A musical about a failed country music duo who’ve returned to their small town, work at the family dry cleaning business and return to music by singing personalized songs at funerals…I’m in! Written by Lori Fischer with tunes by Fischer and her songwriting partner Don Chaffer, THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS opens Thursday, March 13 at Darkhorse Theatre (4610 Charlotte Ave, Nashville, TN 37209) and continues through Saturday, March 22. Earlier this week, as the cast and crew prepared for opening night, I had the chance to chat with Fischer and her costars Lauren Braddock Havey, Robert Coles and Alan Lee for the latest installment of my recurring interview feature, Rapid Fire 20Q. Those conversations follow.
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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH PLAYWRIGHT AND CAST OF THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS
RAPID FIRE WITH THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS’ JUNIE LASHLEY, ACTRESS AND PLAYWRIGHT, LORI FISHCHER
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about the plot of your musical, THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS?
LORI FISCHER: THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS is about two country singing sisters who had a record deal, but then lost it when the lead singing sister crashes their tour bus. The backup singing sister, however, is not done with the singing dream. So, she gets them a gig as funeral singers, hoping it will be their comeback.
The show is also about reconciliation and revolves around the Lashley family and the mother that left them long ago.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: While SPARKLEY debuted over a decade ago in New York, and among its previous mountings, was presented at Cumberland County Playhouse a few years back, this marks the show’s Nashville debut. Has the show changed much since its original staging?
LORI FISCHER: Yes! The script went through massive changes after its debut at Capitol Repertory Theatre. Post first show, SPARKLEY was then workshopped at Florida Studio Theater where, once again, major script and music changes occurred. By the time the show was produced at the Cumberland County Playhouse, the script and songs were pretty set. Although, even during that production, more changes occurred. After CCP, the show was set and is now published by Concord Theatricals.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Considering your Dad is legendary songwriter, Bobby Fischer, I’d imagine the songwriting aspect came second-hand to you. How easily did the songs fall into place for SPARKLEY?
LORI FISCHER: Some of the songs came easily. Don and I wrote Big Time Plans and I don’t think we changed one lyric. Other songs though, took quite awhile though. I think we went through three different opening numbers before landing on Honky Without the Tonky.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Among your co-stars is our mutual friend Lauren Braddock Havey. You two actually did a staged reading of this show about a year ago, right? How much fun are you having sharing the stage with Lauren in SPARKLEY?
LORI FISCHER: I adore Lauren and working with her is a dream-come-true. She brings so much heart and excellence to the Lashley role!
JHPENTERTAINMENT: As not only a star of the show, but also the playwright, what do you hope audiences take with them long after seeing the show?
LORI FISCHER: Laughter. We’re living in divisive, difficult times. But laughter can bring us together. Laughter soothes the soul and theater in general creates heightened empathy.
RAPID FIRE WITH THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS’ LASHLEY LASHLEY, LAUREN BRADDOCK HAVEY
RAPID FIRE WITH THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS’ PASTOR PHIL, ROBERT COLES
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about Pastor Phil, the character you play in THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS?
ROBERT COLES: Pastor Phil is a kind-hearted preacher, but he’s not perfect. He has a bit of a gambling addiction and sometimes lets his impulses get the better of him. He’s a huge fan of the Lashley Sisters and finds himself star-struck when they come home from their tour and suddenly need a new opportunity. I’ve really loved taking on this role and giving him some heart. He provides some comedic relief throughout the show, but at his core, he loves his wife, his faith, and his congregation.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: How did you come to be involved in this show?
ROBERT COLES: Lori and I have been friends for years. We met doing a playwriting festival back in 2019 and have kept in touch. When this opportunity came along, she reached out to me to submit an audition and I jumped at it! I’ve loved working with this incredibly talented cast, including one of my acting heros, Alan Lee.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Pastor Phil, you’re a huge Lashley Sisters fan. You’re a playwright yourself, so I was wondering…IF you were to write a show about your favorite music duo who would it be about?
ROBERT COLES: That’s a great question! I’d love to write a show about The White Stripes. Think about the music! And the storytelling! They’ve got such an interesting dynamic and vocal style that I think it would be a real winning combo.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: I understand David Hemsley Caldwell is directing the show. What’s your favorite aspect of David’s directing style?
ROBERT COLES: I like how David lets us unfold the characters naturally. He has allowed us to make some choices when it comes to characterization, and that’s been a fun process. We’ve gotten close during this process, and I think that’s showing on stage every night.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Lately you’ve been one of the busiest guys in the Nashville theatre scene, so I gotta ask…what’s next for you?
ROBERT COLES: I don’t like downtime! Next, I’m performing as Letterwriter #3 in Women In Theatre Nashville’s production of TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS at the Darkhorse March 28 and 29! After that, I’m focusing on two of my shows that are headed to the Next Step Theatre Festival in New York City, opening Off-Broadway at the end of May. I’m also currently directing THE SOUND INSIDE, opening in late June! I love to stay busy!
RAPID FIRE WITH THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS’ LYLE LASHLEY, ALAN LEE
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who is Lyle Lashley to you?
ALAN LEE: Lyle is a dear soul who has kept his hurt bottled up for many years in an attempt to protect his daughters and give them a happy, fulfilled life.He loves them dearly, and that is not diminished by his impairment.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: The character description for Lyle reveals that like his daughters, he has Alzheimer’s. Not exactly what you think of when you think of musical comedy. So I gotta ask, What’s been the biggest challenge AND the biggest reward of approaching such a serious illness with humor and heart?
ALAN LEE: Lyle’s dementia is near constant, but he is given a few lucid episodes. My challenge with him was to make him, at his core, the same loving father to his daughters. The more diminished he is, the closer he becomes to the person who he is at his core. Someone who is loving and giving, so that the audience can see that his soul is the same whether he is lucid or trapped in dementia. He can get frustrated, but it is always with himself, never his girls. I seek to show that his sacrifices for their welfare are, in his mind, all justified.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: I’m sure you know this already, but I’ve been a fan of yours since the days of The Boiler Room Theatre. The Darkhorse Theatre reminds me a lot of Boiler Room, in that both venues provide a more intimate theatrical experience. Does the venue or theatre company where a show will be mounted ever influence your interest in auditioning for a role?
ALAN LEE: Thank you, Jonathan. Yes, the venue has a definite bearing on how the audience will receive a work. The Darkhorse, like the Boiler Room, allows a more intimate connection with the audience emotionally, and that pays off with a musical like this. I think the Darkhorse is a great venue for this work.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: With THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS you’ve had the playwright right there in the mix as Lori is playing one of your character’s two daughters. Have there been times during the rehearsal process that she’s offered insight into the character you’re playing, having written the role?
ALAN LEE: Having Lori both as author and scene partner has been a rich experience. She is the ultimate resource and has been an unfailingly positive influence on my work in finding and playing Lyle.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Channeling your character, what would Lyle say to those considering seeing THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS during its Darkhorse Theatre run?
ALAN LEE: “I’m as proud of these girls as I can be and know that if you come see us you will be as taken with them as I am.”
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Presented by Art4Art’s Sake Productions, THE SPARKLEY CLEAN FUNERAL SINGERS opens at Darkhorse Theatre March 13 and continues through March 22. Performances are as follows: 7:30pm performances March 13-15, as well as March 19-22. There are also matinee performances March 15, 16 and 22. Tickets are $20 plus a $3.18 handling fee. Seating is General Admission. CLICK HERE for tickets. For the latest from Art4Art’s Sake Productions, CLICK HERE.
Next up at Darkhorse Theatre, WIT (Women in Theatre) will present Tiny Beautiful Things. Based on the book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, WIT’s production will be directed by Erin Grace Bailey and will take to the stage at Darkhorse March 28 and 29. CLICK HERE for more.
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