Following sold-out performances this past fall, MAC Award nominee, Broadway World nominee and 2018 New York Cabaret Convention highlight, Dorian Woodruff, brings his show, Welcome Home: Everybody Has a Story, to The Beach Cafe on Saturday, February 2nd at 8:00pm. The show features stories and songs about Woodruff’s lifelong, nosy fascination with interiors and all things opulent.
NiteLife Exchange (NLE) celebrates Dorian Woodruff (DW) with Six Questions.
- NiteLife Exchange: When did you realize you had the gift of singing and what were your early influences?
Dorian Woodruff: There was always music in my house when I was a kid. In first grade I decided to enter the school talent show and wanted to sing. My grandmother taught me a song. It was the day of the show and my grandmother was at the piano and I was dressed in a red velvet jacket and black tuxedo trousers. I leaned against the piano and sang Love For Sale. I was 6 years old. The audience burst into applause and I thought, I like this! THAT WAS THE MOMENT. The next day, the principal called my grandmother and me into the office. She said that my song, though nicely done, was indeed highly inappropriate. My grandmother looked at her and said, “It was good; it was art—and it was Cole Porter.” That was the end of the discussion. I started listening then to everything I could get my hands on: Tony Bennett, Al Bowley, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. I would go to the library and check out albums—33 RPMs. The library also had listening rooms. They were these glass boxes in the corner and they had a turntable and some headphones. I would sit in there for hours.
- NLE: How did you eventually get involved in Cabaret?
DW: I was a classically trained opera singer and had performed in various operas, but I didn’t have the passion for opera. So, I changed course and learned to sing with jazz trios; I had been on the periphery of cabaret for a number of years. Go forward a little and I attended a cabaret workshop led by Lina Koutrakos and Rick Jensen and the bug hit me. Lina delved into my head and made me think about lyrics in a way that I had not before. She forces (encourages) you to get behind the lyric—understand the lyric;ask the questions;answer the questions; listen to the questions. It is one of the best things I’ve ever done.
- NLE: What inspired your show Welcome Home, Everybody has a Story?
DW: I had been working on a concept for another show and things weren’t coming together; I was frustrated. A few days later I was sitting with a colleague and she mentioned that a neighbor in her building had decorated the door to her apartment for the holidays and you could barely open the door. This reminded me of Mrs. O’Quinn who did the same thing when I was kid. This was on a Thursday and the following Monday I had the day to myself. I left the house without taking a phone with me and just started walking and ended up in this little Italian restaurant where they had a picture of Frank, Sammy and Dean over the bar. I sat there and thought about Mrs. O’Quinn and grabbed some paper and started writing the stories of the wonderful folks who came into my life when I was a kid—Mrs. Johnson in 5B; Auntie Cecile up on the St. Lawrence River; Opal and Jubal, the twins who lived to the age of 103; Ann Burnham, who made 78s with my grandmother in the 30s and 40s—and the list goes on. It was difficult to choose only a handful of these folks to be in the show.
- NLE: You’ve performed in clubs around the US and internationally; which would you say is the most memorable experience you’ve had?
DW: In 1988, I was going to London and my voice teacher said I should meet her teacher. She gave me a letter of introduction and told me where I was supposed to be and at what time. I dressed in my best jacket and trousers, starched shirt and a tie. I arrived and the great Dame Eva Turner answered the door. I was standing, face to face with a diva soprano who sang at the coronation of King George VI and premiered Turandot at the Met. It was awesome. About a year later I was back in London and I wrote to her. She invited me to come for tea. I wore my best suit. She looked at me and said, “Time for your lesson.” I nearly passed out. For an hour she ran me through scales and cadences; then we worked on music. It was amazing. The vocal exercises she wrote for me are the same ones my college teacher had given me. To this day, I use them.
- NLE: What would you say is your current motivator?
DW: To do my best work. I want to be the person who shows up before everyone and works harder than anyone. Dame Eva gave me a little sage advice: “Work toward the rewards of discipline.” She would also say: “Application plus,” meaning this is your vocation, dedication and aspirations all applied together.
- NLE: What do you like to do on your spare time?
Antiques, jewelry, art, and owls. I love collecting and creating collections. Currently, I have 700 pairs of cufflinks from kitschy to fine jewelry along with a large collection of owl brooches and necklaces. I have been fascinated by owls since I was about 3 years old. I believe they are the most incredible creatures on earth. If it were possible, I would have an owl(s) as a pet. I also like brunch. I am a very good bruncher.
For more information and tickets click here
The Beach Cafe is located at 1326 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10021
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