NextGen meets with Stewart Kramer, Music Supervisor for A MAN'S A MAN

This week at NextGen the students had the opportunity to meet with Stewart Kramer, the Music Supervisor for CSC’s upcoming production of A MAN’S A MAN. They were introduced to how he works side by side with composer Duncan Sheik, and how he is able to take Duncan Sheik’s vision of the music, and use it to make a reality. Sheik composes using a computer program, and Stewart transposes that into sheet music. A MAN’S A MAN’s dialogue is written by Bertolt Brecht, and the musical elements (although the show is not a musical) are reimagined and reinterpreted by Duncan Sheik.  The students were also given an introduction to Brecht, and on his approach to theater.

Stewart told the students about Brecht’s life, and about what Brecht was drawing upon when he wrote A MAN’S A MAN. Brecht uses music and other techniques to distance his audience from emotionally connecting to the characters because he wants them to think objectively about the injustices in their own world, and how they can make their own choices. A MAN'S A MAN was written during the rise of Nazi Germany, and Brecht was thinking about Hitler's ability to influence people when he created the main character of A MAN’S A MAN, Galy Gay. He let the students listen to one of the tracks from the upcoming show, and then also had them listen to a recording from the original production. He was then able to explain some of the choices that Duncan was making by updating the music and some of the differences between the original production and CSC’s.

At the end of the meeting the kids had a chance to sing the song, with Stewart accompanying them on the piano. Although it may not have been performance quality, it was definitely cool for the NextGen members to experience firsthand what the music from the show is like, and how to sing it. After Stewart gave the kids a taste of his world, and the world of this show, the kids were able to give Stewart a taste of their world by talking with him about the beginning of his career, and since the NextGen kids have college on the brain, they were very interested in how college had affected his life so far.

The meeting ended with NextGen excited to participate in their first TEEN TAKEOVER performance, of A MAN’S A MAN. Which will take place on Sunday, January 19^th at 3pm at CSC. All are welcome to experience TEEN TAKEOVER, featuring $10 tickets and a talkback with the artists. Check it out below!

http://www.classicstage.org/education/students/nextgen/