the show - she knows where they are coming from. Also, I am dedicating this show to my grandchildren and all the grandchildren on earth because they are the ones who are going to have to turn things around.
GH: I would have never guessed that I would get the honor of working alongside my legendary grandmother, so I am beyond grateful to be part of this project. It has been a joy to create and craft this story over the last two years. I mean, not a lot of people can say that they have written a musical with their grandmother!
What are your next plans for this show?
GC: Of course, we want to get it on as a full production. But I know that takes years and since the subject of climate change is urgent right now. I would like for us to be able to use this concert version as a fundraiser for various climate activist groups. I will be reaching out trying to make that happen. I’m trying to get ahold of Jane Fonda, because she is passionate about the subject and is devoting her life to that activism right now.
GH: We’d love to take this show on the road as a fundraiser for climate organizations.
The New York album release show will be at The Green Room 42 on Tuesday, February 4 at 7:00 PM. The Green Room 42 is located at 570 Tenth Avenue at 42nd Street, on the 4th Floor of Yotel. The cover charge ranges from $30-$70. A livestream option is available for $20. For tickets, please visit www.TheGreenRoom42.com.
You can find the album HERE.
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