-
Photo credit: Michael Brosilow
Photo credit: Michael Brosilow
In a time when New York producers are parched for new musical ideas, Chicago is disproving the old adage that a fresh, winsome work is as rare as- well, as rare as an affordable modish wardrobe. For the second year, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has commissioned the talents of two young, spirited composers to concoct a wholly original and beguiling musical treat for summer audiences. And fortunately for Chicago, composer Alan Schmuckler and book writer/lyricist David Holstein are more than up to the task in their quirky, contemporized adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s celebrated tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”.
Interview by Alissa Norby
ShowBiz Chicago: Walk me through the process of adaptation. How did you work to pair David’s text with Alan’s score to tell this new version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”?
David Holstein (DH): Alan and I create the story together. Then we sit down and decide what parts of the story should be songs and which should be scenes. He goes off to write the music and I go off to write the scenes and keep an eye on the overall narrative. Then we get together make sure the puzzle fits.
Alan Schmuckler (AS): And the line between dialogue and song isn’t as neatly defined as you might think. Lots of times Dave takes a crack at a scene, shows me the draft, and then I say, well, these few lines of dialogue , I think there’s a song in there. So the next draft of that scene, some of Dave’s lines are gone, and there’s a song in its place, with some new dialogue sprinkled throughout. Inspiration piggybacks on inspiration.
ShowBiz Chicago: Despite its age, this “Emperor” seems to have a contemporary flare, specifically with Sam going off to college and the enviro-friendly message. Was there a specific style, either in terms of text or music, that you went for to add to its modern connection?
AS: Our story is all about the crashing-together of old and new (a father and a daughter, a mother and a son), so I had in mind a score that would do the same: a blend of classic and contemporary musical theater. Hopefully it sounds like it was written sixty years ago and last week at the same time.
DH: In terms of text, we really wanted to keep things relevant and current. Especially when you’re telling a story to kids, you want to create as many points of connection as possible.
ShowBiz Chicago: Alan, your 2007 work with Michael Mahler, “How Can You Run with a Shell On Your Back?” was an enormous success. What did you take from this experience, as well as your stage work, that influenced your approach with “Emperor”?
AS: I do not think I can put into words what a special experience “Shell” was. I learned the value of totally trusting your collaborators, and the joy (and responsibility) of being totally trusted. As far as the acting goes, the jobs I am lucky enough to do onstage inform the writing I do as much as the other way around. I am hugely fortunate in that I get to do both.
-
Photo credit: Michael Brosilow
Photo credit: Michael Brosilow
ShowBiz Chicago: Rachel Rockwell is quickly becoming one of Chicago’s most sought-after directors for her unique style of musical staging. Can you talk about working with Rachel, as well as her approach to the piece?
DH: Rachel is amazing. She brings so many good ideas to the show and she is such a hardworking collaborator. We have been through two workshops with her on this show and I can honestly say we could not have done it without her.
AS: Rachel has pitch perfect instincts and a lightning fast mind. Which means she gets what Dave and I are going for, and then she directs and stages in a way that communicates that vision with crystal clarity. The result is both definitively hers and definitively ours. Amazing, and rare.
ShowBiz Chicago: The concept of the parent-child relationship, and the challenges yet rewards therein, seems to be an especially important theme in the show. Tell me about what you hope kids and family will take away from these messages.
DH: This is one of the shows where if we have done it right, towards the second to last song, the parents will start putting their arms around their kids and the kids will start crawling into their laps. Our hope is that parents will leave the show more connected to their kids, and visa versa.
AS: I think a lot of times we do not see what is right in front of us. Whether it is “invisible” fabric or the fabric of our closest relationships, we take a lot for granted because “that’s just how it is”. It does not occur to us to see things from any perspective other than our own. I hope parents and kids walk away a little more aware that they are deeply connected to each other and that just because their points of view differ does not mean there is any love lost.
ShowBiz Chicago: Finally, both of you consistently work on new theatre pieces. What do you both see as the importance of introducing children to original stage works, as opposed to the more common stage version of popular young adult movies?
DH: I think as long as families are going to the theater together period that is a good sign. But for starters, I think taking children to original stage works introduces them to simpler stories that were created for a simpler medium. Movies tends to have more characters, more locations, more plot, more cutting back and forth between things and when you adapt that for the stage that complexity needs to be paired down. I think it is too hard maintain the original impact of the film version, because you are trying to contain something larger. When you write something especially for the theater, you are starting with a simple idea and expanding it, not the other way around.
AS: No joke, I think bringing your kids to an original stage work is one of the best things you can do for their minds and hearts. A brand new story nourishes and sparks the imagination. They have never heard it before, so all they have is what is happening right now in front of them. Plus, a lot of those movies are already brilliant, why skim a little of their magic off the top when you can whip up a fresh dose?
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” runs through August 29, 2010 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier. For tickets or for more information, please visit www.ChicagoShakes.com.
