Interview: Michael Rider Gears Up for THIS 'OL HOUSE at Green Room 42

Michael Rider is making his nightclub debut at the Green Room 42 on Tuesday May 21 and Wednesday May 29 at 7 pm with the story of his odyssey from the family farm in Central Pennsylvania to the metropolis of New York City. This ‘Ol House: Stories of a City Bear, Country Queen is “a collection of stories and songs detailing Rider's journey of discovery from an awkward, out-of-place, gay boy in the country to an out, openly fabulous queen in the city. Rider shares his story through the songs of Stuart Hamblen, Jerry Herman, Henry Mancini, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, and more.”

Rider has worked in the musical theater industry for nearly 15 years as a music director, vocal teacher, coach, and performer. We spoke about the process of putting this show together, and the transition that led to his upcoming cabaret debut.

Can you tell me a bit about your upcoming show?
Sure. It's This ‘Ol House: Stories of a City Bear, Country Queen. The first performance was done at Chelsea Table + Stage, so I'm doing an encore couple performances at Green Room 42. The “This Old house” comes from a song that was my dad's favorite growing up. We actually sang as a country western band, as a family.

And so, the cabaret is really sort of stories that lead from the farm to New York City, and back and forth. “This ‘Ol House,” the song itself, in general, is sort of the linchpin of the story back and forth. And if you see the card for the open house, that is actually taken on the bottom floor of our old family farm back in Pennsylvania.

What was the process of putting the show together like?
Well, it actually started during the pandemic, where a lot of shows started [laughs]. I was planning one just in 2020 when everything shut down. And then I started working online in a Zoom class with Lina Koutrakos and I had just the summer before worked in a masterclass with Marilyn Maye. We actually worked on the song “This ‘Ol House.” And when I was [working] with Lina online, we brought that back out and I was like, you know what I'm thinking? This is the story for the show. This song sort of helps bring out the story. So we used that as the how we constructed the show from there on as we worked it. And then, you know, COVID did its thing. It took a little bit but I finally got back to working on it last year, and then with schedules and everything, because I was going to work with Tracey Stark and with her schedule and Lina’s, it worked out perfectly to start this year.

What are you most looking forward to about the show?
I love sharing the country stories in connection with me here in New York City now. I really, truly was a little country boy. And you see me now, and I don't look like I've ever stepped foot on a farm. [laughs] And it's sort of a journey from there to here. It’s very memoir. And I tell some stories from back then, you know, funny stories, not so funny stories. And the repertoire is chosen, I think, in general, to advance the stories through the stories in the songs, to show that connection, that even though I was a country boy, I was really a city boy. And even as a city boy, I'm still kind of a country boy. [laughs] So that’s the back and forth, a little bit.

What have you been listening to lately?
I listen to a lot of 70s and 80s rock. I'm a big fan of that style and sound. In addition, I'm a big music theater person. I’m a big musical theater queen, as it were. It just depends on my mood. But I would say those two things are what the show is blending. It blends sort of that theater and American Songbook with 70s and 80s country and country rock. Those are my favorites.

Is there anything else that you want to share about the show or anything else?
I think the main thing about the show is I feel like it's a little different. Tracy is taking some of my stories... We've played around with almost everything. Even the standards that are in there have a fresh new take to them, and some of them have a country feel.

Like, we’re doing “Moon Is a Harsh Mistress,” but we tied it in with “Moon River.” And so it's got a country undertone and feel to it that I don't think you're normally used to hearing in a Jimmy Webb song, And really making [the songs] all work with the whole story... it's been such a joy. And I think that's one of the strengths of the program.

How do you feel about making your cabaret debut?
I'm so excited. As I mentioned, I was going to do it in 2020 [but] I'm glad we waited because it gave me time to explore more with Lina and just going out more again with cabaret artists and watching their shows with a cabaret eye versus, a musical theater performance.

So I think this debut actually benefited from the wait because it's a much different show, and I think it's a much better show than I would have presented before.

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Tickets to the May 21 and May 29 shows are available on the Green Room 42 website.

Originally performed at Chelsea Table + Stage on February 9, 2024, This ‘Ol House is directed by Lina Koutrakos with musical director Tracy Stark on piano, Skip Ward on bass, Mike Rosengarten on guitar, and David Silliman on drums.

Michael Rider is a voice teacher, coach, performer, and music director with a specialty in music theater and cabaret techniques and the development of the music theater / CCM voice. He has been teaching in his private studio in New York City for nearly 15 years. He runs Your Broadway Voice (YourBroadwayVoice.com) and the Michael Rider Voice Studio.

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