CT Singers Shine on New CD Produced by Chip Deffaa

CONNECTICUT SINGERS SHINE ON NEW CD

The cover of the latest CD produced by ASCAP Award-winning playwright/producer Chip Deffaa, "Gay Love: Songs of Love, Loss, and Longing," proudly proclaims that the new album features "an all-star New York cast." And indeed the album does feature some of Broadway’s biggest names–like John Tartaglia (star of “Avenue Q”), Santino Fontana (“Cinderella”), Lee Roy Reams (“La Cage Aux Folles”), Stephen Bogardus (“Bright Star”), and Kristy Cates (“Wicked”). But key younger members of Deffaa's troupe of singing actors–rising artists in New York’s theater world-- were born and raised in Connecticut, and first made their marks in Connecticut theatrical productions. The album is available now on Amazon, CDBaby, iTune, from Connecticut’s Footlight Records, etc. It may be ordered here: https://gaylove.hearnow.com/.

Deffaa notes: "I'm always very proud of my 'Connecticut singers and actors’–the ones featured prominently as singers on this album, as well as others assisting me behind the scenes this time. They've long been an important part of my theatrical family. Some of the very best singers on this album–who are making great names for themselves as rising young theater performers –like Bailey Cummings of Wolcott, Connecticut; Clark Kinkade of Litchfield; Tyler DuBoys of Milford; Peter Charney of Bethany--are alumni of my show 'The Seven Little Foys.' They were either in our original production at Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury or a subsequent New York production, or were on the cast album. I knew them first as kids, and I've watched them mature into seasoned, highly promising performers. And Ellis Gage, who’s now getting leading roles in New York, first caught my attention when he was starring as a youth in a show at the famed Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. These young singing actors are featured on the new album alongside some of Broadway’s most-respected men and women, and they their own brilliantly. I also like that they’re enthusiastic–they’re always up for any good new project of mine.

"Take the wonderful Clark Kinkade. Oh! He so impressed me as an aspiring teen actor, appearing in shows at Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury and at the Greater Academy of the Arts in Hartford, that I wrote the part of 'Bryan Foy'--which he originated at Seven Angels when he was 16--specifically with him in mind, tailoring it to his strengths. Today he's one of the best younger singers in New York. When he's not recording with me--and he's enlivened a bunch of my albums and I hope will be on many more--he appears in musicals and is a key member of the vocal group 'RANGE a Capella. They've performed everywhere from the Red Carpet at the Emmies to Radio City Music Hall, and their recent 'Hamilton' video has garnered a whopping 5.7 MILLION views thus far on YouTube. You trying getting 5.7 million viewers to watch a YouTube video; it’s not easy.

“On this album, Clark sings some duets with Seth Sikes, who’s currently the hottest singer in the nightclubs in New York. Their voices and personalities blend so perfectly, I’m always glad to get them in the studio together. They’ve sung together before on my ‘Chip Deffaa Songbook’ album, and on some Irving Berlin recordings. They’re both so busy, I have to work really hard to find a date and time that they can meet up. We recorded these latest numbers one night when Clark had just flown in from doing a musical, “Forever Plaid,” on the West Coast, and Seth–who also directs shows, besides singing–had a night off from his work on a show on Broadway, ‘The Band’s Visit.’ On this album. Clark sings a duet, too,–and quite beautifully--with the gifted Austin Owen, who’s currently in the musical ‘Jersey Boys’ in New York.

"Peter Charney first met Clark Kinkade when they played brothers in my show 'The Seven Little Foys,’ and I’m glad we’re all still working together, years later. Peter was not just a terrifically talented young actor in that show, he contributed ad-libs that became a permanent part of the 'Seven Little Foys' script, which is now published and licensed by Leicester Bay Theatricals. As a kid, during breaks in rehearsals for ‘The Seven Little Foys,’ he’d play music on the theater’s piano . I was impressed even then.

“Peter has recently co-written with Jack Saleeby–another of my original ‘Seven Little Foys’ kids, who’s often worked with me, although he’s not on this particular album–an exciting new musical, 'Bright and Brave,' which they’ve been workshopping to enthusiastic audiences at Dixon Place in New York City. Peter is the composer and musical director of the musical, and Jack is the lyricist, besides playing one of the leads. Someday I hope to have one of their songs on an album. I was so proud of them, when I caught their first presentation of their new musical in New York. Peter--who's also served as an Assistant Director on several of my shows in New York, besides performing with me--made his debut as a playwright at that same venue, and he’s directing some plays in New York this summer.

“On this new album, Peter does a terrific job singing ‘More than You Know,’ a classic 1920s torch song, co-written by Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, and Vincent Youmans. In one of his last public appearances before he died, veteran songwriter Edward Eliscu presented me with my ASCAP Award in New York City. I was happy to have that link with a songwriter of the 1920s. And Peter is a rising young performer/composer of the future; I like that sense of continuity, of being able to keep passing on the torch, from one generation to the next.

“Peter’s been recording with me for at least a half-dozen years. You can hear his growth as a singer, if you compare his work on the new album with, say, his work on the ‘Seven Little Foys’ cast album six years ago. And the best is yet to come; there are some Irving Berlin duets I’m eager to have Peter and his girlfriend, who’s also a musical-theater perforner, do. One album at a time....

"Bailey Cummings, who made his professional recording debut–along with Peter Charney and Tyler DuBoys–on my ‘Seven Little Foys’ cast album in 2012–has just graduated from the University of Utah, where he studied musical theater . He co-wrote–and was featured as a soloist on–a song for his graduation. Bailey already has a couple of Equity productions under his belt. He's got such a fine, pure, true singing voice, he'll be any asset to most any musical.

“He impressed me when I saw him, as a youth, in shows in shows at the Thomaston Opera House (like “Mame” and “West Side Story”), and at the Waterbury Arts Magnet School (like “Theory of Relativity”). He was especially good, starring at WAMS as a teen in 'Into the Woods," with music-director Marianna Vagnini-Dadamo of Naugatuck, who’s helped train a number of excellent singers I’ve worked with. He was fun in productions of “Seussical” (with Darren Farrington’s New Britain Youth Theater) and “Writer’s Cramp” (the Phoenix Stage, run by Ed Bassett, Sharon A. Wilcox Agnes Duggan Dann). He sang like an angel, as a kid, on my 'Seven Little Foys' cast album. And he’s graced my ‘Chip Deffaa Songbook’ and ‘Irving Berlin Rediscovered.’ But he's even better today--with a leading-man's voice, and a very bright future. I’m happy to have him, once again, singing an original song of mine. He’s really an excellent singer.

"Tyler DuBoys--a graduate of NYU/Tisch School of the Arts--works a lot as a dancer and choreographer, traveling widely in his career. He performs and tours with the Streb dance company. And he's helped choreograph shows of mine in New York. But he's also a very fine singer. And I like to showcase his singing--and sometimes his tap-dancing, too--on my albums, because it's from the heart. On past albums, he’s sung some of Berlin's early masterpieces with total understanding. On this album, he sings with me a new number I wrote with him in mind, “The Old Dancer’s Blues.” And of course, he tap-dances, too.

“Ellis Gage, who’s quickly putting down roots in the world of New York Theater, is right at home in New York. But he originally made a name for himself performing in Connecticut. I first became aware of him when he starred–playing the title role–in the world-premiere production of Pasek & Paul’s musical, “James and the Giant Peach,” up at my favorite regional theater, the celebrated Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut. Not many youths can say they have originated a role in a Pasek & Paul musical. Or have starred in a show at Goodspeed! He’ll be co-starring, as ‘Troy,’ in Disney’s ‘High School Musical,’ when it opens on Theater Row in New York City in August. In the mean time, he’s busy recording with me, and meeting other members of my theatrical family. And I’m eager to have him record with some of my other fine singers, like Clark, and Peter, and Tyler, and Bailey. I want all of these singers to know each other.”

Matthew Nardozzi of Fairfield, Connecticut is credited as Associate Producer. “Matt knows theater inside-out, and always has good ideas,” Deffaa said. “He got his start doing 'Stuart Little,' with director Sharon Wilcox, at the Thomaston Opera House. His numerous credits include Broadway and Hollywood. He won a prestigious national award, out in Hollywood--'The Young Entertainer Award'--for his last album with me, ‘Irving Berlin's America.' He wasn’t available to sing on this album;--he was busy making a movie–but he’ll be singing again on the next album.” Max Galassi of Newtown, Connecticut, has an Assistant-to-the-Producer credit. “These dedicated, multi-talented young artists, who’re helping my work in all sorts of ways, all have bright futures. I feel very lucky to work with all of these gifted young people.” For more info, or to order a copy of the album, please visit: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ga...