Connecticut Youths Shine on New CDs

ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa has just released three new CD’s: “The Chip Deffaa Songbook,” “Irving Berlin’s America,” and “Irving Berlin Revisited.”–all of which are available from Amazon, CDBaby, iTunes, etc. And while the covers proudly proclaim “all-star New York casts,” Connecticut residents might be interested in the fact that more than a dozen of the singers featured on the CD’s got their start in Connecticut theater–and one of the songs they sing even celebrates the very place in Connecticut where many of them started.

Among the rising young Connecticut musical-theater performers heard on the CD’s are:Bailey Cummings, Clark Kinkade, Michael Kasper, Matthew Nardozzi, Tyler DuBoys, Nina Paganucci, Brianna Leigh Smail, Jack Saleeby, Katherine Paulsen, Peter Charney, Emily Bordonaro..... “These singers are part of my musical family,” says Deffaa. “They’re on these CD’s along with seasoned Broadway pro’s, and they fit right in.”

Bailey Cumming, of Wolcott, sings two of Deffaa’s songs, “Popularity” and “Magnetic Waterbury,” on “The Chip Deffaa Songbook”–a double-CD set featuring 39 of Deffaa’s theater songs. Deffaa notes: “Bailey has a very bright future. He has a fine, true voice, and is great to work with. He’s currently studying theater at the University of Utah—and he’s already got his Equity card and has done professional Equity productions. He’s impressed me since I first saw him in shows at the Waterbury Arts Magnet School (WAMS), Darren Farrington’s New Britain Youth Theater, and at Thomaston Opera House, as a teen. He was brilliant, starring in ‘Into the Woods’ at WAMS, with musical-director Marianna Vagnini-Dadamo–who’s helped teach many singers I’ve worked with and is acknowledged in the liner notes. Bailey has been an invaluable asset in projects of mine in recent years. He sang on my ‘Seven Little Foys’ cast album. He did the first reading of my musical play ‘Irving Berlin’s America.’

“And I’m particularly delighted to have him record my song ‘Magnetic Waterbury,’ from my musical comedy ‘Song-and-Dance Kids,’ published by Leicester Bay Theatricals. The title of the song offers a kind of salute both to the city of Waterbury and to the Waterbury Arts Magnet School, where a number of my performers got their start. The song was inspired by some of the kids from the Waterbury area, like Jack Saleeby, telling me what they liked about the place. It’s the only song about Waterbury that I know of. I wanted to include Marianna Vagnini-Dadamo in the lyrics, too--because she’s helped train so many good singers I’ve known, and everyone speaks so highly of her--but couldn’t come up with a rhyme for ‘Vagnini’ or ‘Dadamo.’

“Nina Paganucci from Southbury, who helps sing backup for Bailey on the song ‘Magnetic Waterbury,’ certainly has ties to Waterbury, too–she’s acted and choreographed at Waterbury’s Seven Angels Theater. She’s a very sincere singer. I first saw her co-starring in ‘Footloose,’ directed by Foster Evans Reese, at the Thomaston Opera House. On the album ‘Irving Berlin Revisited,’ she teams with another of my favorite actors to work with, Tyler DuBoys of Milford, to sing–beautifully--one of Berln’s first great ballads, ‘We Have Much to be Thankful For..’

“It means a lot to me that Clark Kinkade, from Litchfield, is on this album. I’ve known him for 10 years. He originated the role of Bryan Foy in my musical ‘The Seven Little Foys’ at Seven Angels Theater. In fact, I wrote the role for him, tailoring it to his strengths. He’s doing very well today. He’s acted in regional theater all over the country. He sings in the group ‘Range a Capella,’ which has sung at Radio City Music Hall and on the red carpet at the Emmy’s. Their latest YouTube video, featuring songs from ‘Hamilton,’ has gotten over 2.5 million hits! On ‘The Chip Deffaa Songbook,’ you’ll hear Clark team with Seth Sikes, the hottest nightclub singer in New York, to perform my ‘Crater Lake Blues.’ They’re first-rate talents! And you’ll hear them both singing Irving Berlin songs on albums coming out later this year.’

“Brianna Leigh Smail from Wolcott, Connecticut–whom I first saw in a production of ‘West Side Story’ at Thomaston Opera House–is the first person ever to record Irving Berlin’s ‘He Promised Me.’ That’s on the CD, ‘Irving Berlin Revisited.’ A graduate of NYU, she’s aided me in the development of one of my shows. Based in New York now, she recently returned to her old high school–Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury–to sing, as she does every year, in their alumni cabaret show. And she was recently nominated for a best-actress-in-festival award for her performance, co-starring in a new musical--with Jack Saleeby from Southbury--at the Strawberry Festival in New York City.

“You can hear Jack singing on one of the albums, tap-dancing on another, and he provided inspiration for a song on the third album. He’s doing well now, too. And this month, a new musical that he’s written in collaboration with Peter Charney, from Bethany, is getting its first public staged reading at a festival in New York. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Jack and Peter were in my musical ‘The Seven Little Foys,’ in Waterbury, along with Devon Eddy from Woodbury and Jillian Wipfler from Southbury–and they’re part of the ‘Chip Deffaa Songbook’ album, too, because it includes reissues of a couple of ‘Seven Little Foys’ songs that I wrote

“Matthew Nardozzi, from Fairfield, is heard on all three of the albums. He’s worked on Broadway and in Hollywood, and has won the prestigious national ‘Young Artist Award.’ He got his start at the Thomaston Opera House, starring in ‘Stuart Little,’ directed by Sharon Willcox of Torrington. Matthew co-stars on a new ‘Irving Berlin’s America’ cast album, for those who may have seen him–or will see him–in a production of that show. And Matthew shines on a couple of newly recorded duets, with Emily Bordonaro of Avon, on ‘The Chip Deffaa Songbook’ and ‘Irving Berlin Revisited.’ I first discovered Emily in a show at the Thomaston Opera House, too. She’s done lots of work with me, on stage and in the recording studio. I don’t know anyone her age with a better voice. .She’s a protégé of Tony Award-winning actress Betty Buckley and a winner of the Betty Buckley Award. She’s also recording contemporary popular music—songs she’s writing--and making music videos, under the stage name of ‘Emily Victoria.’

“Michael Kasper, from Hebron, is on ‘Irving Berlin revisited,’ singing a Berlin rarity called ‘I’m the Guy that Guards the Harem.” Michael’s worked often with me on stage and on disc. And he’s always a joy to work with. He’s currently studying theater at the University of the Arts in Philly. I have great respect for–and belief in–all of these rising younger artists, whom I first saw when they were starting their careers, in theaters in Connecticut. The state has an unusually vibrant local theater scene, with lots of opportunities for young people eager to perform. I give these young singing actors a lot of credit. They hold their own on these new albums with lots of Broadway pro’s, like Jon Peterson, Beth Bartley, Rick Crom, Charlie Franklin, Jeremy Greenbaum, working with veteran music director Richard Danley. And it takes guts to record.

Broadway legend Carol Channing, who’s taught me more about the business than anyone else, always cautioned me that if I’m casting a play or selecting singers for an album, many of the people who initially say yes will find an excuse to back out before the play opens or the recordings are made. Because it’s scary to put yourself out there, and have people judge. And it’s always easier to find an excuse not to perform or record. But the ones who persevere, and perform and record–despite the fears, despite the hardships–are the only ones who have a shot at a career. They’re the elect. My hat’s off to all of the talented performers on these albums. They’re among the elect!”

For more info, please visit: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chipdeffaastheirvingberl or: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thechipdeffaasongbook.

Pictured: Bailey Cummings, Clark Kinkade, Nina Paganucci, Emily Bordonaro, Jack Saleeby, Brianna Leigh Smail, Tyler DuBoys, Emily, Chip and Matthew Nardozzi, and Chip Deffaa Photos courtesy of Chip Deffaa

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