Amanda D’Archangelis is a composer and actress in NYC. She holds a B.F.A. in Musical Theater from The Boston Conservatory. She is in the renowned BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. With Anderson Cook, she has written; The Disembodied Hand That Fisted Everyone to Death- The Musical! and Blatantly Blaine- A “Family” Musical. Both were listed as “Best Things To See This Week” by TimeOut New York. She is the resident composer of Bluelaces Theater Company, which provides theater and outreach for people with developmental differences. With Sami Horneff and Lisa Mongillo, she wrote The Radium Girls: A Jaw-Dropping New Musical. Upcoming: Single Rider premiering Off-Broadway at The Players Theatre in May-June of 2018!
Write Teacher(s) Readers – meet Amanda D’Archangelis!
MM: First things first, when did you realize you wanted to be a lyricist/composer?
AD: There was never really an “AHA” moment for me. I always knew I was going to have a career in music. For a while I thought I’d be a music teacher. Then I thought I’d be a pop star. I was always just kind of writing tunes in my head and noodling around on piano when I was was supposed to be practicing. It helped me remember things, it helped me express my humor and emotions…I suppose it came out of necessity in a lot of ways. It was the best way I knew how to process the world around me.
MM: What drew you to writing for musical theatre?
AD: I used to write stories as a kid. Not short stories though…basically novels. I’d write chapter books about stories in my head, so there was always a lot going on in my noggin. I started performing in musicals when I was 11 and I was hooked. Musical theater became my favorite genre. I ended up going to college for musical theater; but I had never stopped writing sappy pop songs. One day I just thought, ” I think it might be funny to write a song about a girl using a sex toy and belting an orgasm.” I wrote that song, and it surprisingly went over well. Then I just never stopped writing theatrical pieces. The ideas keep coming, and I keep writing!
MM: Of all the stories you’ve been a part of creating, is there one in particular that’s closest to your heart?
AD: I’d definitely say Single Rider has been the closest to my heart. A lot of what inspired the idea to create this story and these characters was the time I spent working at an amusement park for two summers. Those were some of the most magical times in my life, and I met some people that definitely changed my life. When writing the opening number, I thought “what does pure happiness on a beautiful summer day sound like?”, and Sami Horneff is the perfect human when it comes to capturing joy in words. Working on this show has never been particularly hard or cumbersome. We’ve just had so much fun. Being able to find the sound of joy and bring these characters to life has been nothing short of exhilarating.
MM: When one walks into your home, what books are permanently on your bookshelf?
AD: Well this is awkward because I don’t know how to read.
Just kidding obviously. Among the must read plays and dramatic text, I love to learn new things, so I actually really enjoy reading collections of science essays and books about historical figures. I am always trying to better understand the strange world around me. I’m also pretty into Southern Gothic literature (which is a subcategory of American Gothic) such as Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and William Faulkner. I’ve always had a fascination with the American South and there’s something about the ways these dudes write that completely immerse your mind and bring you into another world that you can feel with all five senses. I like to get lost. I guess that’s a pretty heady answer.
Also Harry Potter always and forever.
MM: If you were stranded on a desert island, what television shows and/or movies would you want available to you, (assuming of course you have a television and Internet connection?)
AD: I mean, I have a pretty severe Law and Order SVU addiction so definitely that. There’s just something about Mariska Hargitay’s voice that puts me to sleep. On the flip side of that, my girlfriend and I alternate between Toddlers and Tiara’s, The Great British Baking Show, and House Hunters because there’s nothing quite like mind-numbing entertainment after a long day. Favorite movies include, Matilda, Fried Green Tomatoes, Practical Magic, and Pocahontas. Strong female leads keep me alive!
MM: What’s the best piece of advice you’d want to offer aspiring lyricists, composers, and book writers?
AD: Keep writing. Don’t doubt your ideas. Get them down, and sing them out. They can’t go anywhere if they’re stuck in your brain!
Listen to EVERYTHING. Even if you don’t like it. Educate yourself. Learn with your friends. Apply to every contest and every program. Get feedback. Learn how to GIVE feedback. Learn the rules, so you know how to break them. This is one of the big lessons I’ve learned from The BMI Workshop. I’ve also met life long collaborators and friends.
MM: What sound do you love? What sound do you hate?
AD: I love the sound of mourning doves, coffee percolating, babies laughing, and the key of E flat. I hate the sound of subways screeching, out of tune guitars, multiple clocks ticking at once, and the sound of voice inside my head that says “Yeah, you TOTALLY deserve those chicken fingers get them.”
MM: What literary or musical theatre character is most like your personality? Least like your personality?
AD: When I was 10 or 11 and saw RENT for the first time I thought “holy crap…I am Maureen Johnson.” Also when I saw Alex Brightman play Dewey in School of Rock I thought the same thing. Really deep down I’m Gus Gus from Cinderella I think.
I am not a boring ingenue.
MM: Time for shameless self promotion! Tell our readers what you want to brag about, what you’re excited about in your career at the moment.
AD: Single Rider for sure! Come see it! It’s got jokes! It’s got songs! Cotton Candy and alcohol! We’ll have a good time. Sami and I are also writing tunes for a new musical entitled The Break (with book by Marie Amthor Schuett), which will premiere as a staged reading at the Omaha Creative Institute this fall, which is super cool. Sami and I also play to elaborate on our horror-spoof musical called The Radium Girls: A Jaw-Dropping New Musical, which we wrote with fellow Lyricist/Bookwriter Lisa Mongillo. Also with Lisa, Kate Villa, and Myrna Conn for a cabaret at The Caveat this June called Hypothesisters: Songs of Scientific Women as a part of The Underground Science Festival. I also have a pop single coming out with my dear friend and collaborator Emily Thomas. It’s gonna be hot, so watch out!
MM: In today’s economic state, arts education programs are being cut. What reasons would you give to a school board or politician for preserving arts education programming in schools?
AD: It’s said that all babies are born creative geniuses. We are BORN great. It is scientifically proven that school structures that don’t allow for arts programs to thrive produce less than extraordinary results. Squashing creativity means we could be stifling the next genius from creating something that can save humanity from itself. Arts education isn’t just about putting on a play. Arts education allows for people to think freely and have ideas that will make us brighter and more empathetic humans. We could change the world.
MM: Who is/was your greatest teacher? (Can absolutely be more than one)
AD: There are a handful of humans that got me to where I am today, but there were a few in college that really gave me the big push to pursue writing and creating like I am today. Kevin Siegfried was my songwriter teacher and mentor at The Boston Conservatory. He pushed me to write more and work harder, even when I was arrogant about it. He dealt with me and made me so much better. Andrea Southwick, and acting teacher and director, was also instrumental (no pun intended). She gave me multiple opportunities to score mainstage plays that she directed. She believed I could make the world of the play sound cool when I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Merrill Shea, my voice teacher, provided me with technique that I use to this day (even when coaching others). These people had confidence in me, which made me think “hey, maybe I can do this. Maybe there is a spot for me in this industry.” It took me a long time to believe that to be true, and these people certainly helped. To everyone that ever pushed me, I am grateful.
Live, Love, Learn,