08/12/2023
Blogs from the Boyde: On Topsy Turvy.
Topsy Turvy is a musical r***e in which classic songs across all genres are performed with something new and unexpected. We have a sound designer/technician that sings, Ethel Merman performing various songs across the years in her signature style, Gaston’s ex girlfriend singing about him instead of Lefou, etc. this show was a process that allowed the performer to have significant creative input in the costumes, blocking, design elements, and of course the gimmick or angle of our pieces.
I’d like to lift the curtain here on a few of the pieces I am featured in and set the record straight on these twisted versions of songs I’m performing!
FOR THE LONGEST TIME BY BILLY JOEL:
The idea for this scene actually entered into my head years ago. I think it was around Halloween, but I was driving in my car lost in thought when the song came on. For whatever reason, the lyrics that stuck out to me were “I’m that voice you’re hearing in the hall”, “hold on to your heart” and “I don’t care what consequence it brings. I envisioned a B-rated/Rocky Horror-esque version of the song focusing on the darker sides of obsession. From there, the incomparable Elissa Richert and I took the concept and turned it into a macabre yet charming love story that reaches far beyond the realm of “till death do us part” while still incorporating the campy aesthetic we had hoped to achieve!
I WON’T SAY IM IN LOVE from DISNEY’s HERCULES:
To say this one has a lot of twists would be an understatement. First, this is song is typically performed by a woman and I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and perform something I would likely not get the chance to perform elsewhere. In the context of the song, I again wanted to flip the song from a lighter, hopeful meaning to something a bit darker and contemplative. In the original song, Megaera is opening up about her troubled past with love and the muses are reassuring her that her feelings are valid but that Hercules is the real deal and won’t hurt her. In our Topsy Turvy version, Megaera is desperate to denounce her affection for Hercules because she is aware that the lovers of gods, demigods, great heroes, etc. usually end up dead or worse, especially considering her ties to Hades and his plan to kill Hercules and overthrow Olympus. She sings out of fear of the situation she has been put in by the fates. And rather than a voice of comfort, my lone muse Sam Carpenter is a force of torment, reminding Megaera that regardless of how she feels he has a predetermined part to play in the grander schemes of the gods. Lastly, we put this song in a minor key to better support the darker themes of the scene.
Of course, there are still plenty of surprises left in store for you if you come see Topsy Turvy this weekend! 2 performances left!! Use codeword Merman for 25% your tickets!!!
