ARTS & CULTURE
By Pamir Kiciman
Correspondent
CHAPEL HILL — Can a musical instrument become a character? Can a banjo? A six-string one, referred to as a banjitar or ganjo.
In “SUNNYLAND” by Stephan Meyers, it did.
The rock banjo opera had its second and final staged reading last Saturday, at Swain Hall Black Box Theatre on the campus of UNC-CH.
The banjo’s partner? A standard drum kit, helmed by Daniel Hall, with guitarist Rick Keena finger-picking the banjo, a natural fit as it’s tuned like a guitar.
Off the pair went, crafting Meyers’ dance-in-your-seat music with verve, sensitivity, and tastefulness.
The project, for which Meyers also wrote the lyrics and libretto, was presented by the UNC Process Series as part of its 17th season.
Joseph Megel, who also directed the staged reading, runs the series and is artist in residence in Performance Studies At UNC’s Department of Communication.
Top: Daniel Hall. Bottom: Rick Keena. Photos and composite by Pamir Kiciman.
Megel said the series examines what artists do to create their work, i.e., their process. He looks for early adapters to professionally mount works in progress, which aren’t limited to theatrical works.
Known as Breadfoot, Meyers is a veteran independent performer, musician and songwriter who’s shared the stage with the likes of the Avett Brothers, Green Day and Regina Spektor.
Having knocked around the music business long enough, he wondered if he was pursuing the wrong genre. With a fondness for musical theater and after chasing a musical career in the Big Apple, he knew the terrain.
Fans told Meyers he was a hybrid of Shel Silverstein and Roger Miller after hearing him play songs from “SUNNYLAND.”
Megel coincidentally was at one of those shows and invited Meyers to participate in the Process Series.
“SUNNYLAND” tells the story of small-town Gibson, who with the encouragement of his friend, Sasha, boards a bus to the big city in search of acceptance and perhaps a shot at the big time.
Banjo-picking and bullied his whole life, Gibson makes his escape.
On Saturday night, the black box was set up typically for a staged reading with chairs for the performers to sit and microphones and music stands to come to when it was their turn. It is a real theater, with great sound and lighting, comfy seats and that hushed presence, which elevates even a work in progress.
The cast was a combination of UNC students and top musicians from the local area who have long entertained audiences.
Megel’s entire program and approach is indeed a process. A questionnaire was handed out, and a post-show discussion was held to help Meyers develop “SUNNYLAND.” There were also two dramaturgs involved.
The main characters are Gibson and Rory, who he meets when he lands in the city. Everyone else in the cast played one of the other four characters, plus filled in as various bit parts.
Center: Kong Xoua Moua as Gibson. Top L: Danny Grewen as Drake. Top R: Taz Halloween as Rory. Middle L: Elena Holder as Cassidy. Middle R: Gabriela Hinkle as Sasha. Bottom L: Buck Thornton as Dickie. Bottom R: Taz Halloween. Photos and composite by Pamir Kiciman.
UNC senior Kong Xoua Moua sang his heart out as Gibson, increasing his volume, confidence, and angst to match his character, growing up in the city fast before meeting his “feel all sunnyland inside.” In “Too Small,” he sang:
Jones boys again bearing down / Well they run me off the road / And they left me in a heap / I’m feeling dizzy, I’m feeling weak
Rory is a character who embodies the city. She is the city’s gritty and grimy voice. Played to a T by seasoned singer and musician Taz Halloween, she spat cynicism, showed her cold heart, laughed cruelly and made us feel all alone. In “Charmed,” she sang:
Seen a million like you and I crushed their dreams / Doused the pile real good with gasoline / Then I lit me up a match and let it fly / Laughing while the sparks fill up the sky
UNC sophomore Gabriela Hinkle with a strong voice in the role of Sasha, paced a darker reveal after the initial jubilation at Gibson’s arrival:
Lucky me, I love a guy / Who loves me like my dad did / Sasha why? Why stick around? / Least he gets me high
Seasoned trombonist and jazz singer Danny Grewen fit well into Drake’s shoes, the sleazy music agent who gets his paws on Gibson and won’t let go. Grewen flexed some with smaller characters and acted as the narrator in this role, that’s still shifting.
Meyers said during feedback that Rory would likely take over most of the narration as “SUNNYLAND” develops.
UNC senior Elena Holder brought a big emotive presence and a pure voice in the role of Cassidy, Gibson’s love interest.
UNC senior Buck Thornton shined as Dickie in the intro for the “Avenue A open mic,” showing good comedic timing and attitude in the humorous and bawdy song.
The aforementioned Keena and Hall rounded out the company on banjo and drums, both seasoned musicians.
Top: Kong Xoua Moua and Gabriela Hinkle. Bottom: Elena Holder and Kong Xoua Moua. Photos and composite by Pamir Kiciman.
The evening stood out for the songs in the show, i.e., Meyers’ music, and the showcasing of local performance talent in a way that can only happen in a college town.
It’s unknown what worlds the students in the show will conquer in the future.
Regardless, they helped shape and were shaped by this experience, and joined forces with some of the unique musical talent the town offers on almost every night of the week, who were undoubtedly also enriched by rubbing shoulders with a younger generation.
Chapel Hill’s rich history of quality musicians and music venues is well known. The scene is alive, despite shifting with the times and the music is hot. Grewen, Halloween, Keena and Hall can be found playing at venues along Franklin Street, downtown Carrboro and in the greater Triangle.
In an email, Meyers told The Local Reporter that songwriters can cram a whole story arc into an under-three-minute pop song.
“The biggest difference as far as what makes the telling in musical theater a richer experience is that we’re not just telling the story from one perspective,” he wrote. “We get to explore a wider range of individual emotions and experiences that are specific to each character.”
The other marked difference Saturday night was the music and lyrics of “SUNNYLAND.”
Thankfully, characters weren’t vocal belting at every opportunity. The cloying saccharine layer was absent. The singing wasn’t stylized to the point lyrics couldn’t be understood.
These songs from Meyers rang with authenticity and can’t-be-contained danceability. There was lewdness, cussing and group-laughter-eliciting humor.
Dream-chasing, love, betrayal, and the rat race, but without the veneer, musical theater can be guilty of so often.
“SUNNYLAND” has an underbelly. That’s a good thing.
To keep up with Breadfoot and the show’s development, visit his website.
To learn more about the Process Series, click here.
Pamir Kiciman is an artist who writes about a range of the arts and the creative process. This reporter can be reached at: Information@TheLocal Reporter.press.
This blog captures the innovation behind *SUNNYLAND*, a genre-defying musical born from UNC-CH’s creative incubator. A fascinating glimpse into the power of collaboration and boundary-pushing storytelling in musical theater!