11/18/2023 0 Comments Dom riders musical![]() As Frank Sinatra’s career suddenly skyrockets, he struggles with balancing the love of his wife, Nancy, against the demands and temptations of being the most popular singer in America. Follow our journey at /AllenGrayMusicals and /allengraymusicals/.It is New Year’s Eve, 1942, and a skinny 27-year-old Italian-American singer is about to step onto the stage of New York’s Paramount Theatre and give a performance that will change music history. I’d like people to know we are just getting started. Gray: It would be wonderful to present this musical in San Diego before looking at a Broadway run, since we have enormous support there.Īllen: I would die to see “Freedom Riders” play in at the Old Globe or La Jolla Playhouse. Q: Do you hope to see “Freedom Riders produced in San Diego someday? It’s sad to think that this story wouldn’t have steam behind it without the changes we’ve seen since then, but I do think we’ve been part of an awakening in the greater America’s willingness to learn this part of their history. Gray: Black Lives Matter was actually gaining momentum at the same time we were writing the musical back in 2015. Q: Did the 2020 Black Lives Matter and civil rights protests nationwide bring new energy to your project? Now we have the world premiere recording. During COVID, we presented the entire show digitally as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway For Racial Justice. Gray: In 2018, we announced a concert version of the musical, which we have since performed in San Diego, Temecula, Los Angeles, Midtown Manhattan, Harlem and Alabama. Q: What has happened with “Freedom Riders” since the 2017 New York Musical Festival? Q: Besides “Freedom Riders,” do you have any other musical projects?Īllen: Currently, there’s “Freedom Riders,” “Bayard” (civil rights organizer Bayard Rustin), “Walt and Roy” (musical about the Disney brothers), “Legendary” (an original rock musical) and “The Frog Princess.” So the importance of this, in our current climate where tribalism continues to rise, is extremely precious and important. We don’t collectively have many stories in our history like that. It took the effort of Black, White, Asian, Latino, Jewish, Christian (the list goes on) individuals to come together and create this change in 1961. Gray: This story is about a shared moment in American history among all races and religions. They were meant to capture the emotion at the time and be inspiration to move forward. ![]() The songs were meant to act like the freedom songs did. I think I saw that it was a very musical subject and a very inspiring story. We now live in Burbank, although we come down to San Diego every other week for family.Īllen: While talking with my good friend Jeremy, he told me about the freedom rides, and I decided that’s what I wanted to tackle. together about eight years ago.Īllen: I grew up in Spring Valley and grew up doing theater at Monte Vista High School and with Christian Community Theater. Both Richard and I became roommates in San Diego and then both of us, including one other close friend, all moved to L.A. I was born in North Park and then, in fourth grade, moved to Chula Vista, where I lived until my adult life. And when I came of age - I’m 35 now - I started working for the theater in Coronado. I remember sitting on his lap at rehearsals back when the theater was in National City. Gray: My father, Nathan Peirson, has been on staff as a creative at Lamb’s Players Theatre since before I was born. Q: What is your local theater background?
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