The New York International Fringe Festival will bring 200 shows to NYC from August 12-28. We spoke with Todd Fernandez about the musical That's MISS FITS, to YOU!
What was the first musical that made you want to make musicals?
It wasn't a musical that made me want to write a musical, but music. I was 36 years old when I wrote my first song, spontaneously one day on a train in 2001. Over the next five years, I wrote three full musicals, they just poured out. I now see this was a catharsis of pent up emotions and the music was the outlet. I was always inspired by musicals, however, and was mesmerized as a teenager in 1977 by my first musical in NYC - The King & I. After that, I was a huge show-tune queen my whole life hosting many a sing-a-longs around my piano in Boston before moving to NYC.
Tell us about your show in 3 sentences or less.
That’s MISS FITS, to YOU! is a queer mystery musical that weaves a trans-poly-gender tale of self-acceptance with over 15 cast members, drag extravaganza and bellowing ballads, oh my! In the story, MISS FITS and her drag-diva friends help an elder transgender soul come to terms with our struggle on a zany trip from the Stonewall Riots & Judy Garland, to Rosa Parks on the bus, that will leave you singing with liberation spirit. From spirituals, to opera, lip-sync and disco, with sadness, surprise and lunacy, this party is not to be missed.
Describe the sound of your musical, it's like _______ meets _________.
I didn't know how to answer this, so I asked a cast member who said it's "Sondheim meets John Waters." The director, Jonathan Warman, says: "Galt MacDermot meets James Bidgood."
Who is your favorite classic musical theater composer? And your favorite composer working today?
I don't have a favorite, but love all music with melodies and harmonies that convey the emotions of the songs. I grew up listening the great American song book, pop music of the 70s & 80s, and the musicals of West Side Story and Cabaret, that had social messaging combined with songs that you left humming because they connected somewhere deep inside.
Why is it important to bring your show to Fringe?
The Fringe is a community, and as an LGBT activist and Radical Faerie, I've come to realize that "community" is what was stolen from us by homophobia. My desire is to live in community and making art in community is icing on the cake - where talents merge to create magic. We have many artists in MISS FITS, from my radical faerie friends doing certain scenes, to our ballet dancer friends. It's a really pastiche of art forms - and energies.
What's next for the show?
I'm doing this without expectations for the future - in part because otherwise - it's way too stressful. I'm practicing living in the moment, without attachment, while I freakout, ha. That said, in writing this, I had in mind that MISS FITS would be a film perhaps one day.
