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Interviews
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David Friedman Philip Fisher talks to David Friedman, American writer and composer about his latest show, Listen To My Heart: The Songs of David Friedman. There's a voice that's softly whispering inside my head telling me I'm gonna be all right. It keeps saying let yourself be led where you are led, don't hold back don't put up a fight.... open up your heart and let life in. It is wonderful to speak with David Friedman because his bywords are clearly commitment and enthusiasm. Like Stephen Sondheim, he is lucky enough to have reached the stage of his career where he can produce a "greatest-hits" show. However, Listen To My Heart is a lot more than that. Friedman is perhaps best known for his film work with the Disney Corporation. Originally, an old friend of his, Alan Mencken, joined up with Disney and asked Friedman to get involved. He has since conducted and written the vocal arrangements for Beauty and the Beast both on Broadway and for the movie. He has also worked on Aladdin, Pocahontas and Hunchback as well as writing a sequel to Aladdin, Aladdin and the King of Thieves. His songs have been recorded by some very big names. These include Diana Ross, Barry Manilow and Petula Clark. Friedman describes his new show, currently playing off-Broadway Upstairs at the 175-seat Studio 54, as the culmination of a lifelong dream. Not only has he written it but he is also at the piano, accompanied by "five wonderful singers". These include Alix Korey with whom he has been associated for many years. There is no storyline as such but the songs are drawn together emotionally. As he says, "When I was asked to do this show, I found out what I'd been writing about for my whole life". The first act reflects a young man's ambitions "To fall in love, get rich and deal with his mother". Act 2 addresses more serious issues as maturity hits home. Painful things start to happen and troubles pour one on another. At this point, the show helped Friedman to reflect and understand the reason for these darker events. His view is that "life is really about spirit, connections and loving each other". This is a bittersweet show that is both funny and liable to draw tears from the hardest members of its audience. He likes to regard it as both a wonderful experience and a very emotional time. "I understand what my songs are here for now - to heal". Friedman has really high hopes for Listen To My Heart. His enthusiasm for it is so great that he can't wait to get to the theatre each night and he would love it to continue "forever" at Studio 54 ("a comfortable place for people to be, to cry and fall in love"). With the kind of reviews that writers dream of, that ambition may not be quite as far-fetched as it sounds. He believes that this intimate theatre is perfect for the show, although he recognises that playing in smaller theatres off-Broadway restricts the advertising budget and as a consequence, it takes longer to build up to regular full houses. He is certain that he would not consider moving the show to Broadway, although within the next year or so he would like to see it transferring to London. He thinks that it would work very well there and sees no reason why it shouldn't continue with an alternative cast in New York while he beds it in, playing the piano in London. He is a very spiritual and metaphysical man. Already, he has had the theatre "smudged" using traditional Tibetan methods to remove negative energy and rather eerily, ghosts have been sighted in the auditorium during the show. A major American TV medium, John Edward came to the opening night and saw his mother, while singer Anne Runolfsson believes that she saw Nancy LaMott's spirit while she was singing one of Friedman's old favourites' most famous songs. Recently, Friedman has been awarded a platinum record for the music from Disney's Lizzie Maguire Movie and for a little variety, was involved in the independent film, Trick. His first love though is clearly musical theatre and his excitement in working on Listen To My Heart is amazing. Life does not end there though. This busy man is hoping to open an off-Broadway musical called Nicolette in the Fall; and will follow this up with Desperate Measures, a comic Country and Western musical based on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure; and a revival of the oratorio, King Island Christmas for the TV station PBS. As if all of this was not enough, he has also just reacquired the rights to Nancy LaMott's music and will be releasing several albums in the near future. David Friedman's final words sum up the man and are the most cheering imaginable. "I'm so enjoying it all - this is the best time of my life". The CD of Listen to My Heart will be on sale in the UK in time for Christmas. You'll find the shows website at http://www.listentomyheartsite.com/
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