The Alliance Theatre’s upcoming world premiere of Darlin’ Cory has brought Sugarland frontman Kristian Bush and prolific playwright/novelist Phillip DePoy together to write an Appalachian myth a la Hadestown. Bush and DePoy sat down with host Sally Fuller a few days before starting rehearsals with the whole company to rewind a bit and share in-depth about how they created a brand new musical during the pandemic.
About our guests…
Phillip DePoy (Playwright, Librettist & Co-Lyricist) is the author of 22 novels (the latest, SAMMY TWO SHOES, comes out in October 2021) and 45 plays. An internationally reviewed performance artist, he was writer in residence for the Georgia Council for the Arts and Composer in Residence for the Academy Theatre in the 1980s. In the 1990s he was the Artistic Director of Theatrical Outfit and composed music for 17 Alliance Theatre productions (Angels in America, The Seagull, Man for All Seasons, et al). Since then, he served as the director of several university theatre programs. He was awarded Georgia Author of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. Notable theatrical work includes the 1993 New York production of LAMB ON FIRE, the 2002 Edgar Award winning mystery play Easy, also in New York, and for the Alliance Theatre, the Suzi award-winning Edward Foote. His Appalachian Christmas Homecoming has been produced over 30 times nationally since 1994. Phillip DePoy also holds an undergraduate degree in English literature and folklore, and a graduate degree in performance art. His greatest achievement, however, is having been married to playwright Lee Nowell for over twenty-two years.
Kristian Bush (Composer, Co-Lyricist) is a Grammy Award-winning recording artist who has been leaving his mark on music for more than two decades. The singer, songwriter, producer and multi- instrumentalist started his career with the folk-rock duo Billy Pilgrim in the early 1990s. In 2004, he exploded onto the country music scene with Sugarland, surpassing sales of more than 22 million albums worldwide, achieving five No. 1 singles and winning numerous awards, including Grammys, AMAs, ACMs, CMT Music Awards and CMAs. In 2014, Bush made his solo debut with Top 20 hit “Trailer Hitch,” featured on his critically acclaimed album Southern Gravity, named the “feel-good album of the year” by Country Music Weekly and named one of the Top 10 country albums of 2015 by Rolling Stone. He recently wrote and performed “Forever Now,” the theme song to the TLC reality series “Say Yes to the Dress.” Troubadour was his first musical.
Shout-outs
- Darlin’ Cory rocks our socks off. Go see it in Atlanta if you can: https://alliancetheatre.org/production/2021-22/darlin-cory
- You know what else rocks our socks off? The Alliance Theatre
- Special thanks to Peachy Corners Cafe and Roam for being the best editing offices.
- BGP would not be possible without behind-the-scenes team members Thomas Fuller and Elise Friderich.
Preview some songs from Darlin’ Cory
Watch Kristian Bush perform “After the Ashes” from Darlin’ Cory
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