Kailey Marshall is a force. She’s a force of light, a force of strength, a force of energy and creativity and truth and beauty that you’ll be seeing on stages and hearing on your various devices for the foreseeable future. I’m so happy Kailey has agreed to participate in our Q&A Series, and I’m looking forward to working with her on Women of the Wings: A Celebration of Female Musical Theatre Writers at Feinstein’s/54 Below on August 4th!
MM: When did you first realize you wanted to be musical theatre writer?
KM: It was probably my sophomore year of college. I was in RSO’s (Ryan Scott Oliver), musical theatre writing class and I had been REALLY bad my first semester of the class. It didn’t seem like I was getting any better, so I decided to quit. I said I wouldn’t bring any more material into class. That lasted about a week, because I felt really guilty about not bringing in any new material. So I wrote two new songs in a week, and presented them. “Burn Me” was my first hit, the first time I felt like I did something right. I think that was the moment I decided I wanted to be a songwriter, and I’ve been chasing that feeling of writing “the hit” since.
MM: Of all the roles you’ve written thus far, which ones is closest to your heart?
KM: I think every song I’ve written for Songs for Slutty Girls is very close to me. I was basically taking the diary from my 21st year of life and musicalizing it. I have a lot of love for that ballsy girl who felt sad and sexy and stupid all at the same time and decided to put it on a stage in front of people.
MM: When one walks into your home, what books are permanently on your bookshelf?
KM: The Unbearable Lightness of Being is my favorite book. I have the image of the cover tattooed on my side. Other books with places of honor on my shelf include The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper, and Tiny, Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed.
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?)
KM: My favorite movies are Dark Knight and 500 Days of Summer (I know, I know, Summer is a deeply flawed manic pixie dream girl, but I highly relate to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character in that film. I know that’s not a good thing). As far as TV, I’d probably want The Handmaid’s Tale (although the book is just as good) Westworld, and Veep.
MM: What’s the best piece of advice you’d want to offer aspiring musical theatre writers?
KM: Use all the people who tell you “No” or “Maybe you should stop writing” or “You’ll win more awards than me just because you’re female” as fodder to light a big old fire under your ass. Tend to that fire every day by writing, even if it’s just a little bit, and especially if it’s shitty. Oh, and go back to your old notebooks. Never throw them away, and re-read them once a year. Because the things that you thought were really shitty when you wrote them two years ago, might be something you can build a song off of today.
MM: What sound do you love? What sound do you hate?
KM: Sounds I love: raspy, just smoked 5 packs of cigarettes, female voices. Examples: Grace Potter, Elle King, Patti Smith, Courtney Love.
Sounds I hate: the sound people make when they are chewing a banana with their mouth open. If I hear this, I will punch you in the face.
MM: What literary or musical theatre character is most like your personality? Least like your personality?
KM: I would probably have to pick Aaron Burr from Hamilton, because I am very ambitious, but also care A LOT about what people think of me. And I have a lot of FOMO (fear of missing out) about not being in the room where it happens. I’m VERY interested in ALL rooms where IT is happening.
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?
KM: Wouldn’t you hate to know that YOUR school could’ve been the breeding ground for the next Bruce Springsteen or Carly Rae Jepsen, or Stevie Nicks? And you could’ve put that ON YOUR BROCHURE?
But seriously, not all kids fit into the world of standardized tests and straight A’s. Those kids excel in a world where they can express themselves through all kinds of art. We need to make programs available for those kids.
MM: Who is/was your greatest teacher? (Can absolutely be more than one)
KM: My mom and dad instilled really good music taste in me. Even though neither of them are musicians, they loved music and made sure I was getting lessons and listening to awesome music all throughout my childhood. I feel like I get my greatest lessons from studying the work of other great artists. Jeanine Tesori is a huge inspiration MT-wise. I just finished reading Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography which had a lot of great lessons about being a songwriter, an artist, and a leader. And Tori Amos is consistently a how to guide in terms of lyricism and piano playing goodness. RSO (Ryan Scott Oliver) also gets a mention as the person who brought me into musical theatre writing, and taught me its framework.
Thanks, Kailey!
Write Teacher(s) Readers: you have TWO opportunities to see Kailey on stage at Feinstein’s/54 Below in August! Once on August 4th for Women of the Wings: A Celebration of Female Musical Theatre Writers, and then on August 14th for Kailey’s solo show!