The 2016 New York Musical Festival, which runs July 11 through August 7, will bring audiences four full weeks of new musicals, concerts, readings, and panel discussions. We spoke with Jaime Jarrett about the musical Normativity.
What was the first musical that made you want to make musicals?
Next to Normal was probably the first musical that made me lean forward in my seat and start to pick apart just exactly how such a brilliant piece of theatre was created. From that first chord progression, it feels like the air is already vibrating with tension and excitement.
Describe the sound of your musical:
It's like Jonathan Larson meets Sara Bareilles.
LGBTQ rights are as important as ever, do you find that the theatre community has become more receptive to stories that touch on LGBTQ characters?
Yes and no. Unfortunately, shows with LGBTQ+ characters (beyond white gay cisgender men) are still rare. Lesbian actresses have the possibility of Fun Home or Falsettoland in their future and of course there's Rent and Bare. However, when a new musical is written, it's often considered the norm to make every character cisgender and to have the main love story be between two straight people. But also, the fact that Fun Home won the Tony and the fact that Normativity is even happening at all is a step forward. And we have way more steps to take.
What classic musicals would benefit from a queer revision?
All of them! Specifically, I'd love to see Company with a female Bobby. I want us to talk about what it's like to be a single lesbian in her thirties! That would be a very exciting piece of theatre. I also just think we should make a serious effort to call trans* actors in for casting calls for revivals in general. Who says Reno Sweeney (in Anything Goes) can't be trans? We need to get out of this cisgender box we've put casting into.
Why is it important to bring your show to NYMF?
Most of the people who've interacted with Normativity up until January lived inside the bubble that I'm a part of at the University of the Arts. Because of NYMF we have new hands and new brains on this project, and the musical is taking leaps every day- and it's all thanks to the amazing creative team and cast.
We also have such a mix of identities in the room-- as a genderqueer writer, just looking around a table and seeing multiple people who look like me is exciting. We also introduce ourselves when we go around the room with our preferred pronouns. That should be something included in all spaces, and I hope Normativity (and other shows like it) will bring a new gender inclusivity to theatre.
What's next for the show?
Part of what's great about Normativity is that while the characters are talking about creating queer stories, we're literally taking action and doing so. It's important to me that queer people can look on that stage and connect to the characters. I want this show to reach as many queer people as possible! I'm sure there will be a long workshopping process ahead, but perhaps Off-Broadway is in our future.
