Nora Katz ’16 will be presenting a self-written musical play for her junior music recital on March 9–10 in the Weitz Center Theater. For the past two years, Katz has been working with her peers and mentors to prepare “Skylarks: The Jukebox Recital.”
Interview with Nora Katz ’16, writer and producer of "Skylarks"
What is the title of your project? Why is it called that?
Nora: The play is called “Skylarks,” with the subtitle “The Jukebox Recital.” I actually came up with the idea of the “Jukebox Recital” at the very beginning of the process, but the main title took much more time. I wanted a name that accurately represented both the content and the message of the show — a pivotal song in the production is “Skylark,” by Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael. It’s one of my favorites (both to listen to and to perform), and in it my character is essentially talking to the skylark, asking him about love. The motif of the skylark comes up a lot in the show, and I think it applies in different ways to every character. I’m leaving the rest up to the audience’s interpretation!
Can you give us some basic background information? What inspired you to choose this project? What is it about?
Nora: This project started as an in-joke between myself and my voice teacher, Ben Allen. During my freshman year, I sang a Haydn song called “My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair” that talks about this character named “Lubin.” There’s no reference to him in any other repertoire by Haydn or Anne Hunter, the lyricist. So Ben and I began making up stories about this Lubin fellow, who was referred to in this very enigmatic, non-specific way. Every term, we would add songs to this narrative about the relationship between my character and Lubin, and it kept changing. Every single song I sang over that two-year period ended up in the story. Of course, the show doesn’t include every song, but it follows a narrative about my character’s romantic journey that Ben and I have been exploring for the past two years.
I am an enormous musical theatre nerd, which likely does not come as a surprise. This show is inspired by the jukebox musicals that have (for better or for worse) graced the Broadway stage in recent years. I am also inspired by the Baroque tradition of the pastiche, and the Met Opera’s recent production of The Enchanted Island, which adds new lyrics to classic opera tunes and creates a narrative based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The idea of giving songs context is essential for me: many people aren’t that interested in the staples of vocal repertoire, and I hope that this show will offer a fresh perspective on these songs and maybe even introduce audiences to new music.
Taking a cue from my passions and personal experiences, but obviously heavily dictated by my vocal repertoire, this play deals with themes of nature and domesticity, love and loss, and acceptance and regret. The play follows the life of Vilia, a woman who lives a reclusive life in an enchanted forest. Prompted by an unlikely visitor, she tells her story.
How long have you been preparing this recital? What goes into preparation? Any challenges or unexpected situations?
I have been working on this recital since winter term of my freshman year, so a little over two years. Step one was, of course, having the idea for the project. I mulled over the idea for a little over a year before I wrote the first draft of the show in April 2014. The first draft is hilariously terrible, because there is barely any conflict in the whole play. I spent much of the summer, fall, and winter of 2014 writing and revising the script, including completing an independent study in playwriting with Professor Roger Bechtel in fall 2014. I wrote eight full-length drafts of the show, most of which never saw the light of day and are safely hidden away on my computer. After writing the play, I auditioned actors in November 2014 and did a read-through at the end of fall term. I was lucky to find four amazing actors who have lent an enormous amount of their time and talent to making this project a success. I tweaked the script a bit over winter break, and then we hit the ground running with rehearsals during winter 2015. I obviously have a deep personal connection to the show in many ways. The biggest challenge for me has been keeping the big picture in mind as I deal with the realities and minutiae of being the director, the writer, the lead actor, and the only singer in the production.
The most unexpected joy of this process has been seeing the words that I wrote come to life. I mentioned this strange character of Lubin – well, now he has a face and a voice and a physical presence and a costume and an emotional backstory that’s far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Creating the visual world that previously only existed in my head has been an incredible joy and privilege.
Have you been collaborating with anyone? Mentors, professors, etc. If not, can you describe your experience producing solo work?
This has been a process of complete collaboration. First and foremost, my partner in crime throughout this process has been the incomparable Ben Allen, without whose support and undying enthusiasm this project never would have happened. Lawrence Burnett has been an invaluable resource and producer of the project. Roger Bechtel has read almost every draft of the show, and I spent a wonderful term with him thinking about, talking about, and writing plays. Musically, I am privileged to have a wonderful friend in Jialun Luo ’16, who is my incredibly talented accompanist. We call ourselves “team music,” as we have the challenge and honor of sharing a very diverse repertoire with an audience that might be unfamiliar with the styles of music in the show. He can jump from the Baroque period to the mid-20th century at the drop of a hat. Finally, Sarah Tan ’16 is my incredible assistant director, who is also acting in the production and who offers her terrific insights at every turn. My cast also includes Dimitri Smirnoff ’15, Pallav Kumar ’18, and Laudie Porter ’18. It is wonderful to have this team of cheerleaders, collaborators, and mentors along for the ride with me.
Do you see yourself pursuing music/art of any kind after Carleton? If so, how has Carleton helped prepare you for that path? Any specific classes or professors that stick out?
I have always known that theatre and music will be an enormous part of my life, no matter where I end up after graduation. I hope to always be involved in theatre, both performing and behind the scenes. I’ve spent a considerable amount of my life on stage, and I am always happiest when I am performing. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had to pursue this passion at Carleton: Carleton Players productions, ETB shows, the Carleton Choir, Intertwining Melodies (my fabulous a cappella group), Student Musical Theatre, the One Knight Stands, and Chelsea 11:17.
Performance schedule:
Weitz Theater
Monday, March 9th, 7:30-9:00pm
Tuesday, March 10th, 7:30-9:00pm