Sue’s Muse: An Interview with Natasha Castillo and Ted Stafford

February 1, 2025 Sue Matsuki Sue's Muse 0

This team of Castillo and Stafford created quite a stir in the community with their re-imagined take on the iconic music of The Carpenters. Let’s listen to how this concept came to be, and their decision-making process of arriving at new arrangements and paring down the show in keeping with what has come to Natasha’s usual show formula. Natasha’s previous Carpenter’s show, many years ago, focused on the history of the sibling tea— but this show is more about how the Carptener’s music “speaks” to both Natasha and Ted, and why and how it had an inpact on both of their lives.

Please meet my two muses for the day…Natasha Castillo (singer, make up artist, photographer, videographer, Open Mic host, NiteLife Exchange colleague, vlogger and AMAZING cook), and Ted Stafford (guitarist, vocalist, arranger, musical director, educator and a “light” in our industry).

Photo Credit: Natasha Castillo.

This is a guitar/vocal show with the wonderful Don Kelly on percussion and as directed by Natasha’s long time director, Lennie Watts.

Here is a direct link to ticketing for her March 1st show: https://shows.donttellmamanyc.com/8791-natasha-castillo-that-s-my-music-3-1-25

Here is a link to Natasha singing: https://youtu.be/9OEO2rxQn_k?si=MWK72RwIzZL3gmLV

Here is a link to her Open Mic Website “Spotlight on You”: https://spotlightonyouopen.wixsite.com/spotlightonyou

About Sue Matsuki 37 Articles

SUE MATSUKI is an award-winning singer and songwriter, producer, open mic host, educator, columnist and the author of So You Want to Sing Cabaret. She is a Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Collaboration with her Musical Director, Gregory Toroian; she is the very first recipient of the Julie Wilson Award given by the Mabel Mercer Foundation; and she is a multi-award-winning MAC Award winner (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) for Jazz Vocalist, Special Events, and Songwriter and has been nominated 11 times in 8 different categories. Matsuki is a Cabaret/Jazz singing veteran who has played every NYC Cabaret room including: Feinstein’s at the Regency, 54 Below, Town Hall, and several major Jazz Clubs including: the legendary Village Gate, Birdland, The Iridium and Sweet Rhythm. She’s even played Carnegie Hall and appeared in five seasons as a Diva Double at the Metropolitan Opera. She plays many theaters across the country and has appeared at Crazy Coqs in London. As an educator she has taught Cabaret and performance/business classes at: Mac-to-School, Cabaret Hotspot! Cabaret U, The Ridgefield Theater Barn, Peddie Town School (Town Heights, NJ), UCONN’s Osher’s Lifelong Learning Institute, the Vancouver School of Performing Arts and at Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Matsuki is the Producer of the annual Urban Stages’ Winter Rhythms series, NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singers) NMTC National Musical Theater Competition as well as many other benefits and shows. Sue’s Views has been an on-going Cabaret advice column that has appeared in Cabaret Hotline On-Line, NiteLife Exchange and Cabaret Hotspot, It now lives on her website. Sue’s Muse comes back to the NiteLife Exchange family in May. For more information please visit: www.SueMatsuki.com

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