Interview: L.A. & Richard Allen NOW AND THEN

The Group Rep presents producer/director/writer Bruce Kimmel's L.A. Now and Then, a brand new musical revue celebrating the City of Angels opening April 1, 2022. Cast features the vocals talents of Bita Arefnia, Lottie Arnold, Lisa Dyson, Harrison Fahn, Liz Grannis, Tim Hearl, Haruna Kajino, Marcel Licera, Danika Masi, Hisato Masuyama, Alariza Nevarez, Alec Reusch, Jeffrey Rockwell, Margaret Staedler and Tamir Yardenne, with musical direction by Richard Allen. I had the chance to find out some behind-the-scenes details on L.A. Now and Then from Richard, as well as some highlights of his long musical career.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Richard!

My pleasure.

You were musical director of the L.A. Now and Then workshop in 2016. Did you welcome the opportunity to work with Bruce again?

Working with Bruce again, their show is an homage to the great city of Los Angeles. It contains music, lyrics, and dialogue from some of my closest friends. And the timing, coming out of the worst two years in Los Angeles' history, is just icing on a well overdue cake. It's time we all get back to work and re-open the theatre, and what a better way than to salute the true story of one of the greatest cities in the world. My hometown.

Are most of the 2016 workshop reprising their roles?

If you're asking if any of the cast is returning, then no. The workshop was done at LACC with the college students there (and a few special guests) and this time it's with this fine group, The Group Rep.

Have you worked with the members of The Band before - Cassie Nickols (keyboards), Randy Landas (bass), Ed Smith (drums) and Grant Geissman (guitars and banjo)?

So the band has actually changed a bit. Due to some previous commitments, Randy and Grant won't be joining us. Although I'm told that Grant may come by from time to time as he wrote one of the songs. I enlisted two musicians who I have been working with recently. A great guitarist Matt Hevesh and a superb bassist Ken Zambello. Both of which I have recently been working with in the recording studios and current bands. Ed will be returning on drums but this time his son, Alex, will be filling on a few dates that Ed cannot attend. And Cassie is still on maternity leave, as I am told, but I'm hoping she will become part of the band and split the keyboard book with me. Bob O'Donnell will be returning on trumpet and a new kid in town, Brandon Wilkins will be filling out the woodwinds and saxes. Hearing these fine musicians alone is worth the price of admission.

How much rehearsals are you allotting for this 2022 production?

Whatever it takes. We have a pretty tight rehearsal schedule but these kids (look at me calling actors kids now) are all pros and have had the music and tracks for a while now and many of them found some files to rehearse with before the first day. They were all prepared and made the rehearsal process a breeze.

Has Bruce tweaked his workshopped show a lot for this April 1st premiere?

I wouldn't say tweaked exactly. We have replaced four of the songs with four new ones, the set has been modified a bit to accommodate the new space, and some scenes were replaced with some that complimented the "Now" portion of the title. Many things have changed in six years and this show is very malleable to accommodate the current trends in the city.

What gives you the most gratification: bowing onstage for your performing curtain call? Or watching offstage as your music gets its deserved applause?

I have always preferred working behind the scenes. I am most comfortable in an orchestra pit, although I do perform onstage quite a bit. The gratification comes from the satisfaction that I was able to make all the musical pieces of the puzzle work. That and to get compliments from writers like Richard M. Sherman and Bruce Kimmel. Not to say I'm not happy to take a bow now and again.

You started your career writing commercial radio jingles. What was your very first jingle that was broadcast through the radio?

I don't know where you got your information from, but yes, I did start out my musical career writing four notes that were the call sign for WEIM radio in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. As far as I can recall I made $150 for that jingle. That's about $37 per letter. And as far as I know that jingle is still being played today. I believe I was about 19 years old when I wrote that. And I still remember it like it was yesterday.

You have conducted, composed, performed in a plethora of venues (cruise ships, Disneyland, Royal Philharmonic, Boston Pops, London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, Magic Castle; just to name a few. Can you share with us a memorable incident at each venue?

Cruise ships:

I worked on several cruise ships and still write music for them now and again. So many memorable incidents but the one that stands out would have to be on the S.S. Azure Seas when we ran into some bad weather. But the show must go on, so me and the only non-seasick musician at the time played the show. And at one point the ship hit a swell and the piano rolled across off the stage. I kept playing, of course. The other musician was a trombone player who joined me as the piano continued to move back and forth during the show. We cancelled the late show, but I still remember the rolling piano. Good times.

Disneyland:

I had the honor of playing in the world-famous Disneyland Band for over 10 years. It was the best place in the world to work. I suppose my favorite moment was when I was hired to play the premiere of The Pirates of the Caribbean movie. I was told I would be playing piano at coke corner in a pirate's outfit. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the costume department didn't know what I was supposed to be doing and they fitted me with a hook on my left hand. I just went with it and proceeded to play pirate music for the crowd with a hook for a left hand. Johnny Depp came by and shook my hand (hook), and it became a Disney memory I will never forget.

Royal Philharmonic:

It's one thing to stand in front of a few musicians but to conduct 96 of the best ones in the world is one of those moments I will never forget. My favorite moment was when one of the cellists asked me a question that was in different musical terms that I was used to. In England they use different words for the value of the notes, and I didn't want to seem like I didn't know what I was talking about. I turned to the concertmaster and whispered to him, "What's a semi-quaver?" He winked and told me that's the cellist's nickname. It really broke the ice and made everyone more comfortable that this "Yank" had a sense of humor.

Boston Pops:

I wrote some minor orchestrations for The Boston Pops. Very insignificant. But the significant part is that John Williams was conducting at the time and word got back to me that he liked my work. So, a note from John Williams is like gold to an orchestrator.

London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios:

My sessions at Abbey Road Studios were amazing. But the best part about it was actually the cafeteria. One of the cashiers there had been there for something like 50 years, and she had stories upon stories of serving food to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, I mean everyone you can imagine this woman served lunch to. Nobody knows her name but every great musician in the world that recorded there ate her food. And so did I. And it was good.

Magic Castle:

I cannot say too much about The Magic Castle without revealing proprietary information. I can say that I am performing on stage in the main showroom at the end of June with my magic partner Dana Daniels. If you are a member or know a member (you can't get in if you're not) definitely come check out "The No Show."

Have you ever met the illusive Irma behind the piano at the Magic Castle?

I have met Irma and she is still dead.

What's in the near future for Richard Allen?

The pandemic has definitely changed my future plans quite significantly. Just before the whole world went crazy, I was working with Richard M. Sherman (he wrote two of the songs for L.A. Now and Then) on Jungle Book, The Musical. But everything came to a halt in 2019. I am hoping to return to that project soon. I am also the conductor for The LAPD Concert Band, which is the official band of the city of Los Angeles. I guess there is a bit of a tie-in with L.A. Now and Then. We play for all the police graduations and special events for the city of L.A. But mostly I'm working more from home, writing music and orchestrating. My wife is an ICU nurse from Ukraine, and she has been in the corona ward for the past two years. Now, we are just praying for our friends and family to be safe and hope this war ends soon. My daughter is finishing up her degree at Santa Barbara and my son is a junior in high school, so my hands are pretty full with family right now. But my heart and soul is in musical theatre. I'm hoping to be back in the conductor's seat soon. Until then, you will find me with The Group Rep and their 2022's production of L.A. Now and Then. Plus I have that whole jingle thing to fall back on. "W - E - I - M."

Thank you again, Richard! I look forward to experiencing L.A. Now and Then.

See you at the theatre!

For tickets to the live performances of L.A. Now and Then through May 8, 2022; log onto www.thegrouprep.com

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