Name: Robert & Cristina Farruggia
What is your current project?
A homage to the golden age of musical theatre, On the Air is an original new musical inspired by the lives of Jack and Loretta Clemens, a real life Vaudeville sibling duo that went on to star on Radio and TV. It’s a story that deals with major changes in society/entertainment through the early half the twentieth century, but at its heart, focuses on two siblings and the balance of their opposing dreams. The musical has gone through a number of prominent theatres/festivals, most recently presented as a reading at The York Theatre Company directed by Tony Nominee Hunter Foster. It was a semifinalist for NAMT and FWD Theatre Project, as well as a finalist for the Santa Fe Musical Theatre Festival and the Rhinebeck Writer’s Retreat. On the Air was also presented at the PiTCH Series as part of the Finger Lakes MT Festival. For the first time, On the Air will be produced as a fully staged workshop production at The Gallery Players.
Where are you performing your show and why is it a good fit for your production?
On the Air will be presented at The Gallery Players. 199th 14th St. Brooklyn, NY. The show will have a total of 5 performances, May 18th at 8pm, May 19th at 8pm, May 20th at 2 & 8pm, and May 21st at 3pm. This is the first time The Gallery Players will be mounting a fully staged workshop production and it is the first new musical the theatre has produced at this level since the successful Off Broadway hit Yank! This 99-seat theatre is the perfect venue for On the Air, allowing the audience to feel the nostalgia and joy of the golden era of Radio, while also focusing in on an intimidate story about family and dreams.
What’s next for you?
Now that On the Air has been put up on its feet, the next stage of development would be a regional premiere production. In addition to On the Air, we are readying for an industry reading our second musical, The Store Under the Portico, which takes place in WWII Italy. Aside from our musical work, we have a number of original pieces which we hope to showcase in upcoming cabarets/songwriter events. Please check out our social media pages for the latest news on our projects.
What is the name of the last show you saw?
The last show we saw was The Play That Goes Wrong. It was hysterical, and it was great to see a company come together like that to create such great art!
Any advice for your peers?
Our greatest advice is to stay true to your voice. We feel very passionate about the golden age of musical theatre and our writing voices naturally fit that time period. While we initially thought this to be a weakness, we soon found it was our greatest strength. People will resonate most with an original voice that is compelling and true, rather than an imitation of something you think people want to hear. While the music harks back to another time, the themes are still very relevant to today. We like to think of our show as a golden age musical for a modern age audience.
Want More?
Website: www.ontheairthemusical.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ontheairthemusical/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OntheAirMusical
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8p3tAdIBz0
Robert & Cristina Farruggia are both professional actors/playwrights. As actors, they performed in the closing performance of Les Miserables on Broadway and starred in a number of prominent regional productions. As writers, their work has been featured/finalists for NAMT, FWD Theatre Project, Writer’s Rhinebeck Retreat, 54 Below, Santa Fe Musical Theatre Festival, etc.
Show Information:
When: Thursday, May 18th to Sunday May 21st
Where: The Gallery Players
Address: 199 14th Street, Park Slope
Website: For tickets visit http://galleryplayers.com/event/overtures-on-the-air/
Malini Singh mcdonald 