Above Hell’s Kitchen

Happy Opening to Above Hell’s Kitchen! A group of SLP members went to see the show last night and we all enjoyed it tremendously. I was fortunate enough to talk to some of the cast and creative team before seeing the show so I could report back to the blog readers and encourage you all to see the show as well as give some insight to the NYMF process and to learn about the various aspects of the show.

First, here’s the plot synopsis for those who know nothing yet about the show.

“In order to grow we must confront our demons… An eccentric therapist is on the brink of falling in love for the first time in years when a neurotic rock musician comes to call. Dream play? Ghost story? Romantic comedy? Gothic Tragedy? Jonathan Spottiswoode and his cult band, Spottiswoode & His Enemies, bring a sexy expressionist twist to Don Giovanni that is tinged with jazz, blues, rock, gospel, classical and punk. They say love is a game – so who can you blame for playing?”

We talked for a long time with Jonathan Spottiswoode and we’re going to feature some of our conversations in an upcoming video blog, so be sure to check back for that post soon!

We then talked to Jeffrey Lodin, the vocal arranger of the show. He has previously worked on four other NYMF productions, making this is 5^th. He has also worked as the music director for several of those productions. He has enjoyed working on the show because it is “outside of mainstream musical theater.” Since the music for the show is true rock music, the combination with musical theater is an exciting way to approach working on the show.

Hayley Finn, the director, gave us a great picture of her vision for the show. She is excited to be working for the first time on a NYMF show. The rehearsal process is very short compared to many other productions of the same length. She says that it is a challenge, but has been working extremely well so far.

Just so you guys know how many hours a week they are rehearsing 6 days a week for 5 hours a day for only a couple of weeks. It’s amazing how talented everyone involved with NYMF is to be able to create such great work in such a short amount of time.

We wanted to know the most exciting thing about directing the show is and she says that it’s exciting to direct a musical with such a large band, 7 members! It is a different process because the band is referenced throughout the show and some members even act in the show.

We asked Hayley what her biggest challenge was working on the show, and she told us that it’s trying to tell the story the best way possible, but within the parameters of budget and short rehearsal time. She hopes that people will connect to the story and characters without the use of extravagant sets or props.

Elizabeth Ward Land plays Ethel in the show, who is quite a unforgettable character. Elizabeth describes her as a, “comic, sex crazed villainess.” She’s excited to be working on her first NYMF show, especially with such a great character. Ethel, being the sex-crazed woman she is, gets to do some crazy things on stage such as a hot striptease to sizzling dance. She’s excited to get in touch with her wild side and to see how the audience reacts to it. Her character is not one to miss!

There are still plenty of opportunities to see the show, so take advantage of student rush and go see it! Don’t forget to sign up for our student exclusives list by emailing slp@nymf.org

- Robert (Marymount Manhattan College)

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