HIP-HOP MEETS MARTIN LUTHER IN ‘LEGACY’ at NYMF
INTERVIEW: NOVEMBER CHRISTINE
BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO
Joining the 2018 New York Musical Festival this summer is the new musical Legacy by November Christine. Following in the footsteps of the musical sensation Hamilton, Christine’s musical also uses hip-hop to tell the story of a historical figure, this time 16th century priest Martin Luther. With an all female production team that includes director Dana Iannuzzi and music director Macy Schmidt this team are excited to bring Legacy to the NYMF this summer. In this Tin Pan L.A. exclusive November Christine discusses the inspiration, development and what New York audiences can expect from her new musical Legacy.
November Christine
What is your background in terms of theater and creating new musicals?
I kind of fell into playwriting accidentally. I started in New York as a singer and actress, but I quickly discovered that roles for women of color were, shall we say, limited. I got pretty tired of playing slaves, hookers, and sassy ensemble singers—so I started writing my own kind of shows.
How would you describe Legacy in a nutshell?
Legacy is a historical “hip-hopera” about a problematic 16th century priest named Martin Luther—you know, the guy who nailed his 95 Theses on the church door.
How did the idea for your Legacy come about?
7 years ago when I started writing Legacy, it was originally conceived as a comedy. I mean, rapping monks…hilarious am I right? But the more I researched the story behind Martin Luther’s legacy, the more interested I became in the complexity of his real life story.
What inspired you to write Legacy? Why tell Martin Luther’s story?
I think that everybody is secretly in search of their own significance. We want to make our mark, to discover our destiny—to matter. When we meet the character of Martin Luther as a young man, he’s desperately seeking that sense of purpose. It’s that struggle that drew me to Martin, and I think the audience will connect to that as well.
What do you hope to get out of having Legacy presented at The NYMF this summer?
I’m so excited to introduce this show to the New York theater scene. The New York Musical Theatre Festival has started numerous musicals on the track to Off-Broadway and even Broadway productions, and I’m hoping Legacy will join their ranks.
Brant Rotnem (Young Martin Luther) with Haviland Stillwell (Katharina Von Bora); Photo: Haldane Morris.
What influenced the music for this show?
A lot of my musical styles come from my old school hip-hop and R & B roots. Artists like Tupac, TLC, Destiny’s Child, and BeBe & CeCe Winans are big influences. I also love the lush and emotional compositional style of Ahrens & Flaherty. You’ll hear those influences, plus a lot of slick lyricism that is uniquely my own throughout the Legacy score.
How do you write songs? Which comes first, music or lyrics?
Song writing is almost a subconscious process for me. Sometimes I’ll wake up from a nap with a whole song sitting my mental inbox. Or sometimes I’ll be in the shower and a certain phrase or melody will be running through my head, and the song just kind of evolves from there.
Director: Dana Iannuzzi.
What is your favorite moment in the show?
The Leipzig Debate! It’s a hilarious rap battle between Martin Luther and his arch nemesis Johann Maier Von Eck. It’s pretty epic.
Music Director: Macy Schmidt
What excites you most about this show?
My team! I’m really excited to be working with an all-female creative team. This will be a first for me, and I think it signifies an important shift in the shaping of new musicals.
What can audiences expect from your show?
Get ready to feel all the feels. One minute you’re dancing in your seat, the next you’re crying. It’s an emotional show, but my goal is for people leave with a sense of hope.
MORE INFORMATION
Book, Music and Lyrics: November Christine
Director: Dana Iannuzzi
Music Director: Macy Schmidt
TICKETS: http://www.nymf.org/festival/2018-events/legacy-musical-indictment/
PERFORMANCES:
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Sunday, July 15, 2018 at 3:30 pm
Monday, July 16, 2018 at 7:00 pm
