Interviewing a Broadway Lyricist

Last week, I had the amazing opportunity to interview a professional in the theatre industry. Her name is Susan Birkenhead and she is a lyricist for musicals. Below are the questions and answers. I hope you enjoy because she truly is a wonderful lady with such wisdom.

• Tell me a little bit about yourself.
• I am a lyricist. I’ve been working in the theatre since 1978 when I was one of five writers on a show called Working, directed by Stephen Schwartz. My mentor was Jule Styne, who wrote Gypsy, Funny Girl, among others. I have four children, now grown, and am currently working on three shows that are bound for Broadway. Monsoon Wedding is still playing in Berkeley CA (it’s pre-Broadway try-out), The Secret Life of Bees which is about to do a workshop at New York Stage and Film, and Betty Boop, which will have a workshop in the fall.
• When did you realize that being a lyricist was right for you?
• When I was in a famous workshop called, Lehman Engel’s Musical Theatre Workshop at BMI. I went in as a composer/lyricist, and realized that my musical imagination was not as fertile as those of my fellow students (some of the most famous names in musical theatre) …but my lyrics landed every time, and eventually, people began asking me to collaborate. 
• Who has had the biggest impact/inspiration for you and your career?
• Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, George C. Wolfe, Frank Loesser, Cole Porter.
• What's your favorite part of working in the theatre industry? 
• Everything. The work itself, the family that forms (and endures) with each show, the rehearsal process, and most of all…standing in the back of a theatre, watching people react to your creation. Nothing like it.
• What has been your proudest achievement?

• A show called, Jelly’s Last Jam. It was George C. Wolfe’s first show. It was called a groundbreaking musical by the New York Times, and it was. 
• What have been some of your favorite Broadway shows? 
• There are a lot…but the masterpieces are: Sweeney Todd, (most of Sondheim’s shows), Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, …
• What are some of the challenges facing the arts? Do you think there's a way to overcome them? 
• Hard to say. Money is always an issue…but I think there’s a lack of very good training. I was so lucky to have a mentor like Jule Styne. I believe strongly in the mentor-protégé relationship. Some call it apprenticeship, and I guess that’s what it is. I always say that Jule was my PhD.
• Any advice for someone wanting to pursue a career in the theatre world?
• Resilience is as important as talent. Things fall apart constantly. People die, or go off to make movies, or have babies. You have to have at least three projects going at any given time. When a show falls apart, for whatever reason, you have to be able to bounce back. I’ve had it happen with some of the most promising projects—some of them with giants in the industry. I cry for three days, then get up on the fourth and say, “Next!"

As you can see, Susan Birkenhead is a fascinating woman with immense intellect and experience. Her passion for theatre and the industry as a whole is contagious and it was a real joy getting to speak with her. The words and advice she shared with me will inspire me for years to come, I am sure of it. Thank you for your time Susan!