BWW Interviews: Tyce Green Talks TYCE GREEN LIVE

Tyce Green was in Houston on a Sunday, DC on a Monday, and in New York City on a Tuesday. When I called at nearly 10 p.m., he was still ready and willing to gab the night away with me.

We discussed his new production TYCE GREEN LIVE. In the past, Green has performed shows centered around themes, like the fantastic '80s IN OUR UNDIES, but TYCE GREEN LIVE is the first time the performer has put together a solo show with, in his words, all the music he loves to sing. And he's debuting this special show in Houston. (What better place than home?) He'll be performing with his band and cohorts: Jack Beetle (music director and keyboard), Josh Sheiman (guitar), Steve Martin (bass), and Joe Beam (drums).

Please describe TYCE GREEN LIVE for me.

It is a culmination of all the different kinds of music that I like to sing. It is 80s rock which, as you know, I love. It's a little bit of jazz, some Sinatra-style music. Then it's also some musical theatre, some music from the roles I've done. It's an eclectic mix, but all the songs are carefully put together to create this theatrical atmosphere. The lyrics to an 80s song will seamlessly blend into a song from a [theatrical] show that I did that's more rock-oriented. Then that will blend into a little more of the jazzy kind of classic music. It's been really interesting developing it.

What was the impetus for the show? Why did you create it and how did you create it?

I think that it was just time to debut this. And I'm really lucky because I'm working with a team of really great people. Jack, the music director, he is just a genius. I can send him a list of songs and he'll go, "This will work. Yep, this works. I know your voice, this will sound like that." Being able to have that and have multiple sources of input is amazing.

[SPACE]

[SPACE]

Where there any songs that you wanted to put in that you couldn't?

There were quite a lot of songs that I wanted to put in. There was a medley from INTO THE WOODS that I wanted to put in. I love the music from that, but I looked at it and it just didn't fit into this group. It's just a very heavily orchestrated show and didn't feel right to put it in there without having all the strings and the brass instruments. [Chuckles] Once upon a time, I wanted to do a Miley Cyrus cover. [I Laugh] Something like Can't Be Tamed. But I had my one novelty song, and I chose a Katy Perry song. I'm a huge Katy Perry fan. There were lots of songs I wanted to do. I love Madonna. I love Lady Gaga. There are a lot of different artists that I want to cover.

Who are you covering?

There is something really cool in the show that I've put in - a James Bond medley. I have a very strange connection to James Bond. [Laughs] Ever since I was little, I would watch all the old Bond movies, even the ones I wasn't alive for and think, "What are these songs, these brilliant Oscar-nominated and Oscar-winning songs from these brilliant composers that happened to be in the beginning of an action film, sung by Emmy award-winning artists like Tina Turner and Shirley Bassey?" We found a way to fit that into the jazz section. That I'm excited about.

Performance-wise, this show is just you. You're carrying it on your own. Do you feel there is a big responsibility on your shoulders?

I think there is a responsibility. It's interesting that you didn't say, "Is there pressure?" because I don't think there's pressure. I think there is an obligation to the audience. Everyone has their own expectations, but at the end of the day, I want them to leave having had a good time. That's really what it's about - doing songs that run the gamut (things that people have heard before and things that people haven't), telling a little about myself that people may not know, and [the audience] leaving having heard a story. Having experienced a journey that has really just gotten started. That's the beauty of it.

Performances of TYCE GREEN LIVE are May 7-8, 7:30 p.m. at the Music Box Theater. For more information, please visit www.tycegreen.com.

Photo and video courtesy of www.tycegreen.com

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