Interview: 54 Below Spotlights Emerging Songwriter Dionne McClain-Freeney
The 2/18 show is part of 54 Below's ongoing New Writers at 54! series, which highlights emerging artists
New Writers At 54! is an ongoing series at 54 Below showcasing exciting work by today’s hottest emerging voices, curated by Assistant Programming Director Alexa Spiegel. It runs on Tuesdays at 9:30 pm from now through March 25, highlighting a wide range of voices from up-and-coming songwriters, continuing 54 Below’s non-profit mission to support new voices.
We spoke with one of the artists who will be featured, Dionne McClain-Freeney. Her show will play on February 18 at 9:30 pm (it will also be livestreamed for anyone not in New York City). Dionne is a composer, composer-lyricist, arranger, musical director, and teaching artist whose music for off-Broadway, children’s theatre, festivals, Gospel, and more, have earned accolades, including GLAAD Media Awards, AUDELCO, and Drama Desk. She was previously featured in 54 Below’s Black Writer Showcase.
Whether big or small – stages AND ages, her music has taken audiences from the streets of Greenwich Village to downtown Newark, around the globe with children and talking parrots sampling rice & beans dishes, to Black fathers loving their sons, to an opulent ballroom for the “Black society event of the year.” Join Dionne and a cast of talented singers for a night of musical storytelling that will answer the question: “Which theatre, TV, and movie megastar cried tears of joy after hearing one of her songs?”
Read our conversation below.
How does it feel to be participating in this New Writers at 54 series?
It's an honor to have my own show featuring my work at a venue like 54 Below, knowing that legends have been on that stage. It's also a testament to 54 Below that emerging artists and writers get to share their work in such an auspicious space. I'm thrilled!
What do you have planned for your show?
I plan to share some of who I am, a mature Black queer woman who loves the art of storytelling through song and loves love. I've got some old and new friends singing, there will be some audience participation, and we may even go to church!
What have you been working on lately?
After writing a chamber opera with my longtime friend and writing partner Bil Wright, I've just closed a production of a reimagined Show Boat, with Target Margin Theatre, called Show/Boat: A River, where I wrote new vocal arrangements and co-music directed with Dan Schlosberg, who wrote new orchestrations. I'm also returning to Brooklyn Children's Theatre, working on a piece for teens inspired by poems from the Harlem Renaissance, and working on two original book musicals, Dandy, and The Brownstoners.
Who do you think the ideal audience is for 54 Below show, or how would you pitch it to someone currently unfamiliar with your work?
My show, my work, is for people who enjoy a good story with a funky vibe - 'cause I love a groove and a good time! But I also love a good romantic love song. So, come to hear something to dance to, fast or slow; come for a laugh or three, and maybe have a theatre experience that's different from what you expect.
Tickets to see Dionne McClain-Freeney on February 18 at 9:30 pm are available here.
Get tickets to the rest of the series, and more upcoming shows at 54 Below, on their website.
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