TWG 9.2 Interview with Laura McKenzie

Posted by Molly on July 31, 2011

That's Weird Grandma TWG Weekly Update

Molly Brennan, current director of That’s Weird, Grandma, interviews Laura McKenzie, Monkey Music Master and composer of TWG’s new Opening song.

MB:  How did you get in the song-writing business?  

LM:  I never ever ever EVER thought I would write songs.  Really.  I started writing theater and it just so happened that everytime I tried to write a play, a song always showed up.  So working with Barrel of Monkeys has been the perfect mix!  (Also, my secret dream until just this moment where I blurt it out is to have Alicia Keys sing one of my songs.   Do you think she would sing a song about two girls looking at a pooping dog?)

MB:  I do.  How many original songs have you written for BOM school shows? 

LM:  You’d think I’d know the answer to this—but I have no idea.  My guess would be anywhere from 15-25.

MB:  Is there a favorite, or one that sticks in your mind that you can tell us about? 

LM:  I’d hate to hurt any of my song’s feelings, but it would be hard not to mention “Gotta Stop The Fighting”.  I got the “Importance of Being Earnest” award for that one.  And that’s a pretty big deal because I’m rarely earnest.  I’m usually writing songs about bunnies being conjured out of toilets (Bunny Madness, another fave). 

MB:  How did the new TWG Opening Song come to you? 

LM:  In the shower.  That’s where all the magic happens.

MB:  Did you have help? 

LM:  Absolutely!  EDD (Erick Deshaun Dorris) and Curtis Williams and I got together a couple of times for some “sessions”.  What we did at these “sessions” no one will ever know.  I will know.  Nobody else will know.  Not even EDD and Curtis know. 

MB:  Were they really help or are you just being nice? 

LM:  I’m never nice. 

MB:  Me either.

LM:  It was really fun collaborating.  I figured writing a new opener was a big deal, and I thought it would be a fun experiment to try collaborating with some fellow monkeys who at one point or another expressed interest in creating a new opener. Also, I thought having a couple of different points of view would come in handy because then if someone didn’t like a line or a phrase I could say “Curtis did that” or “EDD wrote those lyrics”. 

MB:  What reality-TV-worthy conflicts broke out among the musical creative team? 

LM:  There was a lot of crying, for sure.  A lot of confessing and secret meetings at cafes that were oddly empty in the middle of the day.  But the biggest moment was THE HUG.  I won’t go into too much detail here, but let’s just say in a moment of unbridled joy at what we had just created, EDD (notorious for never hugging NOBODY) delivered an impromptu side-hug that had us all crying and dancing and eating chocolates. 

MB:  How would you describe the style of the number? 

LM:  Sexy/educational.

MB:  For those who aspire to be piano playing songwriters, what advice can you give on writing opening numbers for Barrel of Monkeys?  

LM:  Practice.  Listen.  Live.  Practice the piano for yourself.  Listen to other people play the piano.  Live life by taking in new adventures— experience is inspiration! 

Come see That’s Weird Grandma at 8 p.m.

The secret password is “EDD Sidehug”.  Say that to Kassi at the box office and you’ll get $2 off your ticket price!