30 Days of NYMF: DAY 2 Therapy Rocks

Therapy Rocks 

By Karen Bishko co-bookwriter

Well I've been living Therapy Rocks for many years now, quite literally, as it is the story of my life, my relationships, my therapy (embellished - I wish I could say the same for the relationships!)
It all started when I was about 28 and I split up with a boyfriend after 4 years together. He was an airplane pilot. It was by far the most grown up and stable relationship I'd had but we didn't make it. I was heartbroken and began writing songs to express my pain. I'd never done this before. I learned piano as a kid but couldn't really play very well but I started sitting at the piano and plonking away.
One day my Dad recorded a couple of songs I'd written and played them to someone he knew in the music business. Eventually they were heard by Jess Bailey and Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet, they got me in the studio and were incredibly encouraging about the honesty of my storytelling. After that I never looked back. I gave up my job as a portrait painter, wrote more and more songs, which have culminated in Therapy Rocks.

In 2008 I decided to take Therapy Rocks to New York. I felt it would be more appropriate there as it's the story of a single Jewish thirty something girl in therapy. I had a story outline and tons of stories written down both in song and writing. It took a very long time to find co-writer's to help me sculpt the story and write the book. Eventually I found Nat Bennett and Kaethe Fine, who have done this (and are still doing it!)

I met Producer, Kim Vasquez - Executive Artistic Producer of Gray Lady Entertainment, at a TRU speed dating evening for writers and producers (more successful than my love life) and she wanted to enter Therapy Rocks into NYMF. She did, and after a couple of weeks we were told that it had been accepted. Since then it's been a whirlwind. Writing, more writing, lyric changes, sets, light...
We have a fantastic creative team starting with our music director Boko Suzuki, director Thomas Caruso, choreographer Rachel Bress. We also have Ray Wetmore, Lisa Zinni, Jim Milkey and Nick Borisjuk rounding off our design team. When we cast the show the talent that walked through the doors was amazing! It was very humbling and pretty emotional for me to hear such beautiful voices singing songs I'd written. Our incredible cast includes: Josh Davis, Adam Halpin, Dee Roscioli, Allie Schulz and Rachel Stern (as me!)

So now the real work starts...I can't wait.

Photo: Rachel Stern as Leah