Summer 2003 - Linda Eder

Transcription

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June 2003
Dear Friends,
Ordinarily it is hard to get me in the house in the summertime, but
since it has rained for forty days and forty nights and is raining
now…I am in the house. So is my son. He is sitting right beside
me begging to use the computer. After a battle for the computer
mouse from the office desktop, I have set him up with a game on
the laptop. With a little luck, I will be able to concentrate long
enough to write this letter.
As usual, time has flown by and I can hardly believe that it is time
for another letter. This summer will also fly by because it is the
summer of CAMILLE CLAUDEL at the Goodspeed. It seems like it
was yesterday when I still had six months to prepare for the role.
Now rehearsals are just around the corner, so I have been trying
to cram in as much free summer as I can between concerts. The
rain is really cramping my style!!!
Speaking of concerts…thank you for showing up and raising the
roofs of venues all across the country. Many people work hard to
put on the shows for you, so it is greatly appreciated by all. I have
really enjoyed singing the new songs from BROADWAY MY WAY.
Some of my favorites are: “I Am What I Am,” “Impossible Dream,”
“Edelweiss,” “Losing My Mind,” and, of course, “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Most of the time I have met bunches of you at the
stage door; but sometimes I haven’t, and I hope you forgive and understand. I’ve never known how to greet people
quickly, so if time is really tight, it’s better not to try at all. Many of you drive an awfully long way, and I always feel
guilty when I can’t be there for you.
As many of you know, I have a new album coming out this September. It’s strange to say “new” because I didn’t have
to lift a finger to make it. It’s an album made of material that I recorded when I was signed to Angel Records. Angel is
under the control of my friend, Bruce Lundvall. He has run Blue Note Records for years and is widely thought of as a
legend in the music business- a true “music man.” He was the first record guy to come to hear me sing all those years
ago, and we became friends then. I wasn’t jazz and couldn’t be on his label at the time but we remained friends, and I
have always respected his opinions. This new album will include selections from the two albums I recorded with
Angel, as well as stuff that was recorded but never released during those years when the creative decisions were
being made by other people. We all hope you will like this album.
The other night I took Jake to his first Broadway Musical, FROG
AND TOAD, a wonderful children’s show that he loved. Somewhere
in the second act when I was thinking about all the songs the leads
had to sing and wondering if they ever forgot their lyrics, I suddenly
got a panic attack for CAMILLE CLAUDEL. All I could think about
was the fact that I had never done a show where I had so much
dialogue. I am nervous about it. As many of you know, I have been
known to go up on a lyric now and then. In my own show, it’s no
problem. I make a joke out of it. Somehow I don’t think that will work
in CAMILLE. I’m also trying to get in better shape, and since my
parents are now visiting…and cooking for us…it’s really hard.
Speaking of parents, my mother is now feeling fine, and the scare
we went through is now fading from our thoughts. I want to thank all
of you for the kind words and concern. Thank you for thinking of us.
All in all, life is very good. Every day when I sit on the porch swing with my son in the late afternoon, I count my many
blessings. All of you are one of those many blessings. Thank you!
What a fabulous year 2003 has shaped up to be! With
the excitement at the release of BROADWAY MY
WAY and its debut at Carnegie Hall, to Linda’s busy
concert schedule, the opening of CAMILLE
CLAUDEL and the release of STORYBOOK (two
new CDs in one year— WOW!); life is very busy, but
also very, very good!
We’ve been hard at work since February to bring you
this Summer 2003 edition of THE VOICE. We’re
excited with the results and we hope you will be too.
We know that you will especially enjoy reading the
letter that Linda has written to you, her fans, for this
issue.
From left to right THE VOICE EDERTORS: Lori Phelan,
Amanda Christensen, Frank Wildhorn, Charlene Hyman,
and Ellen Jacobs Missing: Webmaster, Jack Hyman
So much of “the buzz” this year has revolved around
CAMILLE CLAUDEL, and so we only felt it fitting to
do an in-depth interview with the creative genius behind it all— Frank Wildhorn. Frank talked about CAMILLE, but he
also gave us a lot of insight into his personal creative process, his early years that prepared him for the success he
enjoys today and even a glimpse of his family life with Linda, Justin and Jake.
We also profiled the other half of CAMILLE’S powerhouse creative team—Nan Knighton, a truly gifted writer and
lyricist. We found Nan to be just as brilliant as we expected, but also charming, incredibly funny, kind and warm.
After years of anticipation, Linda has finally returned to the stage in the title role of CAMILLE CLAUDEL, a woman
whose life parallels her own in some ways. For this issue, which we have titled “The Summer of CAMILLE CLAUDEL,”
not only have we interviewed the creative minds behind the scenes, but we’ve explored the life of Camille in greater
historic detail.
It’s been an exciting year with the BROADWAY MY WAY tour, and we’re happy to share some of the photos and
stories that we have received. We’ve also included a look back to the debut of BROADWAY MY WAY at Carnegie
Hall (with commentary from some special guests!) and the CD signing at Barnes & Noble in New York City. If you
attended the CD signing, be sure to check "the wanted poster" for your picture. You may have won a prize from Linda!
In continuing with our tradition of featuring Linda’s band members, we had the pleasure of getting to know Clint De
Ganon and Stephanie Cummins— a true, class-act couple. Clint and Stephanie were most gracious and excited
about telling their story as musicians and as a couple. We hope you’ll enjoy reading about this wonderfully talented
and kind-hearted pair.
Once again, Linda helped to kick-off the Summer season in Bryant Park (NYC) at the second annual Broadway
Under The Stars concert. We’ve included some pictures from the evening as well as a brief review. Such
appearances sometimes make us wonder, "How did Linda, a shy girl from Minnesota, find her way to the Broadway
stage?" Heather Hunt (aka “BrainerdBud”), a fan from Linda’s hometown of Brainerd, went on assignment for THE
VOICE to learn more about how it all began for Linda. We’re delighted with the result of Heather’s research, and we
know you will be too, when you read “From Brainerd to Broadway.”
This issue would not be complete without an update on Brittany Maier and her family (featured in the Winter ’03
edition on THE VOICE). The fan response to Brittany has been both wonderful and overwhelming, as you will read in
a letter from Brittany’s Mom, Tammy.
Another update we know you will be excited about concerns the
marvelous lyricist Jack Murphy, whom we featured in the Winter ‘03
edition of THE VOICE. Jack’s album, LIVE AND LEARN, is now
available for purchase on his Web site, www.jackmurphymusic.com.
We love the unique sound and we know you will too. Head over to Jack’s
Web site and listen for yourselves.
This year not only has been a banner year in Linda’s career, but also for you, the fans. You have
been so generous in your support of The Linda Eder Online Auction to benefit The Breast
Cancer Research Foundation on EderFan.com. BIG TIME congratulations and thanks to you all,
and especially to Stevie for his tireless efforts.
We’d like to thank all of those who have made this edition of THE VOICE possible.
To Linda— Thank you for all that you give to the fans. Your voice lifts our spirits and your kindness warms our hearts.
You are absolutely THE BEST!
A special thank you to those who contributed to the pages of this issue: Frank Wildhorn, Nan Knighton, Gabriel Barre,
Clint De Ganon, Stephanie Cummins, Heather Hunt and Tammy Maier.
For all of your behind the scenes help, big thanks to: Jill Siegel and Katie Hazard of Jill Siegel Communications, Dave
Hart of The Agency Group, Brian Feinstein and Nick Cheng of Wildhorn Productions, Jeremy Roberts, and the
greatest “Front of House” mixer/production manager in the world, Jeffrey Osborne.
Finally, thanks again to you, the fans. We love bringing you THE VOICE and we look forward to hearing from you
soon!
Happy Reading!
THE VOICE EDITORIAL STAFF
Amanda Christensen, Charlene Hyman, Ellen Jacobs, Lori Phelan, and Webmaster, Jack Hyman
I feel like I married ten men! A friend, a lover, a
composer, a teacher, a coach, a manager, an
agent, a business partner, an eighteen-year-old,
and a dreamer!
Frank Wildhorn is a modern-day musical genius and the husband of Linda Eder. His compositions have touched the
lives of people all over the world, and he has enriched the lives of theatre lovers everywhere with his creation of
JEKYLL & HYDE, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and CIVIL WAR. As he was preparing to take his latest musical,
CAMILLE CLAUDEL, to the stage, Frank graciously took time out of his busy schedule to sit down in his office with
the staff of THE VOICE for this intriguing interview. We are sure you will enjoy reading about the journey this prolific
composer has been on, a journey which has brought him to this point in his life and career.
VOICE: Can you tell us something about your early years?
FRANK: I was born in Women's Hospital in Harlem. My earliest memories begin when we lived in Queens Village. I
guess I lived there from the age of one or two until I was about 14 years old.
VOICE: We didn't think you lived in New York City that long. Please tell us about growing up in New York.
FRANK: I remember having a really good childhood-nothing so extraordinary. My childhood was pretty normal-good
family, really good family. I have one sister. My mom's folks lived very close to us in Queens. A lot of my family lived in
Jericho on Long Island-lots of good memories, good times.
VOICE: What kinds of things did you enjoy doing as a child?
FRANK: My life growing up in New York was really about sports. My dad was a great athlete! In fact, he played
baseball during the Korean War with the Eddie Matthews All-Star Team.
VOICE: Were you interested in music during this time?
FRANK: I think the music didn't hit me until later to tell you the truth. As a kid, I drew a lot. I was very much into art.
When I first went to school, I thought about fine art. That's how much I was into it at that time. Besides sports, I was
painting and selling my paintings and doing things like that. The music kind of crept in after my Bar Mitzvah at around
the age of 13 or 14.
VOICE: So your move to Florida and your interest in music really went hand in hand?
FRANK: We moved to Hollywood, Florida, a town between North Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It was there that I
played high school football, worked as a lifeguard for the city of Hollywood and picked up music. I know you are aware
that I am a self-taught musician. At the time, I thought that being a lifeguard, playing football and being a musician
were all great ways to pick up girls! That's as far as the ambition went back then.
VOICE: When did music become the most important thing in your life?
FRANK: It was very soon that music just took over my life. I know I was 15 or 16 years old when one day I just turned
to my parents and said, “Whatever else I do, it doesn't really matter. This is what I am going to do.”
VOICE: What was the reaction of your parents?
FRANK: It was very tough for my parents to accept what I
really wanted to do when I was 15 or 16, but this was all I
wanted. I really did. People who have known me that long
know that my life has been on a pretty consistent track.
VOICE: Who were your earliest influences in music?
FRANK: Everybody, and that was really important. There
were the Gershwins and the Doobie Brothers. There was
Tchaikovsky and Stevie Wonder. That is really the key to
who I am as a musician in my life. For me, it had to be all of
it.
VOICE: Your approach is so similar to Nan's. Nan told us
that she reads everything she can get her hands on, just as
you listen to every type of music.
FRANK: Yes, Nan does. That's one way we are very much
alike.
Linda, Frank’s parents and Frank on Frank and
Linda’s Wedding Day, May 3, 1998
VOICE: When did you begin writing music?
FRANK: I have been writing music ever since I have been playing it. I can't remember a day when I was playing that I
wasn't also writing. I either had my own bands or got into a ton of other bands. And the key always was that I was
playing everything-Jazz, R & B, Rock & Roll. I was doing it all and doing it all the time. I was desperately trying to hold
onto that-to do it all.
VOICE: Was the piano your first musical instrument?
FRANK: No, trumpet was my first instrument.
VOICE: When did you switch to the piano?
FRANK: Maybe the next day! (big laugh) I really couldn't tell you.
VOICE: Do you remember your first musical composition?
FRANK: Yes, it was called “You Are The Sun.” I wrote it for
my band, Sunrise Highway. It was sung by my friend, Randy
Walters. I wrote it for my first girlfriend or one of my first
girlfriends back in Florida, and I am sure it was as awful then
as it is in my head at this moment. But the truth of the matter
is that I really can't remember not writing, even when I had
my own bands. I always loved to write, and my bands always
had original stuff to play.
VOICE: Why did you choose to attend the University of
Miami?
FRANK: I had my family and also my band in Florida so I
wanted to stay close, but back in 1977-1978, it was obvious
that the music business was not in Miami. It was in New York,
LA or Nashville. I was from New York, and at that time I didn't
understand the country world of Nashville like I do now; so LA
Frank’s first band “Sunrise Highway,” Florida 1975
seemed like a pretty cool place to hang out. The music
publishing business more than anything else was in LA in the late 70's and early 80's. For a writer who is not a
performer, the music publishing business is what's really important. They pay you in advance for the songs they
believe you are going to write for them, and they go out and get those songs covered or recorded by artists. LA
seemed like the place to be, so I went.
VOICE: So you transferred to USC?
FRANK: Yes, and the ironic thing about all of it was that I was a history
major, not a music major! Now a person can actually attend USC on a full
Frank Wildhorn Scholarship for music. That's pretty cool! There is an actual
scholarship in my name at USC, which was started about four years ago.
VOICE: How did that come about?
FRANK: They hold something called the Charles Dickens Dinner. Larry
Livingston called me one day. He's Dean of Music at USC, and I know him
from the business more than from the academic world. He said, “We are
honoring you this year. We are giving you a scholarship.” I said, “I'm flattered
and it's wonderful, but I hope you know I wasn't a music student at USC. I
was a history student.” He told me it wasn't about that. It was about my
name being attached to the school. USC was great-wonderful years, great
times. I learned a lot there.
Frank at USC
VOICE: Please tell us about the evolution of your first musical, CHRISTOPHER.
FRANK: CHRISTOPHER was JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Part 8 from a Zen Buddhist point of view. I loved
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, especially at that time in my life. I was 18 years old. It was a theatre piece that was
using pop music, and it was also played on the radio. That appealed to me. It was cool. I was into the Eastern
Philosophy time of my life and all that crazy stuff; so I concocted the idea for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Part 8.
VOICE: Can you elaborate on the storyline?
FRANK: The world had been destroyed. The musical is about the remnants of the world that come back. Somebody
leads them. There were good guys and bad guys. Everybody had a character parallel to SUPERSTAR. I wrote the
book, music and lyrics and John Houseman produced it. It was a wonderful and incredible learning experience at
USC.
VOICE: Who played the leading roles?
FRANK: The star of the show was a guy named Chuck Wagner, who became the first star of JEKYLL & HYDE in
1990. The female lead was a woman named Madolyn Smith. She was discovered from CHRISTOPHER and later
played John Travolta's girlfriend in URBAN COWBOY, the movie. She's had a great career. So a little fraternity from
that show at USC turned out to be great. It was a lot of fun.
VOICE: Please elaborate on your relationship with Steve Cuden, your friend and JEKYLL & HYDE collaborator.
FRANK: Steve was a dear friend of mine at USC. He was in the drama school. I was not. We had a lot of things in
common. We sat down and started writing together. I don't remember how, but we decided to start writing stuff for kids
and that's what we did. The first thing we wrote was called THE LAST TZAR. It was about Nicholas, Alexander and
Rasputin. We also wrote a musical about Caesar and a bunch of other crazy things. We were kids doing our thing.
VOICE: When did you first become interested in writing a musical about the story of JEKYLL & HYDE?
FRANK: I saw a show starring Frank Langella called DRACULA that I thought was sexy. I liked that they took a
Victorian horror story and melodrama and made it into a contemporary piece of art. Remember, this was way before
there was ever a PHANTOM. When I was at USC, I found the story of JEKYLL & HYDE and started playing around
with it. There are three or four melodies in the show for Broadway that were literally written back at USC when I was
18 years old. So we worked on that project. The years go on and you go your separate ways. For me to go where I
needed to go, I surrounded myself with different people.
VOICE: How did you go from this type of writing to writing top 40 tunes?
FRANK: When I was at USC and did my shows, a lot of the publishers in Los Angeles would come to see them. The
feedback I always got from the publishers was, “You have a real flair for melody. I think you can write for pop people.
Why are you doing this theatre stuff? You'll never make any money.” That is the typical
pop kind of attitude. Chase the charts…write a hit…up…down…next. These were not theatre loving people. These
were pop people. But the fact of the matter is they offered me a job, and they paid me for my first professional job as a
songwriter.
VOICE: Did these years as a writer of pop music help you to get to where you are now?
FRANK: Yes, this experience was great for me, and the truth of the matter is that the whole thing is ironic. I love the
irony in it. It was the years as a pop writer that were the best training I ever could have gotten for theatre. Back then,
when you had a publisher, you would write for different things. In the morning, you would be writing for a 16-year-old
African American artist. The next day you could be writing for a 45-year-old guy from Nashville. Next year you could
be writing for a Southern Rock & Roll band. So you learn to write from all these people's different points of view. The
pop world was actually better training for theatre in
that way because the theatre world is so much more
narrow. You are studying the masters and
emulating the masters. You sometimes lose the
common touch in the theatre, and pop only works
and is successful when it has the common touch.
That's why the great writers of yesteryear (the
Gershwins, the Porters, Rodgers & Hammerstein)
were pop writers. They were writing the popular
music of the day. So many of today's theatre writers
wouldn't know a hit if it hit them in the head. They
are so in touch with these 15 blocks in New York
City called Broadway that they lose the common
touch. Pop music is for the world to share.
Frank and Linda with Songwriters’ Hall of Fame President
Linda Moran and Chairman/CEO Hal David
VOICE: You have managed to keep that common
touch in your work. You always write for the people.
FRANK: That's what I always try to do.
VOICE: Do you remember the first song of yours that you heard on the radio?
FRANK: “We Can Make Miracles Together,” 1983. I loved it! It was great, wonderful…Stacey Lattisaw.
VOICE: What about the first time one of your songs went to No.1?
FRANK: Amazing, great, incredible! Again, you don't know
if that's going to happen. Whitney made that for me years
ago (Frank points to a collage on his wall designed and
created by Whitney Houston). “Where Do Broken Hearts
Go” was the seventh consecutive No. 1 single she had in a
row. It broke the Beatles' record at that time. You don't
know that when you are writing the song. You are just
writing. I'm friends with Chuck Jackson (Jesse's brother).
He's written all of Natalie Cole's big hits: “Inseparable,”
“I've Got Love On My Mind.” He called me up one day and
said, “I've got a title. Come up with something. Come over
tonight and we'll continue working on it… ‘Where Do
Broken Hearts Go.'” We sat down and we wrote the song.
That was cool.
Natalie Cole, Frank, BeBe and CeCe Winans at the 1998
Goodwill Games. Frank served as Musical Director for
the opening ceremonies and also composed original
works for the festivities, including a piece performed by
Cole and the Winans.
VOICE: Before we discuss your more recent career, we'd
like to talk about Linda. We've heard her version of how
you met and fell in love. You know…about how you
chased her around the piano (Frank interrupts, “Wouldn't
you?”) (big laugh). Would you like to share your version of
the story?
FRANK: The truth of the matter is that in the very beginning, Linda did something totally and incredibly out of
character for who she is… her upbringing, her parents and all of that. She came to Florida to work with somebody she
wanted to work with, but whom she had never met. We talked on the phone, and I immediately fell in love with that
instrument. I never heard anything like that, but I couldn't leave Florida because I was working on a record. I told her
she'd have to come there if she wanted to work with me. It was a gigantic step for Linda to have done that. It was very
brave on Linda's part, yet she did come. Because she did, we had the chance to actually work intimately together.
You can put two people together in a room and nothing might happen or the chemistry can be there. Good things can
happen. Bad things can happen. You never know.
VOICE: Good things certainly did happen for you and Linda.
FRANK: When you work with a singer as a composer or a vocal producer as I am, it is a very intimate relationship.
You have to open yourself up and be vulnerable both to give from your heart what it is you are trying to express and to
be able to have that exchange back and forth. That's why you see so many relationships between people in this
business: producers, singers, actors, actresses, directors and stars. It is such an intimate relationship forced by the
very nature of the work that you do. From the very, very beginning, there was such a wonderful chemistry about our
relationship. How could I not chase her around the piano? She's gorgeous! She sings like an angel. All of the things
she was...were because of what she is on the inside. They just make her more beautiful on the outside. Also, I am
sure we are incredible challenges to each other, and that's what turned us on. We both like those things.
VOICE: You both come from very different backgrounds.
FRANK: Yes, I always tell her that she should be married to the Marlboro man and living in New Mexico on a 5,000
acre farm because that is who she is. I am a New York City boy. That's who I am. Yet, when the two of us come
together, it makes something bigger than both of us. I think what I bring to her and what she brings to me is quite
extraordinary. The really great thing is, it's 15 or 16 years later and it's still extraordinary. She's brought so many
things into my life that weren't there before, and she always continues to do that. I hope I have brought one or two
things into her life. She's a much more well-rounded person than I am. I love the music so much that the music is
never work to me. Everything else I do, the sports, the kids, is kind of recreation. It's fun. It's not work; it's love. Linda
has a much more balanced array of interests. Hers is a whole different philosophy.
VOICE: What project brought you and Linda together?
FRANK: Linda auditioned for JEKYLL & HYDE at the Promenade Theatre. It was an incredible day. She didn't have a
rehearsal pianist. She had a boom box with a track of “Don't Cry For Me Argentina.” Stuart Howard, who cast FUNNY
GIRL, was the casting director at that moment for JEKYLL & HYDE. He wasn't the final casting director. He was
working with us, and we were sitting in a darkened theatre. We weren't in a rehearsal hall but in the actual theatre.
Linda was down there on stage. Stuart said, “I don't know what to do with this girl. I never heard a voice like this since
‘you know who!'” Linda never looked up when she auditioned. She was so shy. She had this enormous stage
presence just because of who she is, but at the same time she was incredibly shy. No one knew what she could do as
an actress. It was a very cool day. I remember it well.
VOICE: We are well aware of the path you and Linda took
from the time you first met all those years ago. That
meeting led to an incredible collaboration in life and in art.
You have had an amazing array of collaborators in your
career.
FRANK: Nan Knighton and I are such an interesting and
fun team. Then again so are Jack Murphy and I, Leslie
Bricusse and I, because all of them have Cambridge or Ivy
League minds. I am much more of a street kid than all of
those guys. Even though Jack is kind of a street kid too, he
went to St. John's and was going to be a lawyer. These
are very smart people who have taught me so much. I am
more instinctual and visceral. They are more intellectual
and cerebral, and therefore much more neurotic than I am!
Frank and Jack Murphy
It is a great partnership that I have with all of them. Leslie
is the one who taught me about life, about working hard and playing hard. He's got it down.
VOICE: When did you first meet him?
FRANK: I met Leslie in 1989. We were introduced at his home in Beverly Hills by a
man named Hillard Elkins, who has produced some of Leslie's shows. We have a
wonderful relationship. He is about 30 years older than I am. He's actually a year
older than my dad, but on the other hand, he could be 29. He's just been great. But
they are all great. I love the chemistry Nan and I have and the kinds of things we do
together. I love the chemistry Jack and I have and the things we do together. I try to
get the best from everybody, and hopefully they get the best from me and we make
something great.
VOICE: The path that led to JEKYLL & HYDE arriving on Broadway, followed by
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and CIVIL WAR, have been well documented. Being
the last composer of the twentieth century to have three shows running
simultaneously on Broadway, how do you feel being in such elite company?
FRANK: Great! But if you know me, you know I don't like to make more of that than it
Leslie Bricusse
is. For me, everything I do is always about the journey and the work to get there,
never about the end itself. The end is never what you think it will be. I have written songs that I thought would be hits
that nobody will ever hear; I have written songs that I thought nobody will ever hear that are going to be hits. I never
try to presuppose what the ending is going to be because by now I have learned that it's never going to be what you
think it's going to be anyway. So it's always the journey.
VOICE: What was the great part of having these three shows running
simultaneously on Broadway?
FRANK: What was always delightful and wonderful about having three
shows was that every night I got to go to three different theatres and see
all the hundreds of people that my work affected. My work gave them jobs
and enriched their lives and that of their families. The same is true of the
subsequent tours and international productions. I love that idea. It's kind
of what the musical Wildhorn Family is to me. What I started by myself on
a rainy night at four in the morning...the next thing you know there are 16
companies of JEKYLL & HYDE around the world. Thousands and
thousands of people...their lives, their livelihoods, their families are
connected to me in some way. That's what I love about having three
shows. There were more people and more softball teams to play on!
Frank at the closing of JEKYLL & HYDE
Broadway, January 7, 2001
VOICE: Can you share a favorite memory about each show?
FRANK: A favorite memory? Oy! Let me think. That is a very good question. I would probably think that whatever I say
now might not be the same tomorrow if I really thought about it.
VOICE: Let's begin with JEKYLL & HYDE.
FRANK: The JEKYLL & HYDE memory I am sure was the
first night in 1990 in Houston. That would be it by far
because that was my first professional day as a writer of
the theatre. I knew the buzz of making records in a studio. I
knew what that was. I loved that buzz. I knew what it was to
have my songs played on the radio, film and TV. By that
time, I knew what it was like to have a No. 1 song around
the world. But nothing prepared me for the first night of
JEKYLL. In a way, that was more exciting than the first
night of Broadway for me.
The original cast of JEKYLL & HYDE at the Alley
Theatre in Houston, TX, with Shirley MacLaine (and yes
—that IS Jeremy!)
VOICE: Why is that?
FRANK: Again, Broadway was just the end of the journey, and I feel so much of
that journey started in Houston. Back in Houston in 1990, we were so young, so
naïve, so idealistic. We were a bunch of kids who hadn't grown up in theatre. We
didn't know the rules of the game, but we were lucky enough to meet a guy
named Gregory Boyd who said, “You know what, screw the rules of the game.
Let's do it your way!” He let us do it. My life would have been very different if he
didn't let me do those things. My first professional experience, Linda's first
professional experience, Jeremy's, Carl's, Kim's. And the reason I stayed in
theatre and didn't immediately go back into the studio to do pop music was that
experience. It was a wonderful time, a wonderful experience. I look back at it all
the time and think of it so fondly, so my favorite memory is opening night in Houston.
Gregory Boyd
VOICE: And then came THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL.
FRANK: I think my greatest memory of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL was in
rehearsal for JEKYLL & HYDE across the street from Radio City Music Hall. The
phone rang and the stage manager called me into the office. It was Pierre
Cossette, the producer, on the phone. He said, “I am calling you from Jimmy
Nederlander's office. SUNSET BOULEVARD is closing, and I just gave them a
check for $700,000. So we now have the rights to the theatre and THE SCARLET
PIMPERNEL is opening right after JEKYLL next season.” It was such a surprise
and such a buzz that I got off the phone and said to the cast, “I have to share
something with you. PIMPERNEL is opening right after you guys.” It came out of
the blue. I remember that so distinctly. That is such a wonderful memory.
VOICE: And now your
favorite memory about
CIVIL WAR.
Linda, Frank and Hootie & The Blowfish in Nashville
during the recording of THE CIVIL WAR
FRANK: CIVIL WAR.
The whole thing was a
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL
great memory. In some
respects, it is still my favorite piece. CIVIL WAR let me do
what I do best on all levels. I really was able to keep my foot
in the theatre and in pop at the same time. There wasn't a
moment writing for CIVIL WAR that wasn't wonderful. It was
the best group of singers I ever surrounded myself with. To
be able to have a career writing for Broadway, where
included in that career are Julie Andrews and Hootie & the
Blowfish, that's what gets me going. That's what I like; it's
never one thing. The people I worked with in other shows
were great, but CIVIL WAR gave me an opportunity to work
with James Garner, Ellen Burstyn, Danny Glover and Dr.
Maya Angelou, all on that recording. That was as special to
me as anything.
VOICE: Before we discuss CAMILLE CLAUDEL, we'd like to hear about some of your other projects. The original
concept for THE ROMANTICS was a series of mini musicals. Four of them have become full-length productions. Are
any of the other shows going to be developed further?
FRANK: THE ROMANTICS is an ongoing thing in my
life. Because I started THE ROMANTICS, CAMILLE
exists, BONNIE & CLYDE exists, SCOTT & ZELDA
exists, and to some extent CYRANO & ROXANE exists.
I used THE ROMANTICS as my own little development
laboratory, which has worked great. These shows are
coming from that project. But THE ROMANTICS is a
very expensive record project. If you study or know
anything about the record business right now, you know
it is a very tough time for them. It is a tough enough time
to see if the artists who keep the lights on here, Match
Box Twenty, Kid Rock and Jewel, are going to do well.
So for the record company to make that kind of
investment in THE ROMANTICS in these times has
THE CIVIL WAR on Broadway , New York City 1999
been tough. I really haven't pushed them that much
because they treat me so well and let me do whatever I
want to do, and we have literally been so busy developing the shows you are going to see in the next couple of years.
VOICE: How far off in the future is SCOTT & ZELDA*?
FRANK: Jack just finished a gorgeous draft of the script, and we are
meeting with our potential director on Friday. We are getting there. Like I
said, we are committed pretty far out right now.
*As of this writing, Frank and Jack have just come back from their first
successful workshop in Florida directed and choreographed by Ann Reinking
VOICE: Will we ever see SVENGALI?
FRANK: Yeah! I have an offer to do SVENGALI in a theatre in this
country right now. Whether I will do it or not, I don't know. A lot depends
on my own physical time, and it's a very busy time right now. We'll see.
SVENGALI will have a life because there is a desire for other theatres to
give it a life and there are producers who want to do it. I love SVENGALI,
but when and how and with whom, I couldn't tell you.
VOICE: Your fans have been looking forward to HAVANA for a long time.
Please tell us about the progress you are making with this show.
Linda, Ann Reinking and Frank
FRANK: HAVANA actually started before CAMILLE CLAUDEL, but we
were struggling with the book. You'll see HAVANA. There is a score that
is written for the show. It is hard enough to do a show based on a subject. It's very hard to do that. It's twice as hard to
write a show based on nothing. We are making HAVANA from scratch and are still working on it. It's like Paul Mason
wine. “We will serve no wine until its time.” The time is not yet. We'll keep working on it, but we have a lot of busy guys
who have their own careers doing different things, so sometimes it gets pushed back. It's another vehicle for Linda.
Thinking optimistically, CAMILLE will take up her time for the next year or more at least, so HAVANA is still a distance
away.
VOICE: How did the idea for writing a musical based on the life of Camille Claudel begin? Who first spoke her name?
FRANK: I did. I am always looking for new things for both Linda and myself to play around with. HAVANA wasn't
ready, so I was open to another idea. In the meantime, I saw the movie of Camille Claudel's life. I can't remember why
I saw it, but as soon as I saw the movie, I began thinking that Camille would be such a great part for Linda. If I were
going to do another show for Linda, I knew it would not be about an aristocrat. Camille was such an earthy girl, and
Linda is an earthy girl. I thought about the fact that Camille was an artist and of the earth, and that's very much who
Linda is around the house. If you saw Linda yesterday in the mud….that is Linda. That is who she is, and so that
appealed to me right away. The fact that Camille was a woman “a la Yentl” who was dealing in a real man's world in
an artistic sensibility appealed to me. That Camille left her mark at a time when it was so hard for a woman to leave
her mark attracted me. And, of course, Rodin's relationship with Camille had so many parallels to my own relationship
with Linda, and that attracted me. And then, tragedy always attracts me. That's real life.
VOICE: Nan told us that she doesn't like the “T” word attached to the story she wrote for CAMILLE CLAUDEL.
FRANK: The focus is not that Camille's life ended in tragedy. All of our lives end in tragedy. It is that we are
celebrating her life, and I thought she deserved a musical. Camille deserved a movie, so why not a musical? I think
Linda took pretty quickly to all of those aspects of Camille's life that I mentioned and related to all of them.
VOICE: Did Linda's interest in art influence your decision to select the life of Camille Claudel as a vehicle for her
return to Broadway?
FRANK: A little. Obviously Linda is an artist, but it was not just the art. Linda makes things; she builds things. That's
what she does. Camille made things and built things. The answer is yes.
VOICE: How do you begin to write a musical such as CAMILLE CLAUDEL?
FRANK: For me, first I get inspired about something, and then I write. I probably write 100 pieces of music and I
immediately cross out 80 of them. I always try to see that the 20 that are left are exciting enough for me to say,
“Alright, is there a two-hour piece of entertainment in this?” If there is, I go to the next step. I saw that the
entertainment was there with the songs I wrote for CAMILLE CLAUDEL, so I went to the next step.
VOICE: What was the next step?
FRANK: I knew that for this piece I needed to write with a woman. I knew it had to be Nan Knighton. Nan and I had
such a great time doing PIMPERNEL, and she really related to Camille's story. Nan is married to a very high profile,
very powerful lawyer in New York named John Breglio. I am sure she found her own parallels in their lives as Linda
and I did in ours, so there were a lot of reasons to move ahead with this project.
VOICE: At what point did you decide to switch vehicles from HAVANA to CAMILLE CLAUDEL?
FRANK: I can't tell you the exact time, but it was obvious to us that Nan and I were on a track that was working. More
importantly, the producers saw that and gave us the money to continue working on it. We love what we do and it is an
art form, but we are in show business. Without the money and support of the producers, nothing gets done.
VOICE: How many songs have you actually written so far for this musical?
FRANK: For CAMILLE, I think I probably have written 30 to 35 songs, which have been narrowed down to 20 or 25.
Nothing like JEKYLL. That was a whole crazy thing and took up so many years of my life. CAMILLE has been a
relatively short period.
VOICE: Do you think that the 20 or 25 songs will make it to the final cut?
FRANK: I really have no idea. Usually the number of songs is in that range. A lot of what you call songs, I call musical
events. It is the kind of style for some of the shows I have written. There are songs like “Someone Like You,” “This Is
The Moment,” “Gold,” “Into The Fire,” but there are musical events. CAMILLE is a combination of both.
VOICE: What is your favorite song from CAMILLE CLAUDEL?
FRANK: “Woman In His Arms.” It was the first melody I wrote for the show, and it is my favorite.
VOICE: Is there anything else you would like to share
with us about CAMILLE CLAUDEL?
FRANK: CAMILLE is in its embryonic stage. If you
know anything about the history of any of my shows,
you will understand the process. We are going to
open the show at the Goodspeed in August. The
show you are going to see will have very little to do
with what you will see happen the next time you see
the show. After that, hopefully it will be on to
Broadway! It is the nature of the beast. Whether you
are interviewing me, or Andrew Lloyd Webber, or
Stephen Sondheim, we will all tell you the same thing.
Frank, Linda, Singer/Songwriter Barry Manilow and
First you do a series of readings and then a series of
Songwriters’ Hall of Fame President Linda Moran
workshops. If the producers are still with you after
that, you get to go out of town and have a chance to
do it on stage. Then you have the time between then and Broadway, and that's just the nature of this artistic beast. It
goes through changes and changes and changes.
VOICE: Is there any particular reason why you chose the Goodspeed?
FRANK: Well, it is only 90 minutes from my home so I can commute.
VOICE: We kind of figured out that one for ourselves. Anything else?
FRANK: The schedule helped to determine it. The last day at the Goodspeed will be on a Sunday, September 7th,
and the next day Jake starts school. (Big sigh from THE VOICE ladies who remember the tears they shed when
taking their own kids to school for the first time. Get ready, Linda.). If you know Linda, you know that was really, really
important to her.
VOICE: We know that Linda's family is the most
important thing to her.
FRANK: Linda is the exception to the rule. Believe me,
in my career I have worked with many women, and
Linda is the exception. I live in dread every day that I
will wake up tomorrow morning and Linda will say,
“That's it.” She doesn't need any of it. I know that it's
sometimes hard for the fans to realize that she doesn't
do it for the adulation and the feedback. That's the
feedback, by the way (Frank points to a four foot stack
of e-mails). That is Linda's fan mail from the last six
months.
VOICE: What becomes of all the fan mail?
The Atlantic Family: (from left to right) Frank, Co-President
Craig Kallman, Senior VP of Marketing Vicky Germaise,
Linda, & Co-President Ron Shapiro
FRANK:After we take it all in, I give it to Atlantic so that
they can have their researchers go through it. So many
of the letters are from people who have had heart
attacks, cancer or AIDS or from people whose family
members have died. They have all been touched by us. That is the wonderful thing about music in general. You can
touch people you don't even know, and Linda appreciates that. But music is only one out of a bunch of interests Linda
has, and it's not necessarily No. 1 on her list seven days a week. It's probably No. 1 a couple days a week. Her family,
her lifestyle, her horses-all those have an important place. It's hard for some people in this business who are so
cynical and jaded to believe that. But that is the truth. Linda is offered 300 to 350 gigs a year. She chooses 40. She
could choose 300. I wouldn't stop her. It would change our lifestyle, but I would respect her own artistry. She is able to
do that-choose however many gigs she wants to do and turn down the rest.
VOICE: There aren't many people in this business like Linda.
FRANK: She is very, very different. She's the only artist on
Atlantic's label without a manager calling up all day long and
asking, “What are you going to do for me this minute?” That's the
way this business works. Linda's the complete opposite. They
wonder where she is half the time! They can't even get her on the
telephone. She doesn't answer the phone anyway!
VOICE: Please tell us about Linda's newest album.
FRANK: It is called STORYBOOK, and it will be out in September.
It is an interesting thing. The album will come out and people are
going to ask, “Why is she repeating old material?” In this case
though, I want to educate you so you can educate Linda's fans.
Another record company has come to us and said, “You have
Kathie Lee Gifford, Linda,
been so successful. We love your work so much. We found some
Frank and Frank Gifford
recordings that you did for us that were never released, and we'd
like to put them in a new album with some of the best things you did when you were signed with us.”
VOICE: That is so wonderful!
FRANK: Do you know what an honor that is for a singer who is not a pop artist? This is not even Atlantic Records, but
another record company that has come to us. It is run by a man by the name of Bruce Lundvall. I love this man. He is
one of the classiest guys in the business. He discovered Nora Jones last year. He found all these masters of
recordings we did in the early nineties. He took those masters and put them together with his favorite songs from AND
SO MUCH MORE and the first SCARLET PIMPERNEL record to make this new album. The cool thing about this
record is that there are five or six songs that have never been released and another four or five will be released with
different arrangements than they originally had. They let us play with the material, so for me, it is like having a new toy
to play with and I love the album. I love the listening experience.
VOICE: Linda's fans are looking forward to its release.
FRANK: When it comes out, this album will remind you of
IT'S TIME and IT'S NO SECRET ANYMORE as a listening
experience. I respect the people who are doing this so
much. Here is some insight. The president of the company
is Ian Ralfini. We had lunch last week (Frank shows us the
e-mail he received from him). He writes, “You know how
much I love this record. This week I played and played and
played it. I want you to let Linda know that this is going to
be a pet project for me. I will do everything I can to make
this work.” To get that kind of support from the president of
a record company that you are not even with and that can't
benefit as much as your own record company…this makes
me feel very grateful and lucky. Linda and I are honored.
Frank with Maury Yeston and the late David Newman
VOICE: What do you like best about this new album?
FRANK: This entire album is going to be one of my favorites because of the whole listening experience. You just put it
in your car and you are done. It's a great hour! I'm very, very excited about it.
VOICE: Let's go back to your personal life and spend some of our remaining time getting to know the private Frank
Wildhorn. We know how much you love sports. What are your favorite sports teams?
FRANK: For football, it's been the Dallas Cowboys since I was six years old. For baseball, I like the Mets because
they are always the underdogs in this city.
VOICE: You don't like the Yankees?!
FRANK: I like the Yankees too, but I am more of a Mets fan. For basketball, it's probably the Lakers since I didn't get
into basketball until I went to USC.
VOICE: What is your favorite dish that Linda cooks for you?
FRANK: What is my favorite dish Linda cooks for me? HMMMMMMMMMMM (Frank thinks for a long time and then
shouts) CHICKEN! (everyone laughs)
VOICE: There are 101 ways to cook chicken!
FRANK: That's right. There can be (smiling). Linda's whole family has the tradition of being really good chefs. Her
dad, as you know, is a professional chef. Her mom is amazing and Linda is great, too. So is Margaret. They are all
great! What a question!!!
VOICE: What do you do to unwind at home besides music?
FRANK: Jake! He has become our focus. He is the star of our lives and of our family right now. Jake is our whole
world, whether it is sports, or books or learning. If you have children, you know that the time goes way too fast and
you try to hold onto those memories. (THE VOICE ladies again nod in agreement)
VOICE: You know that first-hand too because Justin is already grown.
FRANK: Justin will be here in a couple of weeks, so I will have them together for a whole bunch of weeks. That is
always the most fun! Jake tries to be Justin when Justin is around.
VOICE: What else do you enjoy for relaxation at home?
FRANK: We have tennis courts, so I play tennis. I play ball and also spend time in our gym.
VOICE: Have Justin and Jake inherited any of your athletic ability and your love of sports?
FRANK: Justin is a much better athlete than I ever was. I was a pretty good football player, but Justin was the M.V.P.
of his high school football team last year. He's the best pole-vaulter on his high school team and also plays lacrosse.
He's fantastic! He's a great athlete! Jake's almost four (he will be when this edition is released). I can't tell you what
kind of athlete he's going to be yet, but I can see that he's very coordinated. He has Linda's family's genes, and
they're all tall. I can't wait until he gets into sports!
VOICE: Do you think you might be able to take a picture of the three Wildhorn men for THE VOICE while Justin is
visiting?
FRANK: Sure, (laughing) if you will just remind Linda! That's the kind of thing you take for granted. My mom lives with
a camera attached to her! She has grandchildren and she takes pictures. You have to tell Linda to think about things
like taking pictures, sending them, answering the phone!
VOICE: We'll ask Linda. Please tell us something special
about Justin and Jake.
FRANK: What's not special? They're my children, and that's
what's so special. Justin is a “mensche” and that is the most
you can say about a guy. I know that Jake is a “mensche” in
training (Edertors' Note: “Mensche” is an Old Yiddish word for
a person with a very good heart who cares about others and
always finds the good in people).
VOICE: What advice would you give to aspiring young
musicians and composers who would like to follow in your
footsteps?
FRANK: The first thing I do is listen, and I tell them that when
I do Master Classes. I tell them to find something they love in
Frank, Justin, and Jake
every style of music. I think that is very important. Duke
Ellington always said, “There are only two styles of music, great and lesser. There is great Mozart and lesser Mozart.
There is great Stevie Wonder and lesser Stevie Wonder.” I really go out of my way whether it is Theatre, Classical,
Rap, Hard Rock, or whatever it is, to find something I like, that I can latch onto and that I can learn from. What I hate
the most is when people are closed to certain things because they fear them or don't understand them. The first thing
I tell young people is to stop trying to be one certain thing. Really listen to everything others have to offer. When it
comes to talent, you either have it or you don't. No one can give you that. It's inherent. You can't take no for an
answer; you just have to keep going.
VOICE: We didn't know you taught Master Classes. Please elaborate.
FRANK: I go to a college like the University of Miami or USC or to another place where young people are gathered. I
speak and the kids ask me questions, usually very informally. We go back and forth and the kids play or sing for me.
Then I give them my opinion for whatever it's worth. It's fun to do and keeps me connected to the younger generation,
which is very important to me. I learn as much from them as they learn from me, I am sure.
VOICE: Do you think you'd ever take your show on the road? The fans loved “An Intimate Evening with Frank
Wildhorn and Friends” at Upstairs @ Studio 54 and your performance of songs from SCOTT & ZELDA at The Duplex
in New York City.
FRANK: It will happen, but I don't feel a rush to do it right now. I am pretty busy. I think CAMILLE is well on its way. In
the spring of next year, you will hear an announcement about DRACULA. It will soon be on its way with a lot of new
pieces attached to it. That's all I can say about it right now. It is taking up a great deal of my time, and it is very real
and very alive and it's going to happen. Then I have some surprises in Europe at the end of next year, etc., etc. I can't
really announce my whole life right now because there are producers who want to have their shows announced the
right way. But put it this way-the next two to two and a half years are already booked with shows that are happening.
Right now I don't need to do my own thing. But yeah, we'll do it one day.
VOICE: You have a busy couple of years coming up.
FRANK: Yeah! I wrote and wrote and wrote. Then all of a sudden, everything happened so fast. I didn't plan on
JEKYLL, PIMPERNEL and CIVIL WAR happening so fast. The thing is that it's not just those three shows on
Broadway. It's the shows around the country, the international shows, the recordings, the publishing and keeping track
of all those businesses around the world. There is Japan. There is Germany. There's taking care of Linda's career at
the same time and producing and writing for her. It's a lot of fun!
VOICE: Most people find it difficult to juggle two or three projects at one time. You can juggle 23. How do you do it?
FRANK: It's just how I manage my time. What I do in a way isn't fair. It's a
lot easier than it is for Nan. For me, writing music, once I lock in, is a
visceral exercise, not an intellectual exercise. For me, it's like fishing. The
fish are already there. I wake up in the morning and I go fishing. Some
days I catch some; some days I don't. That's the attitude and philosophy I
have when I write. I can write a score pretty quickly. What Nan does, what
Jack does, what Leslie does is a lot more time consuming and is much
harder. Once I like a piece of music, that's what we're going to go with.
Writers have to rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite. They might have to get
producers notes and see what they say and then rewrite again. What Nan,
Jack and Leslie do is extraordinary because of that. I'm great with my
time. I really am. It's the style and attitude I have when I write.
VOICE: It's still hard
to believe that you
can ever find some
free time!
Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria
FRANK: I'm not a
Bremen, Germany, where JEKYLL &
workaholic. I'm really
HYDE DAS MUSICAL ran for 952
not. I have plenty of
performances. Frank says, “Now this is
time for my kids, my
what I call marketing!”
tennis and a lot of
other fun activities. I know that may be really hard to believe, but
it's the truth. When I sit down at the piano to write a score, it's not
work to me. I am just glad I have the opportunity to do this. When
I wake up in the morning, I always feel that I'm the luckiest guy
out there, and I try to live my life accordingly.
VOICE: What has been the greatest challenge in your career?
FRANK: My whole career has been a challenge. It has been like getting up in the morning and saying, “I'm going to be
a baseball player and play in Yankee Stadium.” When I came out of USC and had my first publishing deal and was
writing for different artists, the publisher asked me what I wanted to do. I told him that I was going to write songs and
be successful enough to write for Broadway. He said, “Well, that's like a kid saying that he wants to play baseball and
be in the starting line-up for the New York Yankees.” It's all a challenge and it's a very hard thing. Each time you feel
like you're climbing Mt. Everest, which is exactly why I do what I do. If I didn't have that challenge, I would do
something else. That's what keeps me going. That's what makes it fun for me.
VOICE: What have you found to be most rewarding?
FRANK: It's all been rewarding. It's great to wake up in the morning and do what I love to do. I wrote music as a
teenager for free because that's what I loved to do, and now they pay me more money than I ever thought I would see
in my life to do it. I write music with the same love and the same passion as when I was a teenager and for me, it's
about keeping that. It's always been about trying to do great work, growing as an artist and challenging myself.
VOICE: Is there anything else you would like to share with the fans?
FRANK: I will tell you what I can't share with you. All of my shows that are coming up are eight to ten million dollar
investments. The producers who control the shows also want to control how information about the shows gets out. As
it is, I go on the Web site and I see people talking about the shows, and that's a good thing. But you have to let the
producers control their own investments. They are investing in my work. You have to remember something. I have a
great relationship with Atlantic Records and a great relationship with Clear Channel. At the end of the day, the most
any artist can ask is for their voice to be heard. It is the
producers' money that makes it possible for Linda's voice and
my voice be heard. I always try to be very good to them and
they have been very good to me. It has been such a nice run.
VOICE: We know your fans are glad that you have been given
so many opportunities to share your talent with the world.
Thank you on behalf of the fans for taking the time to talk with
us. We wish you continued success and an extraordinary run
with CAMILLE CLAUDEL.
Frank: It's been fun!
Frank bows at the JEKYLL & HYDE opening
(second season) in Vienna
I was thrilled when Frank started writing with Nan. She beat out
all the guys on the script for THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL for a
reason. She’s really good. She has breathed life into Camille,
and it’s wonderful to know that a woman is telling a woman’s
story. Also, I am surrounded by men all the time in my work so
it’s great to hang out with a broad, and Nan is a broad. She’s
tiny, but she’s a broad and I love that.
Nan Knighton is best known for THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL book and lyrics, the stage adaptation of SATURDAY
NIGHT FEVER and the eagerly anticipated CAMILLE CLAUDEL book and lyrics. The staff of THE VOICE visited with
Nan as she was preparing to take CAMILLE to the stage, in order to learn more about the journey of her creative
spirit. Her words spin beautiful dreams in the minds of theatre lovers everywhere. How does she weave this magic
spell that captures our hearts?
VOICE: Let’s start at the beginning. Would you tell us where you were born and grew up?
NAN: Baltimore. I lived there until I was 18. We lived on a little country road called Hollins Lane, which was actually
inside a bird sanctuary. Very isolated and pretty.
VOICE: Can you tell us about your parents?
NAN: My mother was an art teacher and painter. She
taught art for over 50 years to every age group from
children to retirees. She was a great teacher. She always
stressed the importance of imagination. Like she’d say to a
child, “What other color might the sky be instead of blue?
Could it be pink? Or lavender? And the grass doesn’t have
to be green. It can be whatever color you want.”
VOICE: Did you inherit any of your mother’s artistic talent?
NAN: No. I can’t draw a damned thing! Strictly stick figures.
That particular talent skipped a generation. My oldest
daughter, Eliza, can draw beautifully and also sculpt, and
my younger daughter, Nola, also draws really well, though
she insists she can’t.
Nan’s Parents
VOICE: Does your mother continue to paint today?
NAN: Yeah. She’s now 88, and basically blind. She has macular degeneration, which means she has just a tiny little
bit of peripheral vision left in one eye, but she’s still painting. Recently she gave me a painting of a winter storm,
because she knows how much I love snow. She’s an amazing inspiration to me, kind of indomitable.
VOICE: How about your father?
NAN: My father’s 90. He’s the cat with 9 lives. He’s a doctor
and spent most of his career affiliated with Johns Hopkins.
He has three full professorships and he’s also written a lot
of medical textbooks and so forth. Actually he was going to
be an opera singer. He studied at the Peabody Institute in
Baltimore- he had a wonderful voice! But he also loved
medicine. So what it came down to was deciding that he
could be a doctor and sing on the side, but he couldn’t be a
singer and practice medicine on the side!
VOICE: Do you think your interest in the arts is a result of
your parents’ influence?
Nan & Dad
NAN: Sure. Mine was the ultimate artistic household,
always brewing with an almost pressured creativity. We were just surrounded by music, painting, books, woodcarving.
VOICE: Woodcarving? That sounds interesting.
NAN: Well, my father also loved to wood-carve. He’s just one of these multi-faceted, Renaissance men. And he could
never keep still. Like me. All his spare time was spent reading, singing, woodcarving, doing double-crostics or jigsaw
puzzles. That’s one of his woodcarvings over there in the corner, although that one’s an abstract. He usually does
nude female torsos, all these beautiful naked women with no heads or legs.
VOICE: That is so great to be able to have your father’s art displayed in your house.
NAN: Yeah. I’m very proud of them both. Lots of Mother’s paintings are around the house, too.
VOICE: Do you have any siblings?
NAN: I have one brother, three years older. He works in Baltimore for the city government. Environmental Control.
VOICE: Do your parents still live in Baltimore?
NAN: Yes. They live in a retirement community now. In fact, I just recently visited them to celebrate my father’s 90th
birthday.
VOICE: How wonderful to celebrate such an occasion! What are your favorite memories of growing up in Baltimore?
Nan at Age 5
NAN: God. Let’s see. Horse races in the spring in the Maryland
countryside- it’s so amazingly green. Tulips and flowering dogwoods
everywhere. In the fall, horse chestnuts that fell on the hill behind our
house- I used to save them like little magic talismans, polish them and
keep them under my pillow. In summer, cracking open hard-shell crabs
spread out on newspaper-covered tables. As a child, I remember my
mother playing the piano and I’d dance around the living room- once
during a hurricane- Hurricane Hazel. The wind and rain were raging
outside, and we only had candlelight inside, and mom played this
Swedish waltz and I kept dancing. We always had tons of animalsprimarily cats, but a few dogs, a guinea pig, hamsters, white mice, once
a little chick. And outside the house were tons of box turtles who would
wander into the garden, and rabbits, that the cats would unfortunately
drag in, and I’d cry. So Daddy would open a penicillin capsule and
sprinkle it on the wound, put a bandage on, and then we’d go set the
baby rabbit loose in the forest again, and I had to hope he’d make it.
Some of my earliest memories are of teaching myself to read. I
remember very vividly how jealous I was of my older brother when he
started school. He’d bring home these tantalizing papers and
worksheets, and I was just so hungry to get into it all. So my parents
bought me this little picture dictionary, which I still have. I can remember
endlessly sitting there at the kitchen table, copying the words until I
taught myself to read and write. I loved that.
(At this point, Gracie, Nan’s 3 year-old border-collie mix, came bounding into the living room. Nan had warned us that
Gracie was a “party animal” and would want to be part of the interview also. You’ll see that she interjected a thought
or two during the course of our conversation. T.J., her 14 year-old cocker spaniel, was much quieter. Since the time of
this interview, T.J. has died, but Nan assures us that it was a “good death.” He was surrounded by her, her husband,
both daughters and their boyfriends, and stroked with much love right up to the end.)
VOICE: Do you remember the first thing you wrote?
NAN: Absolutely. I wrote my first short story when I was 5 ½. I still have it, and all my early writings. In the beginning it
was just short stories, though always with lots of dialogue. Usually there’d be an evil creature in the stories- witch,
goblin, whatever- and then the good guys would win out in the end. Some of them are pretty phantasmagoric. Then I
started writing poems when I was about 7 or 8 years old. All rhyming poems, and I wrote them constantly. Living in
that forest- it was very isolated, no other kids around my age- so I’d lie out on the grass and write poems. In fact, the
only prize I’ve ever won was the Fourth Grade Poetry Contest.
VOICE: Where did you go to school?
NAN: I went to Roland Park Public School through first grade, and then the Bryn Mawr School for Girls from second
through twelfth grades. Back then it was a relatively conventional school. I always felt like I was bucking the tide. I
remember once, when I was in eighth grade, our English teacher told us to go to the library and choose an
extracurricular reading book. I adored going into the library, looking through all those books. So I found The Catcher in
the Rye and was entranced. The next day we had to announce to the class what book we’d chosen. So I said The
Catcher in the Rye, and the teacher stiffened up and asked me for the book, from which she then read aloud the first
paragraph to the class- you know, it’s like “I’m not going to tell you all that David Copperfield crap about my life” and
so forth. She closed the book, handed it back to me, and said, “I think a good Dickens would be a much better
choice.” I mean, I had nothing against Dickens. In fact, he and John Irving are my favorite writers- but that’s what the
atmosphere was like. I mean, Bryn Mawr was pretty conservative back then, but I did receive a wonderful education.
Read all the classics, learned Ancient Greek, you name it. The school existed in sort of an ivory tower when I was
there, but it’s an amazingly innovative place today.
VOICE: When did you begin to develop an interest in the
theatre?
NAN: I actually began to fall in love with acting and the theatre
at about the age of 11 or 12. Then, when I was 14, it really
struck like lightning. Across the way from Bryn Mawr was a
boys’ school called Gilman, and the two schools would
coordinate on plays. Doing a play at Gilman was one of the
most exciting things that could happen to you because it meant
you went over there to play practice three days a week. God,
what fun. Anyway, I overcame the first hurdle when I auditioned
to get into the Dramatic Club and I made it. I tried out for my
first play when I was a freshman, and I was the only freshman
to be cast- that was such a great day, seeing my name posted
on that list- Wow. The play was called THE LATE
CHRISTOPHER BEAN and I got the part of the funny sister.
Nan in NIGHT MUST FALL at Bryn Mawr. At far
right is David Schweizer, a well-known director.
VOICE: Did that first play bring you a greater love for the
theatre and for acting?
NAN: Oh, yeah. That was it. By the time I finished that play, it was pure undying passion. The first time I went out on
stage and heard that laughter, knew I could make people laugh- that was just the most amazing experience. It really
changed my life. During that first play, all the clichés were racing around in my head- the costumes, the lights, the
smell of the make-up, all of it! It was the doing of it that I loved. I always loved watching plays, but I realized my
passion for acting was a hundredfold more than my passion for watching.
GRACIE: Arf! Arf! Arf!
VOICE: I think Gracie is excited about your first play also! Did your teachers recognize and encourage your talent for
writing?
NAN: There were several who did and others who didn’t. The same teacher who frowned on The Catcher in the Rye another time, she gave a writing assignment to “describe a room in your house.” So I chose our laundry room, which
was just this ridiculous spot with cat scratch boxes and clothes lines and God knows what all, and it was really a pretty
funny piece of writing, but she handed it back to me with a “C” and a comment saying, “A living room or a den would
have been a more appropriate choice.” There were teachers like that who were not encouraging, but there were
others with senses of humor who liked what I did. It was actually my classmates who were most encouraging. They
were always telling me they knew I was going to be a writer. At our pre-Commencement Class Day, it was traditional
for the seniors to sing songs to all the teachers- you know, funny songs written to established melodies. I think I wrote
most of those lyrics. I guess, actually, those were the first lyrics I ever did.
VOICE: Where did you attend college?
NAN: I was the first ever graduate of Bryn Mawr to go to Sarah Lawrence, which was and is a fairly artsy college. I
don’t think anybody on the faculty was surprised that I chose to go there. I loved Sarah Lawrence from the first
Opening night for Nan’s first play at Sarah
Lawrence, MY DEAR, WE’RE ALL SAVAGES. Nan
is on right. Dorothy Lyman, a successful actress,
is on left. Paul Katula, beloved by all, was killed a
year later in Vietnam.
moment I set foot on the campus- there was just this warmth
about it. Most of the girls were like me- wanting to focus on
something in the arts. I mean, I knew it would be a waste of
time for me to go to a college where I had to take Math and
Science. And I felt I’d gotten a fantastic basic education at Bryn
Mawr. At Sarah Lawrence, I knew I’d be able to spend the
majority of my time in writing, theatre and music. In my
sophomore year, I wrote and directed my first play called MY
DEAR, WE’RE ALL SAVAGES. It was a comedy based on an
experience I’d had with a boy who tried to seduce me over
spring vacation and, Saints be praised, it was a success.
People laughed all through- they loved it and that was one of
those ecstatic moments, those moments when the world sort of
bursts open. The next play I wrote and directed was a bomb. It
was a farce called BLASTING IN THE BUD- a Shakespeare
quote. Everybody laughed and laughed, and then walked out
saying, “What in the hell was that?” But I was lucky. My
playwriting teacher, Wil Leach, allowed me lots of free rein to
experiment and find out what worked and what didn’t. Wil later
went on to direct THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD on
Broadway.
VOICE: Did you act in any of your own plays during your years
at Sarah Lawrence?
NAN: I didn’t act in
any of the plays I had written, but I did act in others. I was very much torn
at that point between being an actress or a writer. I loved acting. I just
always adored it. I was never the heroine; I usually played the funny role
or the character role. In THE CHALK GARDEN, I played a fearsome old
lady, quite a serious role. In THE TURN OF THE SCREW, I played the
role of Flora, the little girl, because I was so tiny, and I still remember
walking down this spooky stage staircase with a candle in front of my
face. I also directed plays other than the ones I wrote- I directed a Noel
Coward and a Shaw one-act. I just loved all of it.
VOICE: It sounds like your time at Sarah Lawrence was amazing! You
must have wished you could stay there forever.
NAN: Sadly, I left Sarah Lawrence all too soon at the end of my junior
year to marry my high school sweetheart. I had just turned 21, which was
obviously way too young to be getting married. Since my husband was
going to begin his first year at Harvard Medical School, I applied to
Harvard to spend my senior year there as a special student. This would
allow me to still be able to receive my degree from Sarah Lawrence,
which was what I wanted. But I’ve always regretted that decision to leave
Sarah Lawrence. Harvard was so impersonal, and they let you get away
Nan playing the old lady in THE CHALK
with murder. It was the only place I ever got straight A’s. At Sarah
GARDEN at Sarah Lawrence
Lawrence, they pushed you much harder, and there were only about 500
students. Classes typically were no more than 15 students, and you got
to know all your teachers. At Harvard, the classes were huge and the only time I went to visit one of my teachers in
his office, you would have thought a volcano erupted. I mean- clearly he was not used to students dropping in, but he
was delighted, pulled up a chair for me, and then had no idea what to say to me. As far as writing at Harvard, I mostly
did short stories, and with acting, I was only in the chorus of a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s RUDDIGORE. It
just wasn’t the same when I returned to Sarah Lawrence for graduation. I was a married woman, and I had grown
apart from my friends. After graduation, I taught English and Drama at The Pingree School for Girls in Massachusetts.
VOICE: At what point did you decide to pursue writing full time?
NAN: I returned to school to get my Master’s in Creative Writing at Boston University. I was a teaching fellow, which
helped my medical student husband and me with the income. And the Creative Writing program was terrific. I studied
with the novelist John Barth, and Anne Sexton, the poet. They both had a profound effect on my writing. My poetry
and short story writing improved so much during that time. Simultaneously, my daughter Eliza was born, so things
were very busy and constantly changing. I still loved both acting and writing, but finally I had to make the choice. I
auditioned for a big improvisational group in the Boston area, and I was called back, but I didn’t make the final cut.
After that, I just instinctively knew I didn’t want to live that way, the whole cattle call anxiety. And since I loved writing
just as much as acting, that was it: writing.
VOICE: This experience must have given you a good understanding of what actors go through as they continue to
audition time and time again.
NAN: I love actors and have the greatest admiration for them. When I see what they go through, the constant
rejections, just horrible. Thank God they’re all brave and dedicated enough to keep doing it. I especially admire the
actors who work in New York. They’re doing it because they love the theatre, clearly not for the money, and they
spend half their lives getting rejected. There is so much talent in this city- just not enough roles. I do love auditionsbeing behind the table, waiting for the next surprise to walk through the door- but I hate the part of it where you have
to take a photo and toss it onto the “no” pile.
VOICE: It takes a certain kind of person to be an actor- always waiting to be discovered. When did you get your first
break as a writer?
NAN: My first professional job as a writer was for television. I worked for the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting
for two years and wrote for a show called “Consumer Survival Kit,” a variety show with skits and songs. Each week I
was given information about a different topic- anything from mental health to weddings to insurance- and I would read
through a huge stack of research and then I’d write a script. There were constant script meetings, revisions and I
loved the tape nights. I always wrote funny songs, and those were the first songs I ever had produced because this
was a nationally televised show. I think I had three or four of my songs on that show.
VOICE: Your job with the Maryland Center for Public Broadcasting sounds like it was so much fun.
NAN: I really loved it, but I got married again- to John- when my daughter, Eliza, was four years old, and we moved to
New York, because that was where John was based. It was a big move, and one that was much harder on Eliza than
me, because I had always loved the City. When I was a kid, my father used to take us to New York once a year, and
those were the most exciting weekends. We’d stay at the Pierre and he’d let my brother and me order cokes and
pretzels from room service. We’d go out for dinner and a show, and my father always told the cab driver to drive us
through Times Square. I remember looking at all the lights and watching the Camel sign puffing smoke. Then, years
later, during PIMPERNEL, it was almost surreal to stand on the roof top of The Minskoff, having a cigarette with one
of the actors- there I was looking down on that same Times Square while my show was playing in the theatre
beneath. Incredible.
VOICE: What was your first job after moving to New York?
NAN: I spent my first year in New York copywriting for Columbia Records, but I was not happy. They wanted me to
write ads for rock albums and I was terrible at it. I don’t think I was hip enough. I ended up writing all the ads for their
classical and musical theatre departments. It was very frustrating, and I hated it because I wanted to be writing my
own stuff. I couldn’t take it for more than a year, so I left. Then I became pregnant with my second daughter, Nola. I
didn’t have a job but I was still working. I’d written tons of poems about the experience of pregnancy with my first
daughter, so, during and after the second pregnancy, I worked on the poems- just a montage of all the wildly different
moods and feelings that hit you during pregnancy. I had a photographer friend, Linda Ferrer, who had similarly taken
pictures of herself during her pregnancy. We put it all together into a book, called it Nomads, and tried to sell it.
VOICE: Was the book ever published?
NAN: No. The photographs were too expensive to reproduce. Then Matthew Diamond, the choreographer/director,
approached me about turning it into a musical. So we worked on that for a year or two, at which point it was called
PRIMAPARA and then LULLABY, but by then BABY had opened on Broadway, so everybody said, “It’s been done.”
VOICE: What was your next job after the birth of your second child?
NAN: Right after Nola was born, I went to work at Radio City Music Hall. I wrote a song called “My First Real
Christmas” for the Scrooge scene, and it stayed in their Christmas Show for twelve years. It was a song sung by
Scrooge as he was dancing around on Christmas morning after he’d seen the light. It was just an awful song with
lyrics like “I’ve never danced with a turkey before.” After that I co-wrote an entire show for Radio City called
MANHATTAN SHOWBOAT, a huge vaudeville extravaganza. I loved working at Radio City- it’s an extraordinary
place.
VOICE: We agree! Radio City is magical.
GRACIE: ARF! ARF! ARF!
VOICE: Gracie agrees too! What did you do when you left Radio City?
NAN: I co-wrote a screenplay for a movie called MY LITTLE GIRL. It
didn’t go anywhere, but it had an incredible cast: Geraldine Page, James
Earl Jones, Mary Stuart-Masterson, Ann Meara and Peter Gallagher. I
was a mother during all of these years so I had to fit my writing in
between all the “mom activities.” I think that’s how I got in the habit of
writing late at night. It was the only time I could concentrate. My office
was usually the dining room with the kitchen on one side and the living
room on the other. There were children always racing back and forth
through the dining room, so I got used to writing with constant
interruptions. My favorite time to write became after everyone had gone
to bed. It was that or nothing!
VOICE: You must truly treasure those years at home with your children.
Nola (left) and Eliza (right) at Eliza’s
graduation from Columbia University
NAN: Well, that’s one wonderful thing about being a writer- you can work
at home and you don’t have to miss out on their childhoods. I was very
involved in my children’s lives, yes. Library trips, lots of reading together,
school activities, dentist, doctor, shoe buying, you name it. And I loved
giving them unusual birthday parties- murder trials, quiz shows, game
nights, treasure hunts. I’d make everything up, so I guess I expended a
lot of writing energy on those parties. Eliza is now 31 and she’s a writerGod protect her! It is not an easy life, but she’s very talented and has
always been a great writer. She’s just written a wonderful children’s
story, which will hopefully get published. I have my fingers crossed for
her. Nola is 24 and in her second year of law school. She wants to be a
prosecutor or maybe go into politics, and that’s all so vicariously exciting
for me.
She worked for the U.S. Attorney’s office last summer. They actually let her do a direct examination of a witness after
only one year of law school. I went to court and watched her interrogate the ballistics expert. There she was, with the
gun in her hand, and, I swear, all these moments of her childhood flashed before me- Nola riding Bucky the Wonder
Horse at age 1, playing “Super-Guys” at the playground. I hear from one or both of my daughters almost every day.
They’re great kids. They stay close to us and we are absolutely blessed.
VOICE: Did you do any writing during those years when your number
one job was being a mom to Eliza and Nola?
NAN: I spent several years writing musicals in a total vacuum. I would
come up with plot lines, and write all the dialogue and lyrics by myself
with no music, no composer. Just dummy tunes in my head. I used to
think that this was such a waste of time. But it wasn’t. I was practicing
my craft, and it totally prepared me for everything that lay ahead. One
day, the mother of a student at Spence, the school my daughters
attended, asked me if I was involved in the theatre. I explained that I
was a writer and my husband was a
lawyer for the theatre.
She said she wanted to
do a talent show at
Spence and thought I
would be the right
person to produce it. I
thought about it and
told her that I would
produce it if I could
also write it. I wanted it
Eliza (left) and Nola (right) at Nola’s
to be a musical about
graduation from Yale University
putting on a talent
show, a show within a show, with a cast comprised of both parents
and teachers. She gave me the go-ahead. I wrote the dialogue and
about 15 lyrics set to established show tunes- it was so much fun. I
called the show SPENCECAPADES, and it was about all the parents
and teachers preparing to “put on a show.” It was really a happy,
popular event within this tiny community. From that experience I was
hired to do two Industrials for the real estate industry. They were also
musicals, for which I wrote both book and lyrics, as well as producing
them. So I did have a lot of years to practice the craft. And then I met
Frank Wildhorn.
Nan rehearsing for
Real Estate Industrials
VOICE: Were you familiar with Frank Wildhorn’s music before you met
him?
NAN: No.
VOICE: So how did you become a part of the Wildhorn family?
NAN: Well, my husband is John Breglio. He’s an entertainment lawyer who’s very active in the theatre industry. That
actually was more of a hardship for me than a help. For years, whenever we were at an opening, I would try to
desperately squeeze into the conversation that I was a writer, but to all the theatre types, I was just “the lawyer’s wife”
and I couldn’t get through that wall. In fact, I even wrote a song at one point called “I’m His Wife” about what it feels
like to be invisible. So- years of frustration, particularly after having done SPENCECAPADES when I felt like I was
finally doing what I love. And then I just went back to being the lawyer’s wife again.
VOICE: That must have been difficult for you.
NAN: It was very hard, but everything changed on our 13th
wedding anniversary. John was at a meeting for THE
SCARLET PIMPERNEL with Jimmy Nederlander, the
producer, and Frank, the composer, and Arthur Kopit who was
going to write the book. At that point, John was the lawyer for
the show. They were discussing the fact that they didn’t have a
lyricist. John and I are both anti-nepotism and never wanted to
do anything to further each other’s careers, so he never
suggested me for anything. But this time he took Frank aside
afterwards and said, “I know this writer. Her name is Nan
Mason.” (That’s my name from my first marriage and I wrote
under that name for a long time.) “I think she’s pretty good, so
you might want to see her lyrics.” Frank said, “Have her call
me.”
Nan & John
VOICE: What was your reaction when John told you the news?
NAN: I was jumping up and down, screaming and yelling. This would be a real shot! I ran out and bought the book
and rented THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL movie. I devoured them both within a period of about four hours because I
figured Frank would ask me questions about the story. And then I called Frank. He said, “I don’t want to see anything
on paper. Just send me things on tape.”
VOICE: What did you send him?
NAN: Well, I didn’t have anything to send
him. I mean, what was I going to do? Send
him the Radio City Christmas song with “I’ve
never danced with a turkey before?” The
only other thing I had on tape was my unproduced musical, LULLABY, and I didn’t
think esoteric songs about pregnancy were
going to do it for him either. I knew I’d never
get the job from anything I had on tape. So,
within a period of about four days, I sat
down and wrote two lyrics for THE
SCARLET PIMPERNEL just to tunes in my
head. One was funny- it was called “Cloak
and Dagger,” and the other was a love
ballad for Percy. I sent Frank the two songs
on paper- which is exactly what he said not
to do- and told him, you know, that my
“taped material was on the way.” Right.
Nan & Frank
VOICE: You must have held your breath
waiting for a reply! How long was it before
you heard back from Frank?
NAN: He called about a day later and said, “This stuff is great. Let’s have lunch.” He never again mentioned anything
about hearing tapes, thank God. So we had lunch and really hit it off. He immediately started talking about THE
SCARLET PIMPERNEL and another show he wanted to do with me called VIENNA. You know Frank. He’s always
got a million projects. With Frank, it starts like a roman candle. You don’t inch your way into something; you’re
suddenly exploded into it. During our conversations, Frank was always talking about Linda. It was “Linda this” and
“Linda that.” And I thought to myself, “Obviously I should know who this Linda is.” But I didn’t have a clue, so I just
kept nodding my head when he talked about her.
VOICE: At this point you still didn’t know if you had THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL job?
NAN: No. I had to wait five months to find out. In the meantime, we worked on VIENNA. We wrote a lot of songs and
they were good- great stuff, and we got along so well. Yeah, I got to know all of Frank’s habits. He always wanted
snack food around- pretzels, potato chips- and soft drinks, never booze. He doesn’t really drink. He’d come to my
apartment, and after about an hour he’d ask me if I had any frozen chocolate. I always kept Hershey bars in the
freezer just for him and I’d bring them out. You know, we had a lot of fun together. Then he called me one October
day- the 21st I think, 1989- and told me I was going to be the lyricist for THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL.
VOICE: You must have been so excited!
NAN: I was beside myself. I had dreamed about it for so many months- well, so many years. Decades. I was going to
be the lyricist for a Broadway show. Sheer amazement.
VOICE: Did Frank know you were John Breglio’s wife at this point?
NAN: Actually, he did. Shortly after John suggested my name and Frank had seen my lyrics, he asked John to have
lunch. During the course of the lunch, John confessed that the lyricist he’d suggested was really his wife. Frank’s
response was, “I don’t care who she is. She can write!” And that was so gratifying because everybody else in the
theatre did care who I was- they just defined me as John’s wife. Period. Like I couldn’t possibly be anything else. It’s
so sad how often that goes on in life with the spouses or partners of well-known people. You just figure that’s all they
are- the hanger-on, the appendage. People rarely wonder if there’s anything else going on with that appendage. And,
you know, I wasn’t a hustler. I couldn’t push myself at people. Frank would say, “Where have you been?” And I’d tell
him I was a “Baltimore Girl” and because I was raised to be polite and nice, I just wasn’t aggressive. When something
I wrote was rejected, I simply retreated. If it wasn’t for Frank giving me a chance, it’s possible I could have spent my
life in a corner writing in a void. I just couldn’t go to people and say, “I’m good. Look at this.” It wasn’t in my nature, but
Frank pulled me out of the corner.
VOICE: When did you meet Linda?
NAN: I first met Linda very casually in a recording studio. I started getting to know her when I wrote “Storybook.”
There were many drafts of that song. Frank was planning on doing a demo for PIMPERNEL, and I knew he was going
to have Linda sing “Storybook.” Linda would look through all the different drafts, and Frank would call to tell me
Linda’s thoughts, or she’d get on the phone herself. I remember she wanted to sing “Where” 3 times. “Where, where,
where is my storybook ending?” So Linda had some input into the song. Then Linda came to my apartment with Frank
and sang “Storybook” at the piano, and I remember loving her instantly. At first I felt so neurotic and superficial in
comparison to her. It’s hard to articulate how I felt. Linda was so natural, so at ease, warm, calm. There is nothing
artificial or pretentious about her. And here I was jumping around the room and talking a blue streak. She immediately
seemed older than I was, more mature, wiser. (I’m really older than she is.) Anyway, Frank was playing “Storybook”
and I remember dancing around the living room, shouting out things like, “Oh, this will be a choreographer’s dream!” I
really liked Linda, but I think I was a little intimidated by her because I didn’t know if she liked me. I felt like I was too
showy, and Linda was so good and down-to-earth. And I was a lot younger then, too. I don’t think I would feel that
way today.
VOICE: But of course you soon became friends?
NAN: Linda and I became friends when we recorded the concept album for THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL in Miami
during the summer of 1991. A truly happy time. The recording sessions would start late in the afternoon and go on
until two or three in the morning- my kind of time! Sometimes I’d be rewriting a song and sometimes I’d just be in the
studio, listening. I was the word police, always wanting the lyrics to be exact. I still do.
VOICE: Sounds like that was a lot of hard work!
NAN: There was free time too. I remember Linda driving me around in the car and we’d just laugh. One day we went
swimming in the ocean with Chuck Wagner. The water was so nice and warm, and we spent hours splashing around
in the waves, playing like kids. I guess Linda and I bonded in Miami. Although she was younger than I was, she would
always give me good advice. It was sort of surreal in the beginning- hearing her sing my words, then hearing them
played back, critiquing it, re-doing it. We were all a family down there and I was in ecstasy.
VOICE: Tell us what it was like when your first show finally opened on Broadway.
NAN: My adrenaline was racing so high when PIMPERNEL
finally opened- again, such a surreal moment. But I have to
say that opening night was a time when my heart just
broke. Some theatre friends had tried to warn me that the
reviews might be bad, but I didn’t want to believe them
because I’m such an optimist. When the reviews came
filtering through at the opening night party, I was completely
stunned. About 35 of us left and went to Dave Clemmons’
house for our own party. I went with Nick Corley, the
director of the original workshops of PIMPERNEL. We all
drank and hugged a lot, but ultimately I didn’t want to cry in
front of everybody so Nick and I left, and I burst out sobbing
right there on the sidewalk. Nick was holding me, and, as I
was crying into his shoulder, I heard a man’s voice behind
me saying, “Why is that girl crying? She shouldn’t cry. That
girl should be happy.” The man then just disappeared, and
Nick told me the man looked a lot like his father who had
died about 10 years earlier. The whole thing felt ghostly to
both of us- in the good sense, like some strange spirit
Nan & Doug Sills
telling us everything was going to be alright. But that night
my heart was broken. I loved everything about PIMPERNEL- the actors, the crew, the producers, the show itself. I
couldn’t understand the venom poured out against us. I had a bad couple of days. And then I started to crawl out of it.
I’d go over to the theatre about once a week. I’d stand in the back of the theatre and hear the audience laugh, and I’d
watch them walk out, smiling, happy. My friend Helen, who was the matron for the Ladies Room, would always tell me
after intermission, “Nan- the ladies love it.” And we had so many supporters, people on the web, people like Sal
Italiano, this guy I didn’t even know, a fan really, and he’d go to the TKTS line every day and tell everybody to go see
PIMPERNEL.
VOICE: And then came your Tony nomination.
Nan in London with SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
NAN: That was another one of those jumping up and down
moments. I was in London working on SATURDAY NIGHT
FEVER, and I was completely engrossed in my work there.
Arlene Phillips, the director, liked me to be up on stage with
her helping with the scenes. I loved that because I’m such
a back-seat director. I’d really like to direct again some day,
and Arlene let me be very involved. Two days before the
opening, my husband arrived in London. I had literally
forgotten all about the Tony nominations because my mind
was completely into FEVER. I was up on the stage during
rehearsal when I spotted John in the wings and thought,
“What’s he doing here?” He came on stage and took me by
the shoulders and said, “What about Best Musical? What
about Best Actor in a Musical? What about Best Book of a
Musical? You got a Tony nomination for Best Book of a
Musical.” I just screamed! Now the British are not used to
screaming Americans, so they kind of stared at me and
smiled and then we went back to work.
VOICE: When did you get to celebrate with the PIMPERNEL cast?
NAN: That was another happy period in my life. I had this Tony nomination and FEVER had opened in London to
good reviews. I’d just arrived back in the States, and the PIMPERNEL gang had planned a party for our Stage
Manager, Steve Beckler, who was leaving. They turned it into a co-party since it was also my birthday that night. We
celebrated at Barrymore’s and took lots of pictures with all my best friends from the show. I spent so many great
nights with the PIMPERNEL family. This one was particularly special because of the show’s nomination and the
nominations for Douglas and me.
VOICE: You must have been so proud.
NAN: I was. And I thought now we’d continue to run, but
after the Tonys, the producers told us they were going to
close the show. Really, Bill Haber and Pierre Cossette et
al were true kings to keep it open as long as they did
because we weren’t making any money, and finally the
time had come for the party to end. But when I heard the
show was going to close, it just felt all wrong to me. You
know, from my perspective, I’d go on the web and read all
these thousands of messages from people who loved the
show, who kept coming back, some people seeing it 40
times, 80 times, whatever. One woman in New Haven told
me she’d seen it 103 times “so far.” Wow. Anyway, it was
like something stubborn inside me that just refused to let
it die. Everyone, including my husband, tried to get me to
just accept it and move on, but I decided to write a letter
Opening night of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL II
to Ted Forstman to ask him to keep PIMPERNEL alive. It
was really a business letter, listing all the reasons I felt
the show should keep running and what things we might do to improve our chances, and everybody said Ted would
just read it and toss it in the trashcan. But he called me the next day and said, “Okay. Let’s talk about this.” Six
harrowing weeks of indecision followed, and finally Ted told me he was joining up with Dave Checketts and Radio City
Entertainment and the show would go on. New director, cast changes, new advertising, etc., but yes, the show would
live. Bobby Longbottom, who is now one of my closest friends, came in to direct and PIMPERNEL II was born, and
this time we got good reviews. We ran for another year at the Minskoff and then moved to the Neil Simon, with a few
more changes- Voila: PIMPERNEL III. So we basically ran for three seasons on Broadway, and we hung on by the
skin of our teeth the whole time. The show never completely overcame those initial bad reviews. But PIMPERNEL is
now being produced in theatres all over the world. I would love to have a production in London’s West End. It was all
quite a ride. I guess what I’ll always treasure most about the whole PIMPERNEL experience are the friends I made. I
miss everybody, miss the nights when we’d all leave the theatre and go hang out at Barrymore’s or Sam’s or
Marlowe’s. What a time.
VOICE: And now you’re embarking on a similar journey with CAMILLE CLAUDEL. How did the project begin?
NAN: The idea to do a musical about the life of Camille Claudel came from Frank and Linda. I’m not sure which of
them came up with it. I’ve heard Linda say in her concerts that she’s always bugging Frank to write a musical with a
woman as the hero. The character of Camille tantalized Frank, because she was so sexy and an artist. He called me
up about five years ago and asked if I would like to work on the show. I basically told him, “No.” I thought it might end
up too depressing. I tend to be a humor-and-happy-endings type of writer. Well, I just am. I didn’t say, “No” as in “No, I
won’t do it.” I did say, “God, Frank, I don’t know. It’s so dark.” But he urged me to look at all the aspects I could relate
to as a woman artist.
VOICE: Frank must have been very convincing.
NAN: Well, I started thinking about it some more, and one night it hit me that I could write this role- there were issues
in my own life that were similar to Camille’s, and I realized I did have something to say. So the work began. We
always knew that Linda was going to play the role of Camille, and that was exciting. From the beginning, I’ve tried to
create the role with Linda in mind, but I didn’t have to bend over backwards to do that. She has similarities to Camille,
too. The character came flying out. When I did rewrites, I’d make adjustments here and there- just language I thought
was better for Linda. But the character of Camille- there were no concessions made there. I’ve been fascinated
watching Linda become Camille.
VOICE: Has the show gone through a lot of changes since the readings?
NAN: I insisted from the beginning that CAMILLE CLAUDEL have a lot of humor, which I now realize was a little bit
like forcing a square peg into a round hole. I created two characters who were doctors- major characters in the show.
One of the doctors, who in the reading was played by my friend David Cromwell, was particularly funny, and Camille’s
relationship with the other doctor was intriguing- almost another love story in itself. The show, at that point, was set in
the asylum, with flashbacks to Camille’s life. But after we had a reading in October, it was clear that the doctors had to
go. The show was too long and almost everyone agreed the asylum sections were the ones that interested them the
least. I realized that I could still use natural character humor here and there, but I was going to have to forget any riproaring laughs. So, you know, it’s no PIMPERNEL, but I won’t let anybody use the “T word” because to me it’s not a
tragedy. Just the fact that we are doing a show about Camille Claudel means it’s not a tragedy. It means that Camille
had her impact. She said what she needed to say and lived her life the way she wanted. I mean, everybody has tragic
aspects to their lives, but this woman also had passion, a deliciously scandalous sex life, obsessive intensity in her
work, and she was brilliant. She did get artistic recognition back then. She was a brave thing. Some of her letters are
very funny, always feisty and quite direct. The show does present a woman who gets caught up in the craziness any
artist might, but, hey- a little Prozac and she would have been fine. Unfortunately there was no Prozac, and Camille
lived in a time when your family could commit you to an asylum and keep you there in perpetuity. So the asylum was
in and then out. I’ve cut old songs and scenes, added new ones, beefed up some parts. The changes keep coming.
Because it’s an original musical based on tons of biographical research, we’ve experimented with many paths. I finally
put my foot down the other day and said, “Boys! We can’t try every possible path- I’ll be dead before we’re done.” So
now we’re at a really good spot. We’ve found the flow, the right way to tell the story. It’s basically chronological and
takes you right up to the time of Camille’s commitment. The show ends with Camille singing “Gold.” Those words are
the ones I want the audience to take with them as they leave the theatre.
VOICE: It all sounds amazing! We know the fans can’t wait until the stage debut in August.
NAN: I’m still redrafting! Whenever I hear people say they already have their tickets, I think to myself, “Oh God!
People have already bought their tickets and I’m still writing.” I guess I’d better finish, right?
VOICE: Tell us about the lyrics you have written for CAMILLE CLAUDEL.
NAN: Since “Gold” is the song that’s so familiar at this point, I’ll tell you about that one first. I was in New Haven for
the opening of the National Tour of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. Frank had given me the melody and said, “This is
going to be a ballad—a big love song for Linda.” I listened to it and I thought, “No. This is not a love song. This music
feels like survival- it’s bittersweet, triumphant.” I decided that I wanted it to be the last song in the show, and I wanted
Linda to come out and sing it all alone in the dark with just a spotlight on her. The title comes from the fact that Rodin
always told people that he showed Camille where to find the gold, but the gold she found was truly her own. So I
wrote the song and met Frank for a work session at the Shubert in New Haven. He sat down at the theatre piano and I
put the lyrics in front of him. He started playing, and I could see in his eyes that his brain was ticking, ticking, ticking,
ticking, and he was getting really excited. He was already thinking about the connection between “Gold” and the
Olympics, and it just took off from there.
VOICE: Where were you and what were you thinking on that night when “Gold” was heard by billions of people during
the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics?
NAN: Well, I was slightly insane that night. My friends can attest to that. John and I were at our country house with
Bobby Longbottom and Tom Kosis. We knew “Gold” was going to be in the opening ceremonies, but we didn’t know
when. As the moments ticked by, I was tearing my hair out and I called Frank about every half hour. He kept telling
me to calm down, they were going to do the song, etc., etc. I called him again when it was getting very late and still no
“Gold,” and this time he started to sound worried. Then I got Linda on the phone and asked her what she thought. I
was in such a state. Finally I heard the first few notes and I fell on my knees and said, “Thank God!” Then I just held
my breath through the whole song- that’s what you do, wondering if something’s going to go wrong. I was in a state of
suspended animation until it was over. I had to ask if it had sounded alright- I didn’t even know. John later said, you
know, falling on my knees, etc., was a little bit much. As it was. But it was an incredible experience, and the moment
when I knew “Gold” was going to have a life.
VOICE: You should know that so many fans were going through the same experience as you on that night- calling
each other and wondering when “Gold” would be heard.
NAN: I also wrote “Snow Falls” when we were in New Haven. Frank had given me this melody that I loved, what he
called a “little motif” that he thought might come in handy somewhere as a recitative or something. I was looking out
my hotel window at the snow- I have a major snow thing- snow, ocean, sky, moon, all of it. The lyrics just poured out
of me in about 20 minutes. I had an instinct not to do any regular rhyme scheme, but to just let it rhyme where it
wanted. “Gold,” “Snow Falls,” and “A Woman in His Arms” were the first songs I wrote, and actually “Gold” and “Snow
Falls” are the only two that have remained completely intact to date.
VOICE: You mentioned the sky and the moon. What exactly is your fixation with celestial bodies?
NAN (Laughing): Yeah, Frank gets on me about that, too. I think a lot of times when I am writing a song, particularly a
ballad, I am trying to compare feelings to something immense. My brain and my heart immediately turn to the sky and
what’s up in the sky. The expansiveness of the sky has always been an amazing thing to me. That’s why I love
islands like Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, because you can see the whole sky spread out before you. The sky is
also a romantic thing that I’ve carried with me since I was a teenager. I have a thing for oceans too, but that doesn’t
get used as much. We just changed a song for CAMILLE because they told me there was too much water imagery in
the show. It’s funny that you picked up on that, though. Every now and then Frank will say, “Too much wind and
stars!” and I’ll say, “Yeah. Yeah. Okay.” There have been times when I’ve said to him, “I really don’t agree with you,”
or “You’re wrong and I’m right.” But most of the time, I’ve got to tell you, if Frank says, “This isn’t it,” or “You can do
better than this,” he’s right, and I listen. Frank is incredibly smart and very good at critiquing. But I love watching Linda
with Frank; it’s really hysterical. She’s a very direct, honest person. If she listens to something he’s doing and she
doesn’t like it, she’ll just be very straightforward. “ No. You gotta change that.”
VOICE: What does Frank do?
NAN: I think he loves it. He says things like, “My wife will kill me if I don’t change this.” If Linda thinks a song is great,
she’ll say so. If she doesn’t, she’ll say, “You can do better.” Occasionally, I’ll do that with Frank. I’ll say, “It’s not quite
right” or “It’s not interesting enough.” And he’ll look at me and I’ll say, “What?! I’m just being like your wife!” (Laughs)
VOICE: Can you tell us about any of the other songs in the show?
NAN: If you were at Carnegie Hall in February, you heard Linda sing another song from CAMILLE called “Coming
Home,” but now it’s called “I’m Home.” I wouldn’t be surprised if the title goes back to “Coming Home.” As soon as it
was written, we started thinking about it as a concert song for Linda. She wants it to be her song to the audience. She
wants to say, “This is where I belong, here with you.” I did some tailoring of the lyrics before Carnegie Hall, but I have
a few more fixes for the concert version, which I’ll do as soon as I have time to lift up my head and breathe. I love
watching Linda in concert- that inimitable, natural way she has which makes the audience fall in love with her. My
favorite songs she sings are “Don’t Rain On My Parade” and “Man of La Mancha.” I love that triumphant side of her
you hear in “Man of La Mancha,” and we’ve decided to have the song Linda sings at the end of Act One be that kind
of moment. There is also some of that triumphant sound during “In The Stone,” the first piece of music you hear in
CAMILLE CLAUDEL.
VOICE: It must be great working with Linda again on this new musical?
NAN: It is such a joy working with Linda. First of all, you have her voice, which is like no other. And Linda is very
funny- we’re definitely using that in CAMILLE. She has this loopy humor that I love. You’ve heard that laugh- it’s great!
And then she also easily expresses deeper emotions. Her feelings are so close to the surface that when you want
Linda to show emotion, it is going to be real- very real. I don’t know of any other performer quite like Linda in terms of
her being completely unaffected. It’s like you’re sitting in her living room, though ironically, she would probably be
more nervous if you actually were sitting in her living room. She is most at home with an audience when she’s on
stage. That’s where she blooms and talks to you. The naturalness is incredible. Linda is so eager and because there
is no ego there, she will go to the director and ask, “What do you think?” She is so beautifully flexible. To Linda, it’s a
simple thing. If somebody has a good idea, she’s going to listen to it.
VOICE: Can you tell us about casting the other principal roles?
NAN: We are thrilled with the cast. We had a huge number
of actors who auditioned for the show, but only about 20 or
25 for the role of Rodin. We went through hundreds of
actors in our heads before we chose the ones we wanted to
see. Michael Nouri didn’t come in till near the end. Andwow! Did he take us by storm! His whole being was Rodin.
He was a tornado. Linda was doing a scene with him where
they were arguing, and she was so into this argumentmore than I had ever seen before. She was reacting to the
fire Michael was sending out. We all immediately knew
we’d found Rodin. After the argument scene with Linda, he
said, “God! That was great. Can we do it again?” A lot of
actors will ask, “Can I start over?” and you know it’s
because they feel like they didn’t do it right the first time.
With Michael, it was clearly just this sort of ravenous,
grinning hunger to get back into it. He sang “Trembling
Man” and “Woman In My Arms” and just became Rodin
right before our eyes- his hands, his face, his voice, his
Michael Nouri and Linda Eder
eyes- and that’s so galvanizing. It was just like when Doug
Sills came in for PIMPERNEL. It was the same fabulous
jolt- an actor walks into an audition and you say, “There he is! We found him.”
VOICE: Can you tell us about the other major characters?
NAN: Matt Bogart will play Camille’s brother, Paul Claudel, a very important role in the show. Paul Claudel was a
complex guy- a poet, playwright and diplomat, and also a man who became fanatically religious. He and Camille
adored each other and were very close as children, but there was a gradual parting of ways. Paul’s presence
overshadowed Camille’s life. He initially did not have his own song but he does now. Matt gave a terrific audition, and
he and Linda have great chemistry together. Milo O’Shea will play Camille’s father and played that role at our October
reading. Everyone fell in love with Milo, and when I say in love, I mean IN LOVE! No one wanted to let go of him when
he walked out of the room. He is an extraordinary actor and so real. He’s funny and touching at the same time. You’ll
love him! We didn’t know if he would agree to go to Goodspeed, but he did. He loves the role, thank God. Camille was
very close to her father, and he was her defender throughout her life. Polly Bergen will play Camille’s mother and
she’s perfect for the part, which requires a great comic touch as well as every shade you can imagine of maternal
shifts ( Since this interview, Polly has had to bow out of the role because of minor surgery. She is being replaced by
Rita Gardner.) Camille’s mother was a daunting woman- well, you’ll see. She didn’t have her own song originally
either, but I’ve now written one- “Lost In The World.” That’s the song I find myself singing to myself all the time now
because I like it a lot.
VOICE: The cast sounds extraordinary. Are you going to begin the show when Camille and Paul are children?
NAN: We are going to show them as children, but they will skip from age to age quite rapidly. Matt will have to do the
biggest leap because he is basically eight years old at the start and has to jump to 45- not an easy task! But he did it
very well in the audition.
VOICE: It almost seems too good to be true! After five years of hard work, the fans will finally get to experience
another Knighton/Wildhorn musical.
NAN: It really has been a fascinating process, and that’s just going to heighten as we get into the staging and
choreography- the movement of the statues and so forth. This time around, I hope critics will finally listen to Frank’s
music. His work for CAMILLE CLAUDEL is so subtle, varied, beautiful.
VOICE: You’ve had many wonderful moments in your professional life. What do you consider to be your proudest
moment?
NAN: My proudest moment. Hmm. Well, I guess it would actually be a series of moments, the times when I receive
letters from people about what I’ve written. Those are the times I know I made the right choice in my life and when I
am the happiest and the most at peace. Those letters somehow validate my life. People have written and told me my
songs have helped them through difficult times. Doug Sills once received a letter from an Israeli soldier who said how
much it helped him listening to “Into The Fire” every morning, and Doug then sent me a copy of that letter, which I
cherish.
VOICE: What has been the greatest challenge in your career?
NAN: Well, God knows it was hard getting it started- you know, “the lawyer’s wife,” sitting in the corner til Frank pulled
me out, and so forth. But now I guess my greatest challenge is collaboration, which I have to say is also so
intrinsically necessary and valuable if I want to write well. It’s a double-edged sword. Collaboration is wild. In musical
theatre there are so many artists involved, so many different voices. In business, there is usually one leader who has
the final say, but in theatre it’s not that way. You’ve got to all sit around, talk over a problem and reach a solution that
everyone agrees with, and do it, ideally, in total peace and harmony. It’s a tricky thing, like walking a tightrope all the
time- wanting to listen to everyone, trying to sense when they’re right or when they’re wrong, learning to make
compromises, knowing when to stand up and say no, when to just give something a try even though you don’t agree
with it, and trying to make sure it never turns into an argument. This is very important to me because I hate fighting. I
don’t know how to fight- it’s just not in my personality. If I ever do find myself shouting at someone, I feel kind of
proud! It’s a “Baltimore thing.” It just doesn’t come naturally to “Baltimore Girls” to put their foot down. So although
collaboration is a challenge to me, in every sense, I’d also have to say that when it’s done well, it’s a rather
astounding process.
VOICE: What career path might you have followed if you had not become a writer?
NAN: That is the question I really prepared for before this interview! And I actually lay in bed one night thinking about
this answer. I might have been a zoologist or worked with animals in some capacity. I am an animal nut! Other than
that, I might have chosen to be an actress, archeologist or minister. Or librarian. I love being around books, and as a
kid, I thought the coolest thing in the world was to watch the librarian stamping out books.
VOICE: There are a lot of people who are happy you chose to be a writer. What do you enjoy doing when you are not
writing?
NAN: Reading. That’s the biggest thing. Books. But I also love crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, games in
general. And movies- old black and white mysteries and science fiction like “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “The
Uninvited”- the 30’s through early 50’s. That genre. I guess the happiest times for me right now are being with my
family and my dogs.
VOICE: Gracie just opened her eyes when she heard that! What advice would you give to aspiring young writers?
NAN: First of all, always follow your own instincts. And don’t give up. Don’t let anybody discourage you. Read like
crazy; read everything. Be aggressive and persistent until you get your foot in the door. It breaks my heart to know
how many talented people out there don’t get a chance. I even wrote a little lyric about it in CAMILLE, and no matter
what, I am not going to let anybody make me cut it. Rodin sings about all the music that will never be heard and all the
books that will never be read because people can’t get their foot in the door. That, to me, is tragic. The most important
part of my advice is to get your foot in the door and to try, without ever hurting anyone and without being abrasive, to
persist until you make your voice heard.
VOICE: You must feel so blessed to have had Frank give you the opportunity to open that door.
NAN: I really owe an enormous amount to him, and I could go on and on about what a good human being he is- loyal,
generous, caring. I have just grown to love him more and more every year. And he’s so smart, a truly unique
composer. He writes better melodies than anybody else around today, melodies that reach people instantly, touch
chords. And Linda is like my new sister. At least that’s the way I feel about her. Frank once said she and I are nothing
alike, but we do have a lot in common, especially our love of animals and our need for solitude. And she likes jigsaw
puzzles! We recently had the best night out at a bar in Connecticut, just the two of us, leaning across the table at each
other, spilling secrets, and she put up with my cigarette smoke. I love her. You don’t find many people like Linda and
Frank in the theatre. They are two honest, decent people and I have an intense admiration for them. I love them like
family, and that includes Jake!
VOICE: And we think that connection shines through in your work! It’s been a pleasure talking with you. Thank you for
taking the time to share the story of your creative journey so far.
NAN: You’re welcome! Talking with theatre lovers, fans, whatever you want to call it- sharing it with people, that whole
dialogue is what it’s all about for me.
And there was joy through it all,
And I am standing tall!
And though my voice was just a whisper,
Someone must have heard!
“Gold”
CAMILLE CLAUDEL
Check out the CAMILLE FANS MAILING LIST! Join other fans of Linda Eder, Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton to
discuss and follow their latest project, CAMILLE CLAUDEL. This list is a great place to keep up on the latest news
and updates, get in touch with other fans and discuss the musical, as well as Camille's life and her work. The list is
managed by Peter Williams. Membership is free, and everyone is welcome! Join us at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
camillefans
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Camille was born on December 8, 1864 in Fere-en-Tardenois, a small town in the Champagne region of
France. Her parents lost their first child, a two-week-old boy. Camille's birth was followed by her sister's
(Louise) in 1866 and her brother's (Paul) in 1868.
Her father's occupation forced the family to move on a regular basis; however, the Claudels spent their
summers in Villeneuve-sur-Fere in a house that her mother (Louise) eventually inherited. Louise's father owned
substantial property in the Champagne region of France, which she alone inherited after her brother's death in
1866.
In Villeneuve-sur-Fere, Camille discovered her hidden treasure- thick, red clay. She saw that clay could be
molded into fascinating shapes, which when baked, would remain permanent. Camille's curiosity quickly led to
serious creations, and she enlisted her brother and sister as assistants, giving them the tasks of finding clay,
preparing the plaster and also acting as models.
In spite of their numerous squabbles, Camille and Paul Claudel were very close. They were both creative
individuals. Paul became a famous poet and playwright whose work shows the influence of Roman Catholic
Mysteries. When he was 18 years old, he converted to Roman Catholicism. Paul also became a French
Diplomat, and spent the years between 1893 and 1934 mostly outside France, as an Ambassador.
Camille and her mother contrasted sharply in both appearance and personality. These differences would cause
conflict throughout their lives. Her mother, Louise-Athanaise Cerveaux, belonged to the well-established French
bourgeoisie.
Louise-Athanaise Cerveaux (Camille's mother) was raised only by her father, Dr. Athanase Cerveaux, after her
mother's early death. Sadly, growing up without a mother's love shaped Camille's mother into a rigid woman,
who was unable to express feelings of tenderness. Paul Claudel once said, "Our mother never kissed us."
Camille's mother identified more with her younger daughter, Louise, a rather conventional young woman and
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unfortunately, she never understood her more gifted
children, Paul and Camille.
● Camille was much closer to her father, Louis Claudel.
Like Camille, Louis was imaginative, quick-tempered and
possessed a sarcastic sense of humor. Considered French
middle class, he was educated in a Jesuit school and
owned an extensive classical library. He understood and
supported his children and would become a crucial force
behind their artistic achievements. Until his death in 1913,
he remained Camille's greatest supporter.
● By the time she was 12 years old, Camille already stood
out among her schoolmates in the Catholic school she
attended in the town of Epernay. Her art teacher, Mere St.
Joseph, would proudly show her pupil's drawings (most of
which were portrait heads) to the other girls.
● Camille enriched her artistic education with literature and
old engravings and knew at an early age it would be best to
use anatomical models, from which to create her
sculptures, including Greek characters such as Oedipus
and Antigone.
The bust of Paul Claudel at age 16
● At 13 years old, Camille created a sculpture of David and
Goliath, which portrayed unique muscle tone. It was this sculpture that attracted the attention of the sculptor,
Alfred Boucher, who like Camille, had first started to sculpt as a child. He was impressed with what he saw, and
he gave her the much-needed guidance that she had yet to receive.
Camille also benefited from the instruction of Monsieur Colin, an outstanding teacher that the Claudel's hired for
their children's education. Under his guidance, Camille was able to go beyond the standard education usually
given to women.
Although Camille progressed rapidly under the supervision of her two mentors, Boucher and Colin, she faced
an important limitation in her town. Schools in many provincial towns only offered women the tools to earn a
living either in manufacturing or in teaching. Women were not typically encouraged to become artists, and they
were certainly not allowed to use nude models.
Through her passionate pleadings, Camille finally convinced her father that Paris was where she would have
the best opportunity for serious art study. In 1881 at the age of 17, she moved to Paris with her mother and
brother and began studying at the Academie Colarossi. (At that time it was inconceivable for a woman of the
French bourgeoisie to live alone in Paris.) The Academie Colarossi taught more modeling, was cheaper to
attend, and most importantly, it gave women the same opportunities as men.
Unfortunately, Camille's father could not pick up and move to Paris because of his job so the Claudel family
was split up. When Camille arrived in Paris, the city was vibrant, industrious and bustling with artistic activities.
Creativity was at its height. It was during this period that Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi created his Statue of
Liberty. The head was completed for the Universal Exhibition of 1878. The finished statue was sent to the
United States in 1885 and dedicated in New York a year later.
Paris offered a variety of private schools and studios, where women had the opportunity for serious art study,
including access to nude models. In the nineteenth century, the naked body was the standard of all art. It was
thought that if an artist could proficiently paint or sculpt the nude, then they could do anything.
Camille was visually striking. In her brother's words, "She had a superb forehead over two magnificent
eyes of a dark blue that we rarely see outside of novels… this large mouth, more proud than sensual, this
powerful mass of chestnut hair, the true chestnut called auburn by English, and which fell down her back. An
impressive air of courage, directness, superiority, gaiety. One who was endowed with much." What Paul
Claudel failed to mention was that Camille had a small physical imperfection, a slight limp, which according to a
friend, may have contributed to Camille's drive to look for perfection in her art.
Camille first met Auguste Rodin in 1882 when he came to visit the stud io at which she was sculpting.
Her mentor, Alfred Boucher, won the Grand Prix du Salon in 1881 and a year later he left Paris for Florence.
Before his departure, he asked his friend Rodin to take his place in guiding his protégées. With Boucher gone,
Rodin became the patron of the studio. He regularly came to the studio and guided the group of beginning
artists. Like Boucher, Rodin did not charge for his services even though he was struggling financially.
Camille quickly became Rodin's most trusted assistant. A journalist who frequented the studio observed, "He
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consults her about everything. He deliberates each
decision with her, and it is only after they are in
agreement that he definitely proceeds." Rodin trusted her
with modeling the hands and feet of many of his figures.
● In 1864, Rodin met his
life-long companion,
Rose Beuret, who had
been his female model.
She was a simple,
uneducated woman who
devoted her life to him.
He did not want to marry
her, and he made sure
that she did not meet any
of his intellectual and
Picture of Rodin
artist friends. They had a
son named Auguste. Rodin never paid much attention to
Bartholdi's sculpture of the Statue of Liberty
him and refused to legally accept paternity.
The romance between Camille and Rodin was and still is a mystery. At the beginning Camille still lived with her
parents and Rodin was with his longtime companion Rose Beuret. The romantic relationship between Rodin
and Claudel was never officially acknowledged. In 1936, Rodin's biographer, Judith Cladel, did not to mention
Camille's name. Instead, she referred to her as "une grande passion" or "la belle artiste."
No one knows exactly when Camille and Rodin became lovers, but by 1886 their relationship was at least a
year old. Not surprisingly, she inspired some of the masterpieces Rodin produced during these happy years.
Rodin, who never took Rose anywhere, did not have the same reservations about being seen with the attractive
and gifted Camille. He introduced Camille to his friends and to anyone who might be helpful to her career.
Camille realized that distancing herself from Rodin would be necessary to be accepted as an artist in her own
right. Regardless, she could not deny that he was immensely supportive of her work.
Camille's affair with Rodin was a catastrophe for her brother, Paul Claudel, who took it as a complete betrayal.
He loved his impossible sister but felt a profound hatred for Rodin. The same can be said of the reactions of
Camille's mother and sister, both of whom dreaded the possibility of scandal.
The break-up of the Claudel-Rodin relationship began in early 1892 when she moved out of the old mansion
that they shared. Every night, Rodin still returned to the house he shared with Rose Beuret. Camille's dream of
two great artists inspired by the same vision and creating side by side had turned into the daily humiliation of
having to share her lover with another woman. Camille asked Rodin to leave Rose, but he wouldn't.
It was probably during this period that tensions between Camille and Rodin were exacerbated by an unwanted
pregnancy. A 1939 letter from Paul Claudel to his friend, Marie Romain-Rolland, confirmed Camille had had an
abortion.
In 1893, Rodin left Paris and moved to the country with Rose. The break-up with Camille was complete. Rodin
was 53 years old and Camille was 29.
Camille was deeply wounded and vulnerable when she walked out of Rodin's studio, but she was also
determined to make a name for herself and to find her own distinctive voice. She worked tirelessly and the ten
years following her break-up with Rodin were the most prolific of her career.
Around 1905, Camille stopped sculpting altogether, as her creative powers crumbled under the weight of
financial hardship and seclusion. During this time, her mental state was also deteriorating.
In September, 1909, Paul Claudel, after visiting his sister's studio wrote in his journal: "In Paris, Camille mad.
Wallpaper ripped in long strips, the only armchair broken and torn, horrible filth. Camille huge, with a dirty face,
speaking ceaselessly in a monotonous and metallic voice." Camille had reached the point where to others it
seemed that she could not function on her own.
As Camille grew more paranoid, her family decided to have her committed. In 1913, she was committed to the
Montdevergues insane asylum. On orders from her mother, she was isolated and deprived of all visits from the
outside world. While nothing in her behavior called for the decision to be cut off from the outside world, her
isolation was enforced to prevent a scandal. The scandal happened anyway when Charles Thierry (Camille's
cousin) alerted a local newspaper of her plight, and the news reached the Paris newspapers about a month
later.
Camille spent the next 30 years of her life in the insane asylum until her death on October 19, 1943.
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The most visible characteristic of Camille was defiance. She defied the prejudiced society in which she lived in
almost every step she took: her choice of a career in sculpture, her entrance into a previously all-male studio
and a liaison with the master of the studio, and her determination to sculpt the nude with as much freedom as
her male counterparts. Sculptors worked in dust and dirt, spending countless hours doing manual labor. For
women it was just as dirty and probably harder, since women who wished to dress like men had to be issued a
special permission by the Prefect of Police. With the hems of their long bustled dresses sweeping the floors,
they climbed up ladders and carried heavy material.
During her lifetime, Camille created 260 to 280 cast pieces in clay, plaster, marble, or bronze. Since the early
1980's, some 250 casts have been produced, and more are expected in the future. The large number of
posthumous casts will soon surpass her lifetime production. In spite of her financial troubles, Camille Claudel
routinely cast her pieces in bronze. All her important works were cast during her lifetime, so that posthumous
casting was not necessary for their preservation.
In 1984, Camille's popularity grew instantaneously and
quickly spread to other European countries, as well as
to Asia and Japan, after her sculptures were revealed
in the Musee Rodin.
In 1988, a female baker facing a financial emergency
decided to sell one of her possessions, a bronze
sculpture of a woman on her knees with her hands
stretched toward a missing god. A deceitful antique
dealer told her that it was only a copy of L'Implorante
by Camille Claudel and he gave her $8,000. Two
weeks later the same piece sold for $290,000 at an
auction in Rambouillet. She took her case to court and
won.
As a woman of the nineteenth century, Camille Claudel
came up against the social and artistic limitations
imposed upon her. She struggled endlessly to be
accepted as a sculptor in her own right, without any
gender qualifications and restrictions. This is probably
why she always returned to sculpting large works,
Camille's sculpture L'Implorante
even though she had created small-scale
masterpieces. She knew that only large works were viewed as worthy of a great sculptor while miniature
sculpture was often branded as decorative or feminine.
REFERENCES:
CAMILLE CLAUDEL A LIFE
Author: Odile Ayral-Clause
Published in 2002 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/pclaudel.htm
http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~loui/camille.html
http://www.angelfire.com/goth/poe/camilleclaudel_index.html
IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS
Image #1: Jeune File a la Gerbe, 1887, age 23
Image #2: Persee et la Gorgone, 1902, age 28
Image #3: Clotho, 1893, age 29
Image #4: The Prayer, 1889, age 25
Image #5: The Waltz, 1891-1893, age 27-29
GABRIEL BARRE
DIRECTING A MASTERPIECE
This summer's production of CAMILLE CLAUDEL at the Goodspeed
is in the capable hands of the fabulous director and actor, Gabriel
Barre. He brings a wealth of experience with him to this production.
His credits are mind-boggling!
As a director, Mr. Barre has many credits to his name. He directed
the Off-Broadway production of THE WILD PARTY by Andrew Lippa
at the Manhattan Theatre Club. This musical was nominated for
numerous awards, including five Outer Critics Circle Awards and 13
Drama Desk Awards. Included in the nominations for both was Best
Direction of a Musical. Mr. Barre won the Calloway Award for Best
Direction for THE WILD PARTY. Other Off-Broadway credits
include: SUMMER OF '42 at the Variety Arts Theatre, HONKY
TONK HIGHWAY at Don't Tell Mama (winner of a MAC Award and
Bistro Award for Best Review), STARS IN YOUR EYES at the
Cherry Lane Theatre and JOHN & JEN at the Lamb's Theatre.
His regional credits include the recently critically acclaimed
production of PERICLES at the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival,
STAND BY YOUR MAN (a new musical about Tammy Wynette,
which played at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville) and TEMPLE (a musical about the life of Temple Granden ) with
the Seattle Repertory. He is also on the Advisory Board of the Cape Cod Theatre Project and has directed numerous
plays there during the past three years, including John Cariani's ALMOST, MAINE.
At the Goodspeed Opera House, he directed the revivals of SWEENEY TODD (winner of four Connecticut Critics
Circle Awards, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical), FINIAN'S RAINBOW (nominated for five
Connecticut Critics Circle Awards), the new musical, HOUDINI, which he remounted at the Marriott-Lincolnshire
Theatre in Chicago, and recently the revival of KING OF HEARTS, as well as many other new musicals including
FANNY HILL and DORIAN. Mr. Barre also directed the national tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA
starring Eartha Kitt, which ran for three years.
Besides CAMILLE CLAUDEL, Mr. Barre is currently working on a number of projects including an adaptation of THE
GONDOLIERS for the Roundabout Theatre, an international version of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the new
musical SKIN OF OUR TEETH by Kander and Ebb with a book by Joe Stein, and the new rock musical, MASK
(based on the movie), by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Anna Hamilton-Phelan.
As an actor, Mr. Barre was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in
STARMITES (recently released on CD) and won a Bistro Award as an original cast member in FOREVER PLAID.
Other performing credits include-Broadway: RAGTIME (workshop), AIN'T BROADWAY GRAND, RAGS, ANNA
KARENINA, BARNUM (first national tour); Off-Broadway: RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, THE PETRIFIED
PRINCE at the Public Theatre, JACQUES BREL IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING IN PARIS, for which he also did
the musical staging, as well as numerous productions at the Roundabout Theatre, Mirror Repertory Company, Lamb's
Theatre, Playwright's Horizons, Jewish Repertory Theatre, INTAR, York Theatre and LaMama E.T.C.
His television and film credits include: The Gurneyman, Luggage of the Gods, Girl 6, Quiz Show, The Road to
Wellville, Stardust Memories, Fame, Kate & Allie, Nickelodeon, Summer of Sam and the recent Broadway Workshop
program for PBS.
Before he headed to Connecticut to begin rehearsals for CAMILLE CLAUDEL, Mr. Barre took the time to answer
some of our questions about his work on CAMILLE.
VOICE: Would you please give the fans some insight into how you came to work on CAMILLE CLAUDEL. When and
where did you meet Frank Wildhorn and have you worked together before?
GB: This is the first project I've done with Frank and Nan, but I hope it's not the last. It's been fruitful and exciting, and
I enjoy working with them both very much. I believe they each had become familiar with my work through the
Manhattan Theatre Club production of THE WILD PARTY, which I directed. About a year and a half ago, the three of
us and Linda all met and talked about CAMILLE, the person and the show, and began work soon after.
VOICE: What have you enjoyed about your work on the show so far? Have you found anything to be particularly
rewarding and/or challenging?
GB: The creative process of putting together an original musical is complex and involved. It is also rewarding and
even fun, especially when a team works closely and the communication is good. It is a constant routine of writing and
rewriting that never really ends…once you make friends with that, it's just a matter of holding on and never taking your
eye off the target. One of the most challenging and exciting aspects of working on this particular piece is the
exploration of how to theatrically interpret the artwork (the sculptures of Camille Claudel and Rodin) throughout the
show and use the art as clues as to what was really going on in the passionate relationship between these two
extraordinary artists.
VOICE: In a creative sense, do you find it more of a challenge to direct a musical based on a real person as opposed
to fiction, or doesn't it matter?
GB: Yes, I think biographies are particularly challenging and present numerous additional pitfalls. The trick is not to
rely on the fact that this person was real or famous to provide interest or a perspective on the piece. You still have to
know why you're writing it and what you want to say. You have to ask, "Is the story interesting and compelling on its
own?" Sometimes you can't rely simply on the facts of the person's life to hold the audience's attention. They won't.
VOICE: How did you prepare for directing CAMILLE CLAUDEL?
GB: We have all prepared by reading a lot about both Camille and Rodin and the period (1883 to1913). We have
studied the artwork itself and taken field trips to see it in person. We have done readings of the show, recorded demos
of the songs and experimented with the movement and style of the piece all in preparation for rehearsals, which begin
on July 22nd.
VOICE: We know you've done a lot of work at the Goodspeed. Is there something about the theatre that keeps you
coming back?
GB: I love working at the Goodspeed...the people are great... it's a beautiful spot in New England (I was born in
Vermont so it reminds me of home)...and the support for new work is complete and enthusiastic. The first show I ever
directed about ten years ago came from their placing their trust in me and giving me a chance to direct a brand new
show after having worked there as an actor a number of times. It is always a pleasure to go to work there and those
experiences have left me feeling particularly proud of our profession and grateful for the opportunities with which I
have been blessed.
***
Thanks, Mr. Barre, for taking the time to answer our questions. See you at the Goodspeed!
This entire album is going to be one of my favorites because of
the whole listening experience. You just put it in your car
and you are done. It's a great hour! I'm very, very excited about it.
- Frank Wildhorn
TRACK LISTING
1. One Bad Habit
2. Is This Anyway To Fall In Love
3. Till You Come Back To Me
4. Where Are You Now
5. The Man That Got Away
6. If He Never Said Hello
7. Smile
8. When I Look In Your Eyes
9. All The Way
10. Storybook
11. I Don't Remember
12. When I Look At You
13. Bridge Over Troubled Water
14. Let Him Fly
15. Vole Mon Age - (bonus track)
“Who shall venture to paint its history or its end?
It is built to stand for ages, and during these ages it is probable that this hall
will intertwine itself with the history of our country.”
–ANDREW CARNEGIE, May 13, 1890, at the ceremony to lay the cornerstone of Carnegie Hall.
On the evening of Wednesday, February 19, 2003, Linda Eder added a page to America’s musical history book with
her third sold-out performance at one of the country’s most prestigious cultural venues—Carnegie Hall. Much of the
east coast was blanketed with nearly two feet of snow (compliments of the 2003 President’s Day blizzard), but even
that couldn’t put a damper on the anticipation that had been building for months. Fans from across the country (and
beyond!) braved the harsh winter weather and flocked to New York City for the concert debut of Linda’s seventh solo
album, BROADWAY MY WAY.
Although the concert was months ago, Linda’s fans are still buzzing about the incredible evening. It was a magical
night that will live in our memories forever! The day after the concert, Voice Editor Amanda Christensen set out to
recap the evening for the fans on behalf of THE VOICE staff. The following review appeared on the Linda Eder
Message Board on February 20, 2003.
Linda and The Band at Carnegie Hall
February 19, 2003
Carnegie Hall.
These two words have become oh-so-powerful in the cultural landscape. With a history dating
back more than 100 years, many of the world’s finest artists have performed on the Hall's
hallowed stages. An appearance at Carnegie Hall has become synonymous with a level of
success that many dream of reaching, but only a select few attain. Our Star Linda Eder played
Carnegie Hall twice in 2000. On Wednesday, February 19, 2003, Linda Eder made history with
her third magical performance at this musical institution. What follows is a recollection of the
evening, as experienced through the eyes of a fan.
***
The excitement in the air could have powered 100 New York City blocks on a sweltering, midsummer afternoon. I was at Carnegie Hall and Linda Eder was to take the stage in just 10
short minutes. I stood at the front of the Hall and looked at the crowd. There were thousands
of beaming faces, all anticipating the official concert kick-off of Linda Eder's new album
BROADWAY MY WAY. Months of waiting for this exact moment paid off as the lights dimmed
and Linda's Band took the stage for an already screaming audience. Linda was announced
and the entire crowd was suddenly on their feet. She was wearing a short black dress (in fact,
the same dress from the BROADWAY MY WAY cover shot) and very high-heeled sandals that
she would later joke about. When the initial standing ovation subsided, the concert of the
century began.
Linda took the mic, glanced around with a sly smile and opened with "I Am What I Am."
Leave it to Linda to begin a concert with a showstopper! From sultry, unassuming whispers to
bold and brash full-out belting, this song showcased all Linda has to offer. Fans shook their
heads in amazement as Linda held notes that seemed endless. An immediate standing
ovation ensued.
Before continuing, Linda paused to welcome the audience. She thanked us all for coming out
in the snow and, knowing how dedicated her fan base is, suggested we pause for "a moment
of silence" for those who could not make it due to the weather. She explained how nervous
she was, saying in reference to her shoes, "I was thinking, if I don't trip I'll be that much more
ahead of the game!" The audience laughed and cheered, showing their support.
Next was the medley that we’ve all come to love during the GOLD tour, "Come Rain Or Come
Shine/On The Street Where You Live/What Kind Of Fool Am I." Linda, herself recognizing the
powerful force of Carnegie Hall, whispered, "Hey Judy," and blew a kiss towards the ceiling
during "Come Rain Or Come Shine," a reference to Judy Garland, a woman who had a strong,
early influence on Linda. David Mann's saxophone solo during "On The Street Where You
Live" was as smooth and jazzy as always, and "What Kind Of Fool Am I" left the audience
breathless. Once again we leapt to our feet, unable to believe what we just heard, but fully
loving every single second.
Linda joked, "Whoa, I have to pull my dress down after that one!" and once again commented
on how much it meant to her to be performing at Carnegie Hall. She talked about growing up
on the farm in Minnesota and wanting to "make it big someday." Alas, here she was, making
her third appearance at the Hall. She paused to thank her record company for having
"chutzpah" and for taking a chance on her, especially for taking a chance with a Broadway
album. She talked about showtunes and how she loved to sing them since before she could
sing. Linda said that as a child, she had two albums: the movie version of "The Sound Of
Music" and a cartoon version of "Peter Pan," but both were enough to provide a spark, and the
rest was history!
Next was "Some People," a song with music by Jule Styne, who interestingly enough, was the
great-uncle of Linda's keyboard player, Billy Stein. Linda's interpretation of this song is
something fans have to see to fully appreciate. She sang with strong conviction. And the Band
was pure electricity. Another standing ovation.
Linda talked about the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and how she came to know the song "I'll Be
Seeing You," which was next on the set list. She said she was so glad she got to learn this
classic standard and the audience, it is safe to assume, was overjoyed. Such a gentle,
sweeping melody, "I'll Be Seeing You" took us all to a better place. (Could it get any better?)
"I haven't done this one in a while..." Linda said as the waltz began. Cheers of joy and surprise
erupted from the crowd as Linda sang, "Listen to me I have beautiful dreams I can spin you..."
She sang "Storybook" for what can only be described as a few minutes of pure bliss.
Linda talked about being a leading lady of Broadway, joking, "I've only done one show! Didn't
anyone check?!" She talking lovingly about Frank, saying you'd think it would be easy to find a
part for her, being married to a Broadway composer and all. However, the problem is that
Frank is a man and is constantly coming up with wonderful ideas for men! Linda joked that
he's writing about himself! Finally, they've come up with an idea that they hope will make it to
Broadway (we hope so too!). But before that, there was HAVANA. And so it began! How the
roof of Carnegie Hall survived the AUDIENCE for the next song will forever remain a mystery.
"Havana" was a definite crowd pleaser and suffice it to say that many are simply elated that
this song remained in the set list for the BROADWAY MY WAY kick-off concert.
Linda seemed so blown-away by the audience participation that she joked, "It's good to be
back in New Jersey." (Presumably referencing her extremely devout and LOUD fan base in
the tri-state area). Next was a beautiful pairing of "Losing My Mind/Unusual Way." So warm
and tender, yet sad all at once. Linda hit notes in "Unusual Way" that we didn't even know
existed.
The stage lighting changed to stars and Linda sang "The Impossible Dream." A personal
favorite of the evening, this song sent chills down the spine. Linda's version is a truly amazing
take on a classic Broadway favorite.
The first part of the show wrapped up with "Don't Rain On My Parade." One word:
STUNNING. Standing ovation number X (at this point, we’ve honestly lost count!).
PART II
Linda took the stage in a simple yet stunning bright purple silk gown. She began the second
part of the show with a stirring number from CAMILLE CLAUDEL called "Coming Home" (done
slightly different for the concert, according to Linda). The song was beautiful and it left many
fans wondering how it will fit into the story line of the show- oh the sweet anticipation! After this
tease, we're all hoping and praying CAMILLE makes it to Broadway sooner rather than later!
Linda talked about how she was now feeling better and a little more at ease having gotten out
of those high-high-heeled sandals. She joked that her left foot had fallen asleep and dragged
her foot across the stage. The audience was in stitches. She talked about her son, Jake, and
told the cute "ice cream" story that the audience has come to love. Once again we all got a
good chuckle. But suddenly Linda was serious as she talked more about the album. She said
the "songs by men" theme was something that grew on her because as she explored songs
further, she realized she truly loved to sing many of them. In this post 9-11 world, it only
seemed fitting to include the next song.
The caliber with which Linda sang "Anthem" can only be described as ethereal. The song
stirred patriotism in my heart, as I'm sure it did in many others. It was a beautiful, emotional
moment, with another standing ovation.
Next was a song that was on one of those original records that Linda listened to over and over
again as a child, "Edelweiss," or as Linda called it Enya-weiss. Linda talked about recording
the arrangement, using 34 tracks of her voice as back-up. She said, "and I brought those girls
with me, in a box! So here is Enya-weiss..." There was a slight delay in starting the "box" and
Linda joked, "Well, that would have been Enya-weiss!" and everyone laughed. But when Linda
did sing "Edelweiss" it was one of the most touching moments of the evening. It was sweet
and pitch-perfect.
Linda talked about Edelweiss being the national flower of Austria, and how her family is from
Austria (she is half Austrian, half Norwegian, and now her hair is half Italian!). She said Frank
wrote this beautiful song for her, and while it isn't from a Broadway show, she just could not
leave it out of the concert. She said if anyone would like to write a libretto seeing as how New
York is "the mecca of talent" that they should feel free to do so. As the intro to "Vienna" was
playing, before she began singing, she joked, "I can see them now, Heidi and Hans..." and
laughed but then quickly regained her performance face and sang the most beautiful version
of "Vienna" ever.
Linda introduced the many talented musicians on stage and the crowd cheered for them. The
most animated song of the evening was next, "Bring On The Men." The crowd clapped and
joined in, screaming "NO!!!" when Linda sang "So many men, so little time, I want em all, is
that a crime?" It was a definite crowd pleaser with everyone on their feet yet again.
Linda paused to say she was sorry if she had forgotten to thank people throughout the
evening and that there were many people there to whom she owes a lot and to whom she will
always be grateful for the support she has received throughout the years. She said, "I
especially owe a lot to a lady that started it all for me. Her name was Lucy."
Suddenly Linda was Lucy Harris again as she sang "A New Life." The passion in her voice
and the agony/joy on her face brought tears to our eyes. Linda proved her acting abilities as
she switched characters and become Camille with "Gold." It just keeps getting better and
better!
The next to last song of the evening was really what "began it all" (referring to "songs for
men"). "Man of La Mancha" began and ended with a screaming crowd, and featured the truly
amazing Barry Danielian on trumpet. At the end of the song the audience gave Linda and the
Band a spectacular stranding ovation, and Linda returned to the stage to sing "just one more
song."
Linda commented that no matter how badly she wished it wouldn't be so, "If I Had My Way" is
becoming more and more relevant in these strange and scary times we are living in.
Regardless, the song was beautiful and moving. Linda almost couldn't finish, she was so
overcome with emotion, but she managed to get through the final notes and we rose to our
feet one final time to salute her, a gifted performer and an exceptional person. The show was
over and now it seems like a sweet dream; but it was real, and we were there. It just doesn't
get any better than that. At least not until our star makes her way back to the Great White Way.
Broadway is ready. Broadway is waiting. Come home soon, Linda!
(February 20, 2003)
STARS AMONG US ON THAT MAGICAL EVENING
In addition to hundreds upon hundreds of adoring fans, there were some famous faces and beloved members of the
"Wildhorn Family" in the audience who also experienced the magic when Linda debuted BROADWAY MY WAY. The
staff of THE VOICE caught up with Linda following her performance and also a few celebrities to get their take on the
evening and Linda's amazing talent.
"Carnegie Hall is so special to me. Every time feels like the first time. That
is why I am so grateful to the fans who come and fill the place. They are my
support system, sort of holding my hand while I walk the tightrope.
Everyone at THE VOICE is aware of this and their handling of the evening
was wonderful! Big thanks to Ellen, Charlene, Lori and Amanda!"
-Linda Eder
It's hard to give my reaction to the evening
because I was backstage chasing Jake around!
(laughs) I usually am! I see Linda so much, that
when she does really important gigs, I'd rather
her family be part of everything and enjoy the
festivities, because they help us out all the time.
And so when we do something really important,
I'm usually chasing Jake around! In the back of
Carnegie Hall, there's a place where they have
all old musical instruments that have been there
for a gazillion years. For instance, there's this
big, old organ and Jake thinks it's a spaceship.
So that night, we were flying the spaceship for
about an hour and a half! But I could hear
through the speakers that Linda was doing a
good job and she didn't need me anyway. She
was doing fine. Carnegie Hall is special because that was her dream, you know. Her dream when she
was a little girl wasn't to sell a lot of records or to be on Broadway or to have the kind of career that she
has now. Her dream was, "I want to play Carnegie Hall." And she's done it three times now-sold it out
three times and she's had a ball doing it! It's very special for her, and for all of us.
-FRANK WILDHORN
composer and Linda's husband
"Linda's singing is absolute perfection. There is a natural quality to her voice- it
is an unassuming beauty that is a great gift. I think part of her allure is her
unrivaled taste and class, and her willingness to remain true to her own unique
style. The way she approaches a song with truth is rare in today's
entertainment landscape. Linda's talent is remarkable in that she uses her
instrument- her voice!- in a way that is more than just technique. Her affection
and passion for the music and what she does shines on stage."
-ANN REINKING
actress/choreographer/director and friend
"She was terrific! I thought starting the concert with "I Am What I Am"
was a touch of genius. It just galvanized the audience. As always, I
loved Linda's funny, goofy moments such as when she announced
that she'd taken her shoes off, and then demonstrated how her foot
had fallen asleep by dragging a leg across the stage. Those are the
moments when strangers fall in love with her and her pure open
nature. Since I'm crazy about the album (and think it's Linda's best
work ever), I thought the song selections for the concert were equally
great. I was very happily surprised to hear her do "Storybook." I had
no idea she was going to do it, and also thrilled that she started the
second act with "Coming Home," which, as you probably know, is
from CAMILLE. Linda and I are working on a version of the song for
concert use only and it's almost there, but what both she and I want
is for the concert version to be a love letter between Linda and the
audience. Naturally, as always, I loved her doing "Gold," and it was
enormous fun to have her do three of my songs that night. I cried
once more with Jack Murphy's "If I Had My Way," such a beautiful
song, and with great music by Frank. The only other thing to say is
that my favorite Linda songs at this point are "Don't Rain On My Parade," "Man of La Mancha," and
"Some People." I am crazy for this brightly defiant spirit and am trying to find a slot for such a song in
CAMILLE. I loved the concert, loved her purple dress, and loved Linda."
-NAN KNIGHTON
lyricist for CAMILLE CLAUDEL
"Too bad she can't sing! [laughs] Actually, on a serious note, this entire evening
has been just incredible. It's a thrill to hear the new arrangements from the album
done live in concert. You can't say enough about the power with which Linda belts
out some of these songs, such as "I Am What I Am" and "Anthem." It just leaves
you in awe. I remember the first time I heard Linda sing "The Impossible Dream." I
was floored. Completely floored! That's the power of her voice."
-KIM SCHARNBERG
arrangements/orchestrations
on BROADWAY MY WAY
"She's got one of the few great instruments on the planet and she used it to
great effect at Carnegie Hall. It's easy to tell you my favorite song on Linda's
Broadway album; it's "I'll Be Seeing You." It was one of my father's favorite
songs, and so became a sentimental favorite of mine as well. Linda sings it
so beautifully. I'd actually rather hear her sing it than Vaughn Monroe, the
singer who had the original hit with it about a thousand years ago. My next
favorite is "Some People." I've always loved the melody and Sondheim's lyric
is perfect. As a matter of fact--if I may be so bold--Linda asked me if I could
recommend an up-tempo Sondheim song for the CD and I recommended
that one. (Does that mean that the sun comes up every morning because the
rooster crows?) [winks]."
-Jack Murphy
Lyricist, CIVIL WAR, various
Linda songs and the upcoming
SCOTT & ZELDA: THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE
"Everything Linda does artistically is stunning. She is capable of making
sounds that I have never heard on this earth before. She is simply a
thrilling singer."
-KATHIE LEE GIFFORD
entertainer and Eder fan/friend
A HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE
Ever hear this one? "How do you get to Carnegie Hall? -PRACTICE!"
It's a silly old joke, but it's true! Carnegie Hall's long history of excellence has made performing there the mark of an
exceptionally gifted artist. It's only fitting that Linda and her Band have graced the Hall's main stage, not once, not
twice, but three times!
Following the BROADWAY MY WAY debut concert, many fans commented not only on the magic of the music, but
also on the beauty of the building itself. The editorial staff of THE VOICE decided to hit the history books to learn as
much as we could about the building that has become a cultural icon. What we learned was fascinating! Here is a
sample:
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Carnegie Hall was built in 1890.
The concept of Carnegie Hall was conceived many years earlier by celebrated German conductor Leopold
Damrosch, founder of the Symphonic Society of New York and the Oratorio Society of New York.
In 1887, his son, Walter Damrosch, then conductor and musical director of the Symphonic Society of New York
and the Oratorio Society of New York, met Andrew Carnegie and his new bride, Louise Whitfield, on a
transatlantic crossing aboard the ship Fulda. The Carnegies were enroute to Scotland for their honeymoon and
they befriended Damrosch.
Damrosch persuaded Andrew Carnegie to help bring his father’s vision to life and Carnegie contributed what
eventually amounted to $2 million towards the construction of the Hall (which at that time was 9/10 of the total
cost!).
Ironically, the Hall was designed and constructed so that it would not require steel support beams (ironic
because Andrew Carnegie was a steel magnate!). Instead, the walls were built with concrete and masonry
several feet thick. This novel structural design was originally only intended to create a vast and "airy" Hall, but it
was soon found that it lent the Hall an unrivaled acoustic quality.
Opening night was May 5, 1891.
The first performance to be given on the main stage was Beethoven's "Leonore Overture No. 3," performed by
the Symphony Society and directed by Damrosch.
Famed Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky made an appearance on opening night and led the
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Symphony Society in a performance of his very own "Marche Solennelle." Many attribute the Hall's seemingly
overnight reputation as a "center of excellence" to Tchaikovsky's rare opening night appearance.
The opening festivities lasted for five days and drew thousands of the country's affluent, who paid as much as
$2 for admission (a lot of money by 1891 standards!).
The building was originally called "The Music Hall" but was renamed in Carnegie's honor in 1894. The term
"music hall" was associated with vaudeville and the backers of Carnegie Hall had higher aspirations for the
structure.
There were years of crisis in the Arts and a demolition date was set for March 31, 1960. Fortunately, due to
special state legislation, the Hall was saved and New York City purchased the building for $5 million. Carnegie
Hall was "reborn" as a public trust.
Carnegie Hall as we know it today houses the main hall (named the Isaac Stern Auditorium in 1996), which
accommodates 2,804 seats, and the Joan and Sanford L. Weill Recital Hall (named so in 1986), which has
seating for 268.
In September 2003, the Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall will open in the space below the Isaac Stern Auditorium.
This was originally the Chamber Music Hall but was converted to a cinema in 1960. The new hall will
accommodate approximately 650 and tickets are already on sale for an exciting first season.
Many more interesting facts can be found on the Carnegie Hall Web site at www.carnegiehall.org, including an
interactive timeline of the Hall’s 100+ year history!
Stage & Post-Concert Party courtesy of Bruce Glikas
Ann Reinking, Kathie Lee Gifford, Linda, and John Edward
On the evening of February 27, 2003, BROADWAY MY WAY mania hit Barnes & Noble in
the Chelsea section of Manhattan! This was to be an unforgettable evening for Linda’s fans
in the New York area. Fresh from her sold-out, amazing concert at Carnegie Hall, Linda
would be performing songs from her new album and then signing CDs for the many fans
who had been lined up in the freezing cold outside the store for hours. They began
purchasing their CDs and obtaining their wristbands early in the afternoon. These
wristbands would guarantee them a spot inside the store for Linda’s performance later that
evening. The line began forming outside by 4:00.
The excited crowd was ushered inside at 6:30 to await Linda’s
arrival. She appeared at 7:00 and was greeted with cheers and
applause. Linda looked radiant and relaxed and she thrilled the
crowd by beginning the evening with a rousing rendition of “I Am
What I Am.” As she started to sing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” the crowd
spotted two gentlemen outside trying to get a glimpse of Linda
through the glass. When the crowd began to wave at them, Linda turned to see who was
there. She immediately recognized Ray, a special friend who used to give Linda all the
publicity she could ever have wanted in the window of his copy shop. Somebody from
Barnes & Noble went outside to get Ray and his friend and ushered them right up to the
front. Linda then sang “I’ll Be Seeing You” especially for them. It was a very special moment.
Linda then concluded her performance by singing “Don’t Rain on My Parade” followed by
“Man of La Mancha” to the delight of the cheering crowd.
Linda graciously autographed BROADWAY MY WAY CDs, posed for pictures and greeted
every fan who had come to Barnes & Noble on that cold February night. It truly was a wonderful evening for all who
were there!
Some of the fans wrote to express their feelings about this amazing evening.
I drove all the way from Albany, NY to have the
chance to meet Linda at Barnes & Noble. When I
arrived, there was already a full house. Janet and
Rachel were the first to greet me when I arrived. I
was stuck in the back and no one around me was
able to see Linda but me. That’s where being six
feet tall comes in handy for me! The others could
only hear her. Linda was superb as usual and kept
us laughing with her humor the entire night. She
was performing right in front of the windows so
everyone outside was able to see her, which made
her look like a fish in a tank! After the performance
Linda stayed until everyone had the chance to
meet her and it was a pleasure meeting Linda
again. Afterward, the Barnes & Noble staff handed
out BROADWAY MY WAY posters to everyone as
they were leaving, making the night even more
enjoyable.
-Brian VanWie
What an honor to meet Linda Eder at Barnes &
Noble in NYC. Having just had the pleasure of
hearing her sing four gorgeous songs from
BROADWAY MY WAY, I wasn’t sure I had the
nerve to look this gorgeous woman in the eye and
thank her for all the joy she has brought to my life
with her glorious voice. Naturally I cried and
became completely tongue-tied, but Linda was
gracious and patient. The thrill of the night was
only matched by the great fortune of meeting
many of Linda’s fans, some of whom I had known
only through her message board. It honestly felt
more like a family reunion. The kindness of her
fans is a direct reflection of this lovely woman.
What a night!
-Diane DeNicola
The evening of February 27th at Barnes & Noble
transformed from a signing from our star to a
meeting of you stars! As we waited to see Linda up
close and personal, we had the honor of meeting
other fans. The excitement we experienced was
shared by everyone who was fortunate enough to
witness not only a personal concert featuring
Linda’s new CD, but also the heavenly gift of
having a few moments with the classiest person I
have ever met. Excluding the Charming Vera, of
course! Linda signed CD covers and took pictures
with all in attendance with the warmth of a family
reunion! Linda, you are the light of our lives.
Moreover, from the few fans we have had the joy
of meeting, it appears that the family was raised
right! BROADWAY MY WAY and Linda are
spectacular.
-Mitch & Vera Losak
As a Linda Eder fan who recently attended her
stellar performance of her new BROADWAY MY
WAY show at Carnegie Hall, I was also fortunate
enough to be among the lucky people to see,
hear, and meet with Ms. Eder only eight days later
at a CD signing and photo opportunity. This
followed yet another amazing live performance at
Barnes & Noble in NYC. Linda performed four of
the songs from the CD incredibly and then sat and
stood for autographs and photos with the adoring
crowd of hundreds who showed up for this
intimate event. There were many astonished
newcomers there as well. It was a great
opportunity for many of Ms. Eder’s fans who
communicate via the message board and chat
room on her website to meet in person for the first
time. All in all, it was a splendid evening.
-Bob Isaacs
5 Stars ***** for this performance. This was my
third time attending a CD signing that included a
performance by Linda. She was so amazing! When
Linda sang “Don’t Rain On My Parade,” I got
goosebumps. She just blew everyone away. Linda
just keeps getting better and better and is just as
sweet as when I first met her at the West Bank
Café in New York City. Thank you for everything,
Linda.
-Pat Carr
The Barnes & Noble setting was appropriately
“Linda-esque” in its comfy-coziness. The small
stage was in the corner of two adjoining full height
glass walls, which permitted those on the outside
to peer in, wide eyed with curiosity from just a few
feet behind Linda. It allowed us to see them as
well, and provided the opportunity for a comic
moment that has since become a fun memory. On
stage Linda noticed these “peerers” and smiled as
a lot of us did because it looked a little bit funny:
us seeing them-them seeing us. In a single, welltimed moment, Linda remarked it was like fish,
which made us break into chuckles of laughter.
These “lookers” continued peering, so this kept on
getting funnier. Some of those on the outside
cupped their hands, “squashing” their faces on the
glass to “see us” better, which made them appear
even more fishlike. So when Linda spontaneously
remarked “B-I-G Fish,” everyone burst out into
screaming laughter! Since her Star Search days, I
knew there was something so special about Linda,
as even back then I hoped hard for her success.
And now, 16+ years later, I am very happy to be
part of her “fan-family.” I love her unselfish
willingness to keep meeting her fans, and I have
been able to re-validate to myself how I “knew” all
along how terrific Linda is. I would love for her to
perform more frequently in smaller venues like
Barnes & Noble. I’d attend everything.
-L.A.
If you see yourself on one of these WANTED POSTERS from the Barnes & Noble CD signing on 2/27/03, Linda
wants YOU!!! You are the winner of a special prize personalized by Linda. Please send a photocopy of a picture ID as
proof of your identity (work ID, driver’s license, school ID). You can block out all the information except your name and
photo if you wish. You can mail it to us or send it electronically to:
lenewsletter@comcast.net
THE VOICE
P.O. Box 20180
Baltimore, MD 21284-0180
Linda Gives Stellar Performance
On the evening of Monday, June 16, 2003, fans and lovers of Broadway music once again gathered on the lawn of
Bryant Park in New York City for the second annual Broadway Under The Stars concert. Romance was the theme of
the cool, crisp summer evening and the fans came out in droves to show their love for Broadway music- almost
20,000 strong!
The concert featured many gifted performers and special guests, including stars of the stage and screen. Melanie
Griffith hosted the evening, unfortunately without her husband, Antonio Banderas, who was unable to attend due to
illness. Melanie knew the crowd was expecting Antonio and so she hung his picture behind her on the curtain as the
audience laughed. "Antonio is here in spirit!" she said.
A special moment of the evening was Bebe Neuwirth and Ann Reinking dancing to "Cool Hand Luke" from FOSSE,
demonstrating with style and perfection Bob Fosse's unique choreography. Also, Marin Mazzie's rendition of
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" from PAL JOEY was a true crowd pleaser and the Andrew Lloyd Weber Love
Trio ("Love Changes Everything/ Unexpected Song/ I Don't Know How to Love Him"), performed by Carolee Carmello,
Raul Esparza and Marin Mazzie was simply exquisite.
But the highlight of Broadway Under The Stars came with Linda's stellar performance of "Someone Like You" from
JEKYLL & HYDE. Jeremy accompanied Linda on the piano as her voice soared and delighted the crowd. Not only
was the crowd enraptured by Linda's voice, but backstage other celebrities gathered near the giant screen to listen to
Linda and watch her as she performed. The group, including Frank, gazed at the screen in awe of her talent and
stage presence. You could see the pride on Frank's face!
When Linda finished "Someone Like You," the crowd roared! A standing ovation from many in the crowd ensued. It
was an amazing performance that left the audience smiling. What an unforgettable evening of romance and music!
Linda Eder & Jewel
Photos by Katie Hazard
Linda Eder & Marin Mazzie
Linda Eder & Ann Reinking
By Heather Hunt
“I had a lot of fun in high school, had a lot of friends, also had a
lot of teachers who were friends…big, big impact that they had
on me.”
-Linda Eder, BHS Hall of Fame Acceptance Video, 2000
Miss Brainerd Pagent, 1979
High School…..For some, the mere mention of these two words is enough to send shivers down the spine.
But ask Linda Eder to talk about her high school years, and you get a surprisingly animated, upbeat response.
As Linda’s fans are well aware, Star Search was the connection that jump-started Linda’s career and led to her allimportant collaboration with “the genius,” Frank Wildhorn. This partnership eventually led Linda to Broadway where
she starred as Lucy in JEKYLL & HYDE. The Star Search story is well documented, but what was the foundation that
prepared Linda for her amazing success on Star Search and for her future career? This is exactly what I set out to
explore.
Brainerd High School
Being from Brainerd, MN myself and having walked in the
same high school hallways as Linda, I wanted to learn
more about her earliest experiences with music and art,
and more importantly, with life. Linda’s concert in Minneapolis, MN and a trip home to Brainerd afforded me the
opportunity to talk with some of Linda’s former teachers, classmates, and acquaintances from her high school years,
her brother and nephew, as well as those who knew her when she was just starting out on the path that eventually led
her to Broadway. From them, the picture emerged of a shy, but very talented young woman who was quietly driven.
Linda seemed to have a strong set of ideals guiding her, even back in her high school years.
Linda & Heather Hunt
The majority of Linda’s time at Brainerd High School was spent in the choir room. If you couldn’t find her there, she
was most likely working on a painting in the art room. Surprisingly, not everyone knew of Linda’s musical talent in high
school. Even her brother, Hans, told me that he didn’t realize the magnitude of his sister’s talent during high school. It
wasn’t until Linda started performing in clubs around Minnesota that he began to realize the special talent she
possessed. To him, Linda was just his sister during these years. The fact that she was in the high school choir wasn’t
a big deal to him because so many other kids were also in choir
.
Brainonian, Acapella Choir 1978
(Linda’s nephew, Nick, was so excited to see his Aunt Linda on this night in Minneapolis. He never stopped smiling
the whole time he was backstage. Although he couldn’t discuss Linda’s high school days like the others I spoke with,
he definitely wanted to contribute something like his dad. Nick told me that he loved hanging out with Linda in New
York. One of his favorite memories, though, was walking the dogs down the aisle at the wedding.)
Many people knew of Linda’s artistic talent and her love of painting horses. One such person was her high school art
teacher, Bill Grange. Mr. Grange (he was my teacher too) reports that he didn’t pay much attention to Linda’s singing
abilities in high school. Instead, he knew her from the tremendous amount of time that she spent painting in his
classroom and from her involvement in Art Club. Art was her forte at the time, and she excelled at it and was
passionate about it.
Mr. Grange saw Linda not only as a student, but also as a friend. He recalls that Linda was very comfortable in his
classroom and was one of the rare students who “stuck around and made the effort.” He also remembers Linda’s
dedication to her painting. He states, “Linda was interested in art and really put her heart into it.” One trait of Linda’s
that really stood out in the art room was her sense of humor and her ability to pick up on anything and make it funny.
Apparently, the good-natured humor between teacher and former student continues today. Mr. Grange wanted to
relay the message to Linda that she still owes him “an assignment.” Linda?
Brainonian, Acapella Choir 1979
We all know that Linda’s talent did not stop in the art room. In fact, (I’m stating the obvious here) it seemed to flourish
in the choir room. Linda’s high school choir director, Tom Rossin Ph.D., remembers Linda as a very shy student who
was uncomfortable singing in front of anyone until she started her voice lessons. During voice lessons, Dr. Rossin
worked with Linda to help her gain confidence and to find her range. What was most surprising to him was that even
at the age of 17, Linda’s range didn’t seem to have a limit. The only limit to her range was her shyness, but with a little
encouragement and sometimes a little trickery (i.e., Dr. Rossin not telling Linda what note she was on), she grew
more confident.
The next challenge for Dr. Rossin was getting Linda to showcase her talent for people instead of the lucky horses who
were the first to know of her talent (they could not be reached for an interview). In order to help build his students’
confidence, Dr. Rossin employed the “point and shoot” technique during practices. He recalls that this method worked
especially well for Linda because she didn’t have time to get nervous about singing in front of her classmates when
she was forced to sing on the spot.
Another important aspect of Linda’s early training was developing breath control. Much like his surprise at Linda’s
seemingly limitless range, Dr. Rossin recalls being surprised by her amazing lung capacity. He often worked with
Linda and his other students on this area by having note-holding contests. One can only imagine the blue faces as the
other members of the choir attempted to outlast Linda!
Dr. Rossin was fortunate enough to witness Linda’s transformation from shy choir participant to lead soloist and
actress in school plays. The parallels from her high school career to her present career are unmistakable. Linda’s first
choir solo, “Silent Night” is now one of the most popular and beautiful songs on her Christmas CD, CHRISTMAS
STAYS THE SAME. Since her high school career, Linda and Dr. Rossin have worked together at two of Linda’s
Minnesota Christmas concerts. Dr. Rossin directs an esteemed choir in Minnesota called “Exultate,” and when Linda
came to Minnesota for her concerts, she called on Dr. Rossin and “Exultate” to perform with her. Reflecting on his
earliest experiences with Linda, Dr. Rossin recalls that Linda was like a sponge, open to advice and willing to take as
much as she could get. In his most recent experiences with Linda, he was struck by the seasoned performer she’s
become. He reports that the role reversal was not awkward at all when working with Linda. He states that Linda
“knows what shewants and knows her voice,” and it was easy to take advice and suggestions from her.
Linda at Miss Brainerd Pagent
(Courtesy of Caroline "Chuck" Olson)
Linda’s teachers were not the only ones who saw her talent
despite her shy exterior. Leisha (Hammer) Tietz (’78) sat
next to Linda in choir. She remembers Linda as being “a
little on the shy side, gorgeous and tall.” As first sopranos in
the choir, Leisha remembers that Linda was one of the few
who could truly hit the high notes. One of Leisha’s most
poignant memories of Linda occurred during a
“contribution” day in choir that served as a way for choir
members to get to know each other’s interests outside of
music. On that day, Linda brought in one of her paintings
(specifically the painting of the race horse that was shown
in the Bravo Profile). Everyone was impressed by her
artistic talent and began “oohing and aahing” in
amazement. Leisha recalls that Linda handled being the
center of attention with grace and modesty. Instead of
letting the attention go to her head, Linda started laughing
as the compliments started flowing. Leisha remembers
hearing Linda’s rich hearty laugh a lot during choir
practices. Leisha also participated with Linda in the Miss
Brainerd Pageant. Having been in choir with Linda, she was
not surprised by Linda’s talent when it was showcased
publicly for the first time.
Another pageant participant, Caroline “Chuck” Olson,
remembers Linda as a very nice person who mostly kept
to herself during the pageant. One of Chuck’s funniest and
most endearing memories of Linda was that she tried to
remember everyone and made such an effort to do so.
One time after a concert at the Decathalon Club in
Minneapolis, Chuck and Leisha stopped in to say hello to
Linda. Upon seeing Chuck, Linda attempted to get her
name right and said, “Butch, isn’t it?” Never fear! Chuck
wasn’t offended. Instead she still laughs about it today and
was touched that Linda attempted to get it right.
A friend of Linda’s, Carol (Davis) Lorentzen, remembers
the first time Linda performed in a nightclub setting. During
the winter, a local popular bar called Bar Harbor hosted
Miss Brainerd Pagent
“Jam Sessions” on Sunday nights. Carol reports that on
(Courtesy of Caroline "Chuck" Olson)
the night of Linda’s performance, the place was roaring
with activity. No one was really paying attention to the
singers until Linda stepped on stage. Once she sang her first note, the place went dead silent. People were captivated
by the voice!
One recurring theme from just about everyone I interviewed was that even though Linda may be
in the limelight, she is still the modest Linda Eder they knew in high school. Each person I talked
with mentioned that in their most recent encounters with Linda, they were struck that despite her
success, there was nothing “put on” about her. She was still the Linda Eder they remembered
from high school. Despite her amazing talents, people who knew Linda in her younger days
remember and respect Linda’s most human qualities, namely her ability to just be herself and to
relate to the people she encounters.
In her Brainerd High School Hall of Fame acceptance video, Linda offered some heartfelt words
of encouragement to students of Brainerd High School: “I was going to be an artist. I had a great
art teacher in high school and was going down the road to being an artist, but fate took me by the hand and led me in
another way. You never know what your life is going to bring. Don’t brush off anything. Everything you learn will come
back to you at one point and will be important in a way that you might not begin to realize. So stick with it, and if you
have a dream, even if it seems silly to you, just keep going for it because you never know what might happen. It
happened to me, and if it can happen to me, it can happen to anybody.”
As Linda prepares for the role of Camille Claudel at the Goodspeed, and hopefully after that a return to Broadway in
the role, one thing is for sure. Linda was destined for this role. Her earliest foundation has prepared her for this role.
Fate may have led Linda away from her life as an artist, but in a strange twist, it has brought her another opportunity
to merge her two worlds and perhaps live out her dream to be an artist.
Dear Linda and Readers of The Voice,
Wow! What an incredible spring it has been for Brittany and our family…and all because of YOU! The amazing article,
“Brittany’s Story,” was so well presented in The Voice, and it introduced people across the whole country (and the
world) to Brittany and the beauty of life that she represents. We are so thankful that it was you, Linda, who launched
this vessel and your crew of fans who guided us through a sea of uncertainty. We wondered for years how a national
audience would receive Brittany, and it has clearly been with open arms. Perhaps it was because of her story but also
because of the fans’ love and trust of you. It is no small thing as a celebrity to lend your name to benefit another
person and to introduce that person to your devoted fans. You are a remarkable woman, worthy of all the praise and
admiration you’re given.
In this short time since Brittany’s Story graced your on-line newsletter, we
have experienced many new and exciting things! First of all, we found a
world of your friends and admirers (aka fans) who adore you as we do,
which makes your message board a pleasant place to visit each day, if
only for a few minutes to enjoy “Ederland.” As a result of this, we have
met the “regulars” who have welcomed us, the “intrigued” who have
questioned us, and the “loving” (a combination of both) who just wanted
to let us know how truly moved they were by Britt’s story. They all
expressed their gratitude to you, the vessel who brought them the story.
Many people purchased Brittany’s CD and then went on to recommend it
to their loved ones. Thank you for helping to share Brittany’s music with
others.
Also in these months, we have again been treated to your divine voice on Broadway My Way-a true gift to us fans and
a treasure that Brittany opens every day, sometimes at 6:45 am when the rest of us are sleeping! But can you blame
her? I imagine she doesn’t want to wait any longer in the day to experience greatness if she doesn’t have to…and
what a way to start the day! Her delight in hearing you sing “Don’t
Rain On My Parade” and “Some People” was beyond description.
Soon after, she discovered “Edelweiss” and “The Impossible
Dream,” and they were all we heard for weeks! Thank you so much
for the unexpected joy you brought her. (She is on the piano now
playing “Gold” as I write this!)
I would like to thank the readers of The Voice for their letters of
encouragement and loving thoughts to Brittany. As I have stated
before, all messages to her are printed, read to her and saved in a
memory book, partly because they belong to Brittany and this way
she can enjoy them forever, but also because there are moments
when I hold back Brittany’s story from adventuring further in the
public eye, and rereading your letters helps me focus on the bigger
picture of what God intended.
In closing, I am often asked what is next for Brittany, and so I thought I’d share the answer with you. We are never
sure what direction is next, but instead we have let her story lead us wherever it goes. That’s how we ended up here,
so this must be a good thing! We know that all Brittany wants to do is perform for audiences, and we allow her the
pleasure of it as much as possible. Her audience is usually several hundred
people at a church or local organization approximately once a month, but she
would enjoy more frequent performances. On a daily basis, Britt plays her
piano about eight to ten hours a day, and she will only stop if we make her. I
know that is hard to imagine, but it’s true. I hope that one day you will have
the opportunity to enjoy her playing in person. Her concerts, however, take a
large amount of coordinating that can be time consuming and tedious.
Therefore, this mom’s energy is spread pretty thin! Linda, how do you do it? In
my spare time, I am very near finishing a memoir of raising Brittany. It
includes discovering her talent, addressing curiosity type questions, and, of
course, meeting Linda Eder, as it was she who encouraged me to write this
book.
Chuck and I would like to again thank Linda and the staff of The Voice for their devotion in bringing you Brittany’s
story and in giving us a forum in which to express our very deep and heart-felt thanks.
“I wonder if when all is done, anyone heard my voice - But from the start we have no choice….
Our journeys just begin.”
What a beginning!
Warmest regards,
Tammy M. Maier
Carnegie Hall
New York City
Palace Theatre
Cleveland, Ohio
Belleayre Music Festival
Highmount, NY
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Philadelphia, PA
Warner Theatre
Washington, D.C.
Proctor Theatre
Schenectady, NY
Oriental Theatre
Chicago, Illinois
Byham Theater
Pittsburgh, PA
NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center)
Newark, NJ
Congratulations!!!
Gail Andahazy & Linda
Winner of the Winter 2002
GOLDen Contest
Jaclyn Taylor Golden, Steve Taylor,
Linda & Shelley Taylor
I wanted to thank you again for coming to Cleveland,
Ohio this past April. We waited nearly 5 years for your
return and of course it was well worth the wait. Many of
my family and friends came to finally see the amazing
singer I am always talking about. They all enjoyed you
very much and couldn't quit talking about the concert.
You just leave so many people speechless! The person
you probably impressed the most was my husband,
Steve, who now refers to you as "One Hot Chick." At
least he now knows that his hard earned money goes to
a very good cause! I just recently found out that you are
coming to Akron next April which is no more than 10
minutes from my house. I am just a little excited about
that one! Thanks again for always giving us such a great
time and for all the beautiful songs to listen to.
- Shelley Taylor
When I went to see you at the Westbury Music Fair on July
12th, I knew that I would be in for a wonderful time. I had
already seen you there last year, and I knew that this time
would be no different. The evening at Westbury was nothing
short of enchanting. I felt like I had stepped into another
world, a world that made me feel all kinds of emotions.
When you sang my favorite song, “Vienna,” I could feel the
chills go down my back and the hairs on the back of my
neck stand on end. “Bring On The Men” was absolutely
incredible. You never cease to amaze me, no matter how
many times I hear you sing. The way you interact with the
audience is alone worth the price of admission. Linda, your
music has helped me through some difficult times in my life.
Your voice never fails to bring a smile to my face, and for
this I thank you. I also thank you for the new friends I have
made through the message board. You have a wonderful
way of bringing people together. I wish you all the luck with
CAMILLE as well as your future concerts. I know whether it
is on stage in CAMILLE or in concert, you will light up the
stage with your smile and presence.
Linda, Judi Cohen & Nathaniel Cohen
- Tisha Waters
Linda, Allison Whitehouse, Kelly Monaghan & Teder Bear
Linda & Amanda Wallin
I just returned home form seeing Linda in Beverly, MA. I
have never seen someone so incredibly dynamic,
confident, and talented. Her ability to connect with her
audience, laugh at herself, and project such incredible
talent has me totally inspired. Personally going through a
very difficult breakup, attending the concert was almost
a spiritual experience. She demonstrates amazing
talent, but also great self confidence, exuberance, and a
kind of female power that is invigorating and
inspirational.
- Valerie E. Henry
Linda & Kira Rose Stockdale
Recently I attended a pre-dinner of Bill Hutchinson's and
attended Linda's concert in Beverly, MA. It was a very nice
time meeting with other Linda fans and then experiencing
the ultimate gift, a concert with Linda. I have been fortunate
to see several of Linda's concerts but each time I have to
pinch myself because I cannot believe what I am hearing. I
am one of Linda's "senior" fans and just get such joy from
her "VOICE." I am very happy to have tickets to see Camille
Claudel in August. Life is good.
- Gail Renaud
Malcolm Leeves, Linda, & David Gritt
Sorry you couldn't make it to a festive event at the preconcert dinner, beautifully arranged and planned by Bill
Hutchinson of Beverly, MA. We had 13 devoted Linda
Eder fans in attendance at the Sylvan Street Grille in
Danvers,MA. The food was great but the Linda stories
and experiences we shared were the highlight of the
evening. Fans came from all over MA, NJ, MI,etc. We
anxiously awaited for 8pm so we could see our "Diva"
once again in concert.
Linda was in great voice (as always), in a great mood
(joking with the band and the audience), and she looked
fabulous. The highlight for me was when she did her
signature song "Vienna." That song sends chills up my
spine everytime I hear it. My personal favorite "Havana"
and "Bring on the Men" were fabulous and the band
played beautifully all night long. Thank you to Frank
Wildhorn and Jack Murphy for writing some beautiful
songs.
Linda & Richard Georgeou
Richard Georgeou
I became addicted to Linda back in 1989, when I attended a
private concert in Dallas, Texas. That's when she became
my all time favorite! My addiction includes programs, all her
CDs, tapes of all known TV, pictures and autographs. I am
going to my eighth Linda concert (6/18/03). I will find a way
to Camille Claudell! What I love most is that she has such a
gifted talent and she is still the nicest person, 14 yrs later not a diva with an attitude. I try to see her after every
concert - just to say hi. Thank you Linda!
- J. Jack Jakubowski
Bob Hawley, Linda & Paul Mattson
I am so thankful to the Bravo profile that introduced me
to your voice and music a few months ago. Since then, I
have absorbed every note I can, purchased every CD I
can, and had the honor of seeing you in concert just a
few days ago in Cleveland, Ohio. I have introduced so
many people to your music that we actually took up a
whole ecstatic row in the Palace.
People wonder why Linda's voice stirs such emotion. It
is the same reason we all cried when we stood before
the Pieta, heard Pavarotti in his prime, watched Michael
Jordan win his sixth, watched Secretariat at Belmont.
Such pure perfection, such beauty, that exceeds what
most of us perceive as mortal makes us stand in awe
and joy. Linda's voice doesn't come from her vocal
cords, lungs, or diaphragm-- it comes from her very soul.
What beauty !
- Melanie R. Butera
Linda & Nick Sochure
Linda was amazing and just brilliant at Carnegie Hall!
Packed to the ceiling with Celebs and fans. Linda was
perfection! Meeting her later that night was such a thrill for
me. Linda was so sweet, and down to earth .
What a special night. Thank you Linda, for being so kind
and generous with me and thank you as always for your gift
of song.
- Chalie Manning
Linda & Chalie Manning
(Courtesy of Bruce Glikas)
A few months ago I heard about Linda Eder doing a free
performance and signing for her new cd - Broadway My
Way at a local Barnes & Noble. I've heard my best friend
go on and on about how great Linda was. My best friend
studied classical music and now teaches and directs
choir at a high school. Well, I knew she would be thrilled
to get an autographed cd of her favorite singer. So I
decided to go and wait out in the winter cold of NYC and
stand in line and listen to her sing just to get the cd
signed... Somehow I had never heard Linda's voice
before.
Linda & Bridget Bauersfeld
I had no idea what was in store. Her voice was
AMAZING! I have never heard anything like it before! I
could not believe I was in the same room with her and
she was singing live - for us. Her performance gave me
chills. That night, not only did I discover what
unmatchable talent Linda possesed, but also that she is
a truly kind person. (Those who were there will
remember when she stopped in the middle of a song to
ask the two older gentlemen fans to come in out of the
cold) She deserves the recognition and stardom of other
greats... but she could never behave in a "superior"
manner. Although she is truly a Diva, she hasn't
forgotten her old fans and is creating new fans like me!
That voice blows me away everytime I hear it. I'm so
glad I made the effort to surprise my friend, and got a
huge surprise myself.
-Joanna Rogers
Linda & Peg Bauersfeld
In Memory of Bill Hutchinson
The Editorial Staff of THE VOICE would like to dedicate the Fan Corner to Bill Hutchinson, a devoted husband, father,
grandfather and friend. Bill passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 2, 2003. He was a veteran of the Korean War and a
retired member of the Beverly, MA Fire Department after more than thirty years of service. Bill was one of the original members
of the message board and a devoted fan of Linda, and he shared his love for her and her music with all who crossed his path.
He will be sorely missed by all whose lives he touched in his very special way. Rest in peace, Linda’s # 1 Fan from
Massachusetts.
Image is copyright protected by Disney Corporation and Pixar Studios. All Rights Reserved.
THE VOICE NEEDS YOU!
THE VOICE IS BY THE FANS FOR THE FANS!
For the WINTER ISSUE we are requesting that
fans submit the following:
●
LINDA STORIES
●
SHORT MESSAGES TO LINDA
●
FAN PHOTOS WITH LINDA
●
STORYBOOK TOUR PHOTOS (VENUES & LINDA ON
STAGE)
If you would like to be a contributing reporter to THE VOICE,
please submit ideas, reviews or stories for consideration.
Please send submissions electronically
to lenewsletter@comcast.net or mail to:
THE VOICE
P.O. Box 20180
Baltimore, MD 21284-0180
All materials must be submitted by
Sunday, December 21, 2003.
Look for further announcements about the WINTER ISSUE
and the next CONTEST on the Linda Eder Message Board.
NOTE:
THE VOICE will ONLY accept original submissions
not previously viewed in other publications / websites.
Website Disclaimer
THE VOICE, the official newsletter for Linda Eder fans, was designed using standard design practices used in the
computing industry. However, the nature of our publication is intended to be printer friendly. The webmaster of THE
VOICE has tested this website on every Windows based platform from Windows 95-Windows XP Professional as well
as the Macintosh OS Platform 8.1 and higher. We have found that this website is compliant with Internet Explorer 3.0
and higher as well as Netscape based browser 4.5 and higher. While we do not use any tracking technology for
viewing who comes to this site, we do use cookies to enforce the design and construction of each individual page for
the purposes of printing the newsletter to your liking.
However, when attempting to print, each computer has different browser settings and each configuration is by nature
uniquely configured to your personal preference. While the webmaster of THE VOICE has enforced technical defaults
in the design of this website for publication purposes, we cannot guarantee that every page will be print ready for your
enjoyment. If you use AOL or MSN, your printer is not capable of breaking continuous pages up into separate units.
Therefore, some lines of print may break up or appear lost. Some versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape
encounter the same problem based on the computer manufacturer.
THE VOICE is a nonprofit publication that has been compiled by the fans of Linda Eder. Our sole purpose is to
promote her career, recordings, concert appearances, and to support and show appreciation for Linda Eder. Neither
this publication, nor any part of it, (including but not limited to artwork, design and layout) may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise
without prior permission of the publisher of THE VOICE. The publisher shall have the sole right to edit or reject
submitted material. By offering proposed material for publication in THE VOICE, submitter shall warrant and
represent: that all submitted material is solely owned by the submittor and has not been granted, assigned or
transferred to any other person; no copyright relating to the submitted material has been violated.
© 2003 Linda Eder & The Voice, All Rights Reserved

Summer 2003 - Linda Eder

Transcription

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