Somewhere Between - Cidny Williams' "one wo/man show" opens at Nashville's Bongo After Hours Theatre on March 18. Produced by Ken Bernstein, the Grammy-nominated musician's autobiographical show lifts the veil on love, death and gender through storytelling and song.
Somewhere Between is an autobiographical solo show written and performed by Cidny Bullens, directed by Tanya Taylor Rubinstein and produced by Bernstein. Somewhere Between is described as a multimedia theatrical production with live performances of songs past and present.
The show's emotional journey begins with Cindy Bullens' arrival in Los Angeles in the mid-1970's, taking us through her fateful meetings with Bob Crewe and Elton John - brushing ever so close to stardom - and covers her unlikely journey as a wife and mother, then as a bereaved parent, and finally as a grandparent. Throughout the story's dramatic arc, we learn about Cindy's private struggle with gender identity and how, finally, she decides to jump headlong into the fire of gender transition-to become Cidny, the person he always felt he was.
Cidny Bullens' Somewhere Between is a personal, poignant and powerful story of perseverance, tragedy, triumph - and ultimately unconditional love. With a unique perspective on life, Bullens tells his story in an intimate setting with a guitar, images and a healthy sense of humor, and will be performed at Bongo After Hours Theatre over two weekends, with shows on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19, and March 25 and 26.
The show is being brought to Nashville by producer Ken Bernstein who has also brought the premieres of Steve Earle's Karla, Jeremy Child's Vampire Mononlogues and Bruce Arnston's The Doyle and Debbie Show to stages in Nashville.
Critical response to Somewhere Between: "Somewhere Between was life-changing for me...today my awareness of magic and miracles has returned," says Joanna Harcourt Smith, creator of Future Primitive podcast in Santa Fe.
Kim Block, news anchor from Portland, Maine, says "Somewhere Between was powerful, authentic, touching, entertaining - really extraordinary! Great music, too! You rocked it, Cid."
Bullens' Music: Bonnie Raitt has hailed Bullens' music: "Cindy's dug deep and come up with a raw, loose and rockin' crop of great songs and playing. Love the Exile on Main Street vibe, and her vocals and lyrics always cut right through to the heart of the matter."
The Washington Post writes, "Cindy Bullens has perfected the tough-tender, country-rock hybrid sound...lending guts and grace to the world of the critic's darling."
More About the Writer/Performer: Cidny Bullens is a two-time Grammy nominee whose 40-year career in the music business began auspiciously- working with Sir Elton John, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and Four Seasons songwriter/producer Bob Crewe. Bullens also sang three lead vocals on the movie soundtrack of Grease. In 1978 she recorded her own critically acclaimed album Desire Wire, which earned her a Grammy nomination and catapulted Cindy into the international spotlight.
Cindy has had success in Nashville writing with some of Country's hottest songwriters-including the 1994 Country hit "Hammer and Nails" written with and recorded by Radney Foster.
In March of 1996, Cindy lost her 11-year-old daughter Jessie to cancer. That tragedy inspired Cindy to write and record her widely acclaimed 1999 CD Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth, featuring appearances by Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Bryan Adams, Beth Neilson Chapman, Rodney Crowell, and a haunting duet with her elder daughter, Reid Crewe.
With that release, Cindy received worldwide attention from press, radio, and television, including NBC's Today Show, CBS This Morning, Conan O'Brien Late Night, The New York Times, People Magazine, Rolling Stone and many more. The CD also received the Best Rock Album award in 2000 by the AFIM Independent Music Association. Cindy's album Neverland (2001), features Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and John Hiatt. Her 2005 album, dream #29, includes the rollicking piano playing of pal Sir Elton John on the title track, a duet with Delbert McClinton, and a vocal appearance by Boston Red Sox great Tim Wakefield. Her 2010 CD, Howling Trains and Barking Dogs is a tribute to her Nashville co-writing days in the 1990's, compiling her best songs from that period.
In 2007, Cindy formed the upstart and uprising super-trio The Refugees with Wendy Waldman and Deborah Holland. Their first CD Unbound was released in 2009 and their second CD THREE in 2012. The Refugees third album is to be released some time in 2016.
In 2011, Cindy became Cidny, making the difficult and daunting decision to transition from female to male. He stepped back from the public eye to go through the process until this year, re-emerging as Cidny Bullens.
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