Interview: Writer/Director/Musician David P. Johnson on Creating Sally Spectre: The Musical at Theatre West

Each Halloween Season, many horror and science fiction offerings hit our stages. This year, David P. Johnson is bringing his Sally Spectre: The Musical back to Theatre West weekends through October 29. A combination horror and morality play, it centers around the ghost of a 5-year-old girl trying to escape from her locked bedroom where she was brutally murdered.   

But is this musical really for children? To find out, I decided to speak with David P. Johnson (pictured) who not only wrote the book, music, and lyrics but also directs and co-produces it, and appears onstage accompanying the cast on keyboard during every performance.

Hi David. Thank you for taking time to speak with me today. First, for people who do not know you or your work, tell me about how you got your start in theatre, and specifically at Theatre West.

I initially moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in pop music. My primary instrument at the time was electric guitar and I played guitar, bass, and drums in numerous bands back then. Somewhere early in that journey I got my hands on a CD of Broadway tunes - and everything changed for me upon hearing A Little Priest from Sweeney Todd. When I say everything changed – I mean on a dime. Hearing that along with Move On from Sunday in the Park with George made me want to work in musical theatre. When I was about 19 or so, some friends of mine were staging Godspell at a theatre in South Gate. They asked me if I would create the music tracks for them to pipe in and that was really the beginning of actually doing musical theatre.

After performing in a few sketch comedy shows, and also with the Torrance Theatre Company, I joined Theatre West. Someone over there asked me when I auditioned for the company if I could sing. I hadn’t prepared anything, but I launched into Cole Porter’s Begin the Beguine and someone mercifully thought I was passable enough to pair me up with the Storybook Theatre group run by Lloyd J. Schwartz and Barbara Mallory Schwartz. For me, it was a perfect match as I honed my improv skills and continued to learn more about being a professional in this industry. I did plenty of shows that were not aimed at a young audience too, but the Storybook arena was and remains very rewarding.

Tell me more about your participation in Theatre West’s Storybook Theatre.

I’ve been involved in one way or another with almost every Storybook Theatre production at Theatre West over the past 18-20 years. I’m not counting with too much precision because that’s like keeping track of the rings on a tree stump, and I don’t want to know the answer to that! What I can tell you is that I love it. My first role was as Prince Charming in Cinderella and I was hooked from the first step on the stage in that production. Since then - I’ve been The Handsome Prince in Sleeping Beauty and Mr. MacGregor in Peter Rabbit to name a few. I’ve also directed a couple of Storybook productions including Snow White, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Princess and the Frog, and stage managed at least a dozen others. I really owe a lot to the Schwartz family. They’ve really taken me under their collective wing.

Was your interest in children’s theatre what lead you to create such a dark musical about a little girl? Or did you always write it to appeal to an older audience?

Great question – but the impetus for Sally Spectre the Musical isn’t connected to my Storybook experience in any way. Tim Burton made a pretty powerful impression on me when I was quite young. His version of macabre was larger than life. and although it contained elements of horror. there was something accessible about his treatment of things that would otherwise be frightening. Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice were two of my early favorites and it would be hard to suggest that those didn’t inspire me. But so did Edward Gorey, Monty Python; and oddly, Blake Edwards along with Billy Wilder. I think where those dots all connect is that every one of those people can allow a complex story to unfold from a simple and endearing perspective.

Stella Grimaldi (Sally) in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

What inspired you to create a musical about a little girl with an ax stuck in her head?

I was having coffee with an extremely talented actress [to remain nameless], and she was going on and on about her deficiencies in the same way most creatives do. Now - I have to say - this young lady was and remains a truly gifted performer. Her comedic timing rivals the best of the best – and I’m talking about matching up with people like Lucille Ball, Dick Van Dyke, John Candy, and Carol Burnett. After listening to her for a while, I stopped her and said, “listening to someone with so much talent beat themselves up so badly is like watching them put a hatchet in their own head.” There it was. The whole idea spurned from that passing comment and the image I saw in my own head while making that statement!

This is the third time you have presented Sally Spectre at Theatre West for Halloween, starting in 2009 and then in 2017. Have the long breaks allowed you time to rewrite it as a work in progress? Or is it still basically the same as you originally created it?

It’s very different from the original draft. The first draft was written for a playwriting competition that had a limit to the running time. It was always a comedy, and it always had the same message about not letting fear rule important decisions in your life. Now that I think about it, some of the jokes from the first pass have survived all this time. But the score and story has been expanded significantly. This latest version offers a new song at the end that I think really wraps up the tale. It’s called Where the World Starts and Ends and the cast is knocking it out of the park.

Hasan Crawford (l.), Scottie Nevil, Robert W. Laur, Matthew Hoffman, and Stella Grimaldi in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

The musical offers important lessons for children about trust, dealing with fear, and speaking your truth while allowing others to do the same, And yet, its format seems to appeal more for adults than young children. Why did you decide to not write it as a children’s show?

I don’t think I ever had a target demographic in mind, not for any step of development. One thing I’ve learned in both theatre for children and theatre for adults is an audience is as smart as you expect them to be. I may mind my language more but I don’t speak to children any differently than I speak to adults. That helps me connect and build trust, especially in a Storybook environment. The world has evolved a bit over the past few years with more inclusive thinking and I like those ideas. There are certainly adult themes and ideas in Sally Spectre the Musical, but I wouldn’t want to be preachy or allow the script to speak to a young person any differently than to someone with more life years under their belt. The Nightmare Before Christmas, the 1970’s stop-motion version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Rankin and Bass, and even the Will Ferrell movie Elf all have elements that are a combination of storytelling from the perspective of a child but with adult themes. I’d love to say I planned it all – but I didn’t. It just came out the way it did.

The musical speaks to how all people can suffer from some type of fear which does not allow them to fully live their lives. Why is it so important for Sally to learn and deal with facing her fears?

I think my own career would have taken a different trajectory if I hadn’t allowed fear and insecurity to interrupt my plans. There’s good fear, like the kind that makes you look both ways at a traffic light, and bad fear, like the kind that creeps into your mind and presents things like self-doubt and blame. Nobody really blossoms until they embrace who they really are, and I think the world seems to unlock a bit when you find yourself walking down a road of self-acceptance. I have yet to master it of course, but awareness is the first step. There are some personal things revolving around fear that I could trace back to my childhood I suppose, but I think we can all do that. I’m reaching here but I think I am sensitive to watching people I care about sabotage themselves with fear that’s ill placed. People say greed and money ruin the world. I think fear is just as guilty.

I agree. Fear and confusion always get in the way.

The cast of Sally Spectre: The Musical with writer/musician/director/co-producer David P. Johnson on opening night at Theatre West.

As a writer, which comes first for you, creating your characters or writing the book and songs?

Every project comes in different pieces and puzzles. I’ve had two irons in the new musical fire for a while now – one about Nikola Tesla and another called Rocket Boy. The inspiration for the Tesla piece came from just studying Tesla himself, but the second came entirely from a riff I was tooling around with on a piano. Sally came from a passing comment to my friend and when I composed music and partial lyrics for Presidential Suite – it all came from context and situation.

Tell me more about the character of Sally and the process of creating her. Is her persona based on a little girl in your life?

Sally isn’t really based on anyone specific. I think almost every character anyone writes has some high percentage of themself wrapped up in the persona, and I don’t really think that’s too much of a leap here. But she is unique and unlike anyone I truly know.

Has each production over the years featured a different actress as Sally?

Yes, and they’ve ALL been wonderful. I’m very fond of each one of them, but there’s something about the current Sally, Stella Grimaldi, that I really admire. She attached herself from the inside out to the role in a really special way - and she can really sing! She is ridiculously talented, humble, and easy to work with actor.

Hasan Crawford (l.), Stella Grimaldi, and Matthew Hoffman in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

There are so many children’s toys brought to life in the musical. Are they based on your own childhood favorites?

Bartholomew the toy soldier is a nutcracker. Matthew Hoffman has perfected the art of moving as if he has no joints which is physically demanding and comedic at the same time. Of the toys, the only one I had was a nutcracker. I think I had a few stuffed animals, but none as specific as Hasan Crawford’s Winky.

Have the toys and their interactions with Sally changed as the musical has evolved?

It was always the same toys. The only change there is that one toy got eliminated - Mr. Quackers, a wooden duck that Sally pulled across the stage with a string in previous versions of the play. But don’t worry – I still have the toy in my music room at home.

Why did you decide to have one actor portray four of Sally’s toys? And how did you find such a perfect actor in Hasan Crawford to play them?

I like the idea of Sally’s memory fading to the point where she couldn’t remember every toy. It was in the original draft and helps the audience understand the confusion inside her head, and at the same time provides an incredible challenge for an actor. Hasan Crawford is up to that challenge. I had already worked with Hasan in two previous projects, one was a Storybook show and another very different one - a Gilbert and Sullivan piece called Trial by Jury. I approached Hasan about the role and sat down at a piano and played On the Moon from the Sally Spectre score for him. He really wanted to sing that song, and I’m lucky he did! Hasan is a gifted actor with amazing timing. He’s incredibly professional, smart, and easy to work with on any project.

Hasan Crawford (l.), Stella Grimaldi, Matthew Hoffman, and Steve Nevil in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

Sally’s trustworthy toy, the nutcracker Bartholomew portrayed by Matthew Hoffman, seems to be the voice of reason and Sally’s protector in the musical. Tell me about his creation and the actor portraying him.

Each of Hasan Crawford’s characters represents a different part of Sally’s mind – and so does Matthew Hoffman’s Bartholomew. Barty is absolutely the common sense and reason of the group and Matthew has portrayed this character in multiple productions. Matthew has an incredible ability to show compassion and vulnerability on stage and that honesty is probably more required of that character than any other in the play.

Where did the idea of the soul-collecting Wraith character originate? And has he always been played by Steve Nevil?

Well, the Wraith is probably the character that most closely resembles me these days. The part was originally written with Magic Castle regular Rob Zabrecky in mind. Rob did play the character in one run and was simply amazing. Steve Nevil is one of the finest actors I’ve ever known and having him come on board took some prying. But now he’s having as much fun as he’s ever had on stage and is equally amazing. I have worked with Steve several times over the years, and he always brings extraordinarily creative ideas to the table. He’s one of those actors who just never stops making things better. And he gets to share the stage for the first time with his daughter Scottie playing Mabel.

Scottie Nevil (l.), Steve Nevil, Matthew Hoffman, and Robert W. Laur in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

As a 24-year member of Theatre West, Robert W. Laur has been part of all 3 productions of Sally Spectre. Has he always played Gustave the lawyer/judge?

Gustave made it all the way to Judge before he got pushed into the role of apprentice Wraith – and Robert W. Laur has played the role in three productions. But the first production at Theatre West had a very talented fellow named Roger Cruz as Gustave. That said, Robert is my good luck charm, and he also throws more puns into a standard conversation than any human being I’ve ever met! He and I go way back, and I remain honored to have the Honorable Robert W. Laur as the Honorable Gustave again in 2023!

Why did you decide to include a Judge in the musical?

I wanted to show that no matter what your station in life, the way we value things in the material world likely doesn’t hold the same value as they do in a non-material world. I’m not stating that as a fact. I’m stating it as an idea. The back story on all the characters is significantly drafted enough to give every actor an anchor. They all come from different backgrounds, but here they all are… together.

Are all the characters written to learn the same lessons with Sally? What is the most important thing she learns?

I think Gustave and Mabel need to learn tolerance and the value of humanity. They’re both selfish and petty, motivated by their own needs and desires. Scottie Nevil mentioned that playing Mabel is like acting only on your id. That’s pretty accurate.

Sally learns a lot of things, but trusting herself – even if through the actions of her toys – is imperative. But the number one thing for her is learning that fear is mostly a creation that comes from within. Challenging fear won’t always make it go away, but often the act of naming and confronting your fear takes power away from whatever it is and returns that strength to you.

Stella Grimaldi (Sally) and Steve Nevil (The Wraith) in Sally Spectre: the Musical. Photographer: Garry M. Kluger.

The Wraith taking off his cloak at the end signifies a bit of defiance as he questions the system that put him there. He winds up in a unique position to ask why things must be the way they are for the first time in his career as a Wraith, and that feels like it’s a little bit connected to what is happening in the world today.

Thanks for the insights into the Sally Spectre characters. Now tell me about the Theatre Rocks concert after this Saturday night’s performance.

I started doing Theatre Rocks as a fundraiser for Theatre West several years ago. It’s a relaxed collection of local artists, me included, that go up and perform contemporary music. We’ve recently had my band Someday September play a set, and a fantastic DJ that goes by the name m_boogs. In the past, we’ve had Nick Bognar, Revolution Road, Shine, and The Galaxies all perform. It’s fun and a great way to engage the crowd after seeing Sally Spectre: The Musical.

As a member of SAG-AFTRA, would you like to share your thoughts about the ongoing strike?

I don’t have a lot to add that hasn’t already been said. But I saw a demo where an actor’s voice was recreated in another language by AI and thought – wow – that’s cool that technology can do that but not fair to either the original actor or a different actor that could be employed by a localization company to dub that piece in the different language. AI is not the devil, but how it is deployed needs to be considered in a philosophical context far beyond what I can offer at this moment.

Anything else you would like readers to know about you or Sally Spectre?

Sally Spectre the Musical is intended to be a fun way to look at some social issues that people from all cultures have lived with since the dawn of hunter-gatherers. I don’t want the way these ideas are presented to offend anyone, in fact – that would horrify me. The piece has touched people in very different and very good ways, and that always amazes me. I love to hear from people that have seen the show and have walked away with something new or poignant. Just have fun – that’s all I ask! Lastly, I want to thank Theatre West. The staff and community around the company really embraced Sally Spectre the Musical, and it’s been a great pairing and super fun ride.

Thanks so much, David!

Sally Spectre: The Musical with book, music and lyrics by David P. Johnson who co-produces and directs the play for Theatre West at 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, in Los Angeles, CA 90068, continues through October 29, 2023 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm. Theatre West is near Universal City with parking available in a privately-operated lot across the street (fee charged, credit card only) or at meters on the street. Please read parking signs carefully.

General admission tickets are $40 for all performances, with tickets purchased in advance online at https://theatrewest.org/on-stage/2023/sally-spectre-the-musical-2023 for $35, or $30 for students, military and veterans. On Saturday, October 28, audiences can also choose to buy a premium $50 ticket which gains them entrance to Sally Spectre: The Musical and the after-show Theatre Rocks concert featuring David P. Johnson and his band Someday September followed by LA local power pop band Shine.

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