Hello Beautiful People,
I’m so excited to introduce you all to our next Mover & Shaker, Ms. Jennifer Ashley Tepper. Jennifer is, without a doubt, a Mover & Shaker of the Broadway scene, I like to think of her as the Musical Theatre Fairy Godmother of The Write Teacher(s), and I’m sure there’s more artists out there who feel the same way about this lovely lady. She’s one of the most passionate theater people I have ever met in my entire life, her passion is palpable and infectious, and if you didn’t love musical theater before speaking to her, you will once you hear her speak about Broadway, underappreciated musicals, and New York City. As you all know, here at The Write Teacher(s) we believe that theater transforms lives, that art drives life. We believe that theater is one of our greatest art forms, a method of storytelling that should always be cemented in our culture. Jennifer is a person that we can all thank for preserving those stories, for she just understands & appreciates the power, the passion, the love, the heart, the hard work, the nitty-gritty moments, and the daily grind that comes with working in the world of theater both behind and in front of the curtain. She is the Director of Promotions at Ken Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, one of the creators of the amazing concert series, If It Only Even Runs a Minute and Once Upon a Time in NYC, a writer, a champion of teachers, and someone I’m so very blessed to be able to call a friend.
TWT: Did you always want to be a musical theater historian?
JT: I always knew I wanted to work in theater, but it took me a little while to figure out that I wanted to be was musical theater historian and producer. That’s the goal. I think it’s hard for kids in high school or even younger to figure out that there are things and careers that you can have in theater other than performing, directing, and writing. For me, I always liked learning about the musicals, and reading books about theater history, and when I discovered that path to producing and theater historian, that was when I knew I was set.
TWT: Just for fun, do you sing?
JT: I had a lot of fun performing in high school, I went to theater camp, I performed, but I’m not a singer. I have fun singing, and I can carry a tune. My sister and I look-alike and sound alike, but she’s the singer in the family. I always tell people I sound like her, but bad. I love singing, but I always knew I didn’t want to do it as a career.
TWT: What advice would you give to students in high school who want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
JT: The best advice I would give to anyone in high school who wants to work in entertainment is to really figure out what you’re most passionate about, and then reach out to people in those areas, and ask questions. People have a lot of respect for young people who are motivated and persistent in their field. If you’re a young person and you love a show, or theatre company, or specific artist, and you reach out to them, asking if they ever need a volunteer, or an intern, or help with a charity event, you’d be surprised where those experiences will lead. Find people who’s work you really admire. All of the best internships that I had in college were not because I applied to a specific internship posting, it was me, thinking, that’s a place I’d really like to work, let me see if they do internships there, but let me write a letter and show my interest. I think the best things come from not being afraid to write to someone you don’t know, call someone you don’t know…reach out blindly, if you will. You never know unless you try.
produced by Jennifer Ashley Tepper
TWT: What are the top five musicals that you couldn’t live without?
JT: My favorite musical of all time is Merrily We Roll Along. I grew up listening to the cast recording and from the minute I discovered it, it was the moment in my life where I realized that musicals could be so much, and they could tell such a significant story. Everything in that musical is something that I encounter in my everyday life. It’s so much about friendship, creating art, and how people change as they grow up. All of these things in this musical, from the music, to the lyrics, to the way it was constructed, to the people involved…I’ve been obsessed with it from a very young age, and it’s still my favorite musical of all time. I’ve had the opportunity to meet various original cast members and people from the creative team who were involved with the show since I’ve been in the city. I love Lonny Price, who was in it, and I approached him at a screening of Company years ago, (he directed the television version), I said to him that I was a huge admirer of him and of his work, and especially loved Merrily We Roll Along, which started us talking and becoming friends; Lonny is currently working making a documentary of Merrily We Roll Along, which I then got to work on, and when the original cast had a reunion at ENCORES! I was invited, which was amazing. Hands down one of the best moments of my life thus far. I was obsessed with [title of show] in college. And then I got to work on it, it was like the first big professional job I had. Bloodsong of Love, one of Joe Iconis’ shows, that was at Ars Nova, Off-Broadway. I got to work on it. It was fantastic. The ideas, and music, and heart of that show hit me in a way that really changed my life. I think Joe is one of the best musical theater writers out there. From the moment I first heard his work, I thought “that is the kind of musical theatre that I’ve always wanted to be a part of”. Another favorite of mine is A Chorus Line; I grew up loving A Chorus Line. I saw the revival so many times; I’ve seen it more than any show, (other than the ones I’ve worked on.) Growing up, I also loved Bill Finn. I loved everything he wrote, and I still do. And so, I’m going to cheat and say that my final favorite shows are the Falsettos Trilogy. The way he wrote and writes musical theater opened the door for people writing musical theater in a more realistic way.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you hate?
JT: I hate the sound of people whispering during a theatrical performance.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you love?
JT: The Actors Church, which is right across from the Davenport Theatrical office, where I work, plays There’s No Business Like Show Business, everyday, at half hour till curtain. It’s hilarious. It’s a Wednesday afternoon tradition!
TWT: Just for fun, what’s your favorite movie?
JT: All That Jazz. This should come as a shock to no one.
TWT: Just for fun, what’s permanently on your bookshelf?
JT: I’m the biggest reader. I love books. I would say that my favorite book is Everything Was Possible: The Birth of the American Follies, by Ted Chapin. Best behind the scenes theater book you will ever read. Not Since Carrie, Ken. It’s about underappreciated musicals, my term, not his. He calls them flops, I call them underappreciated. He gives a very in-depth description of all of these shows, and it’s fantastic. Underfoot in Show Business is out of print and pretty obscure, written by the playwright and screenwriter Helene Hanff. It’s an entire book of stories trying to make it in the theater world in the 1940s. The dedication of the book, which I’m paraphrasing, is something like, every year a thousand kids come to New York City, one of them turns into Moss Hart, this is the story of the other ones.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs are being cut. What reasons would you give to a politician or school board for preserving the arts?
JT: Although we all have different opinions about shows like GLEE and American Idol and Smash, these shows are bringing back the arts into the eyesight of mainstream America. And that’s awesome. It’s becoming cooler. “My kid wants to try out for the play and not the football team?” This is not a horrifying statement anymore. Parents are slowly becoming OK with that. The arts help kids who might not fit in anywhere else, they learn how to work with other people, learn how to do a job within a show, and because it’s something in which they have vested an interest, they know that they’re needed. They feel useful. They sell tickets; they work on costumes, and sets. There is so much you can do, and you’re working with hundreds of other people, and that level of collaboration in school helps everyone be a successful individual at whatever job they do, in whatever career they pursue. You’re going to use your audition techniques in a job interview, you’re going to use your ability to collaborate in your profession, whether it’s in the arts or not. It’s depressing that we even have to fight for this. But, luckily, we have a good president who likes the arts, so I’m hopeful.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
JT: I’ve had so many great teachers, I really have. I’m one of those people who cries when they see Mr. Holland’s Opus, I think teachers are the be all and end all. One of my mentors is Mana Allen. If you talk to people who work in musical theater in New York, they will probably tell you that Mana is one of their greatest teachers, because she’s just an amazing. She’s a teacher at CAP21 at NYU; she was in the original cast of Merrily We Roll Along, and the original Smile. I wasn’t in CAP21, but my friends who were said that I needed to talk to her. When we first did If It Even Only Runs A Minute, we approached her, she and I emailed, and I asked her if she wanted to do a story about Smile. She came and told this amazing story of what it was like to work with Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman, and the whole team on that show…and she shared her stories and wisdom in a way that I connected to so deeply.She’s all about the community of theater. She’s the most inspiring person I know. She’s never missed a concert that we’ve done, and we’ve done eleven. She’s a connector. She’s my Musical Theater Fairy Godmother. She’s the most wonderful person. Her parents met doing the original The Pajama Game. She’s got theater in her blood. She’s fantastic.
Thank you, Jennifer!
Live, Love, Learn,