Is it wrong for an urban lass who grew up in the shadows of Eli’s and Bloomingdale’s to harbor a secret fondness for open fields and the earthy twang of Loretta Lynn? In her new cabaret show, Town and Country, singer Wendy Scherl answers the question by giving full reign to her diverse musical passions. The show plays for only three performances, September 17, 26 and November 20, at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.
NiteLife Exchange(NLE) celebrates Wendy Scherl (WS) with Six Questions
NLE: When did you realize you have the gift of singing, who were some of your early musical influences?
WS: Although I cannot give an exact age, I had a love for singing from a very early age. I cannot really remember a time in my childhood when I didn’t sing. My strongest musical influence growing up was my father. He introduced me very early in life to both the Great American Songbook and Broadway musicals. We spent many a weekend afternoon around the piano singing. He had a great love of many different styles of music including Broadway, the Great American Songbook, Opera and Country music, among other genres. I believe it is why I have such a varied musical repertoire. I grew up listening to Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbara Streisand, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline and so many other wonderful artists. I grew up in New York City, so I saw my first Broadway show, the 1973 revival of The Pajama Game with Cab Calloway and Hal Linden, when I was 7 years old! I fell in love with the theater and that was when I decided that I wanted to become an actress. The musical theatre vein runs deep!
NLE: You graduated with honors from Northwestern University(BA/Theatre) and toured the country in featured roles such as Grace in Annie, Babe in the Pajama Game, various roles in Grease and as Jeanie in the official 20th Anniversary production of Hair in Chicago, how did you eventually get involved in Cabaret?
WS: I saw an ad in Backstage for a class called “The Singing Experience” and I figured that it was worth exploring. I simply fell in love with the Cabaret Experience. I loved the intimacy of Cabaret and the direct connection with your audience. I decided to do my own show, which was directed by Linda Amiel Burns. I made my cabaret debut in December of 1988 at Danny’s Skylight Room. Over the next few years, Cabaret became a wonderful outlet to continue to grow as a performer and to challenge myself when I wasn’t actively involved in another production. As time went on, I discovered that cabaret was truly my personal passion.
NLE: How long were you in the scene before leaving to raise a family? Was it hard to essentially leave the start of your Cabaret Career?
WS: Honestly, I never intended to stop performing, especially for 18 years, but being home raising my two sons, Robert and Andrew, was truly where my heart was. My first 8 years in Cabaret were very special to me and I had always planned on Cabaret being a part of my life, but my commitment to my boys took priority and there was only so many hours in the day! I am so grateful to have been given this opportunity to return to Cabaret, to something that I love to my core.
NLE: You took an eighteen year hiatus to raise two sons and returned in 2015 with your critically acclaimed show, What Do You Do All Day at Don’t Tell Mama, what was that experience like, having returned after so long?
WS: In many ways, it felt like returning home and the show was about my life as a stay at home mom and my transition back to performing. I had a wonderful team, Helen Baldasarre as my director and Matthew Martin Ward as my musical director. I had complete faith in them; they are both consummate professionals. At the same time, I was definitely filled with a tremendous amount of doubt. I knew I had a story to tell, but I wasn’t sure if I still had the ability to connect to the audience and communicate that story. I questioned whether or not I could really sing anymore, or at least at the level that I wanted if I was going to be performing again. So, I trained a lot in order to make sure that I could accomplish what I set out to do. It was incredibly rewarding to overcome the fear and doubt, and to create a show that I thought accomplished what I had set out to do: tell a story and do so in a voice that I thought the audience would enjoy and that I was proud of.
NLE: What are the ways you go about sourcing material for your projects/shows?
WS: I don’t really have a specific method. I keep lists of songs that I want to sing. I compile my lists based on life experiences and how I believe another artist speaks to that experience when I hear their voice or read their words. They are quite extensive and cover a lot of different genres. The lists are a mix of songs that I have known for a long time, as well as songs that I might hear on the radio once. When rehearsals begin, we begin to sing thru the list and we begin to create the show. The intent is to create a coherent storyline that will capture the audience and keep their attention throughout the show (as well as entertain them!)
NLE: You’ve been a great supporter of other Cabaret performers have been a featured performer in Richard Skipper Celebrates at The Triad and The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Gone Too Soon and the Gala Benefit for Cabaret Cares at The Metropolitan Room and Bobbie Horowitz’s MAC Award winning series, It’s Just a Number, what has that experience been like for you?
WS: I am always honored to be asked to be a part of another artist’s show. There are so many talented Cabaret performers, so when I am asked to join them, it is always very flattering and I am very appreciative. It is also always fun to have the opportunity to work with different musical directors; I am able to learn from each of them. In each of these shows, I have been asked to sing a song that I have never done before. It is always a challenge to work on a new song (often out of my comfort zone) in a short period of time. It is a great chance for additional growth and maturation.
NLE: What do you do in your spare time?
WS: One of my greatest passions is cooking. The kitchen is a very peaceful place for me. I love having friends and family over and cooking for them. I also love to play golf, especially with my husband. My golf game could use some improving, but the time with my best friend in life is always special!
For more information and tickets click here
The Laurie Beechman Theatre is locates at 407 W 42nd Street New York, NY 10036
Leave a Reply