On this episode of WNY Soundstage, host Daniel Lendzian speaks with Christie Baugher, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics for The Fitzgeralds of St Paul.
Christie Baugher is a Los Angeles-based writer whose musicals include The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul, and Leni Riefenstahl Is Going To Tell You The Truth. Her work has been produced at iconic venues like Joe’s Pub and 54 Below, and she received the American Theatre Wing’s 2022 Jonathan Larson Grant. A graduate of NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, she also co-hosts the podcasts Caroline and the Podcast and Muppeturgy.
A special preview production of her musical The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul will be presented at Irish Classical Theatre Company from November 8 to 24, 2024. Tickets are available here.
This episode includes:
- What inspired her to want to be a Musical Theater writer
- Why she presents herself as a “Fearless Storyteller” and “Old-timey Weirdo” on her website
- How Caroline and the City and The Muppets have shaped her work
- The significance of Maestra in her journey as a writer
- A sneak peek into The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul, running November 8-24 at the Irish Classical Theatre Company in Buffalo, NY, directed by Danny Mefford and starring Shannon O’Boyle and Jewell Wilson Bridges, with orchestrations by Frank Galgano and Matt Castle
- How The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul has evolved over time
- Discoveries made during the writing process
- Why preview performances are unique and important in writing processes
- The conversations she hopes audience members have on their way home