Interview: Brian Mulay of THE LOVE CURRICULUM at Dixon Place

Mulay Initiatives presents The Love Curriculum, an entertaining evening of song and dance exploring our universal journey in the pursuit of love, written and performed by Brian Mulay (Yank, A New Musical). Joe Barros directs a cast of six, including Mr. Mulay, Sam Arlen, Jonathan Bannigan, Christian Dell'Edera, Ptolemy Eggers, and Adam Sarette. Two performances will be staged at Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street in NYC 10002 on Sunday, April 23rd and Monday, April 24th at 7:30pm.

The Love Curriculum, a cabaret of music, explores the experiences and personal love story of principle performer Brian Mulay. It is a humorous and poignant examination of the emotions and phases common to all of us in our pursuit of love, communicating our human needs and desires and how we choose to act upon them or not. Touching on the ways we meet and communicate, and unconventional arrangements such as open relationships and polyamory, The Love Curriculum includes singers, dancers and musicians who accompany Brian through his entertaining curriculum. This cabaret features music from classic and contemporary musical theatre and even some pop songs by composers such as Stephen Sondheim, Sara Bareilles, Bock & Harnick, Maury Yeston, Stephen Schwartz, and Alanis Morissette.

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Brian Mulay about his career and The Love Curriculum.

Tell us a little about your early memories of performing.

My mom cast me in the boys band in THE MUSIC MAN when I was 4 years old. The band helmet was too big for me and the only way it would stay on my head was to put the chin strap behind my ears. I already had Dumbo-size ears as a child and this emphasized it times 10. It got such a huge laugh every night when I came on stage, and when I heard that laughter, I fell in love with being on stage. That's when the bug bit. I also remember playing Michael Darling in Peter Pan (the little boy with the teddy bear). The first day we got to fly I told my mom "this was the best day of my life!"

Who were the mentors for your profession?

Is it ok to have mentors that you never really knew or worked with? I guess they'd more appropriately be called "influences" but growing up I constantly watched performers like Gene Kelly, Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, Judy Garland, Patti LuPone, and numerous others. These performers had such charisma and magnetism and I wanted to someday captivate an audience the way they could. I pay homage to some of them in my show. Come see to find out who.

Tell us a little about the team for "The Love Curriculum."

My musical director, Grant Wenaus and I met while I was getting my BFA at the University of Michigan. He accompanied me in my voice studio class and I remember feeling like a full orchestra was underneath me when it was just him at the piano. My director, Joe Barros is my "brother from another mother". We were musical theatre children "through and through" and we share a similar aesthetic for movement and theatrics on stage.

Why do you think "The Love Curriculum" will resonate with metro audiences?

Who doesn't relate to the elations and heartbreaks of being in love? NYC is a difficult pool to swim in while in pursuit of love. TLC allows audiences to reflect on these common and universal emotions that we all experience.

For the future?

This project has been very personal and at times I'm shocked as to how much I'm revealing about my private life. I'd like the next project to be a bit more abstract. I've always been obsessed with the four elements of fire, water, earth, and air. When I hear new music, I often say "that's a fire song!" Or "that's an earth song!" Etc. I'd love to put a show together around this concept.

Anything else, absolutely anything you want BWW readers to know!

I'd like you to know that tickets to THE LOVE CURRICULUM are available at http://dixonplace.org/performances/the-love-curriculum/ Come join the fun!

Photo Credit: Michael Bonasio