Six Questions for Sally Darling

Sally Darling – Sometimes the idea for the theme comes first, sometimes it emerges from the music Matthew and I are assembling. Then we build the program around it. Mind you, if there’s a particular song we love, I manipulate the theme to fit the song! When the song list is complete, I start writing the text.

2. NLE – With regard to future shows, how many others do you already have in mind?

SD – I have one specific show in mind that, again, involves Noël Coward and another possibility. We’ll see what develops.

3. NLE –  What are the ways you go about sourcing material for your projects/shows?

SD – I usually include lots of quotations, so naturally I have several quotation anthologies! And when I hear an interesting one, I add it to my collection. For my Noël Coward show, I read a number of books about him, as well as his diaries and letters.

4. NLE – When selecting songs to be incorporated, do you bring a finished song list to your musical directer or bring a selection of possibilities?

SD – The song list develops as we create the show. I suggest, Matthew suggests, and so on. We are so on a wave length, that we’ve yet to disagree about a song!

5. NLE – I find it refreshing that you call it text and not patter?

SD – Patter indicates an easy, often glib, flow of words, i.e., a salesman or con artist. Text —or script— is a result of careful composition.

6. NLE – You have two more shows, this Wednesday, July 5th, and Sunday, July 9th at Don’t Tell Mama. When your audience is leaving a performance, what would you like to know they’re taking home with them?

SD –  What I would hope is exactly what Marilyn Lester said in her review of Love, Lust, & Longing: “Who can resist not only being happily entertained, but joyously enriched?”