In his book, Party Like a Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck, and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter, J.T. Harding recounts how he got his first demo to A&R executives at record companies. Desperate to get his demo heard, but lacking in connections and unable to get meetings Harding borrowed a FedEx jacket and got stealthy. “Like Obi-Wan Kenobi just walking into the Death Star, I walked past every security gate, every A&R guy and I put my demo in every single mailbox,” he says.
That unstoppable drive combined with a fierce talent would take Harding far. He ended up co-writing hit songs with Uncle Kracker (“Smile”) Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney. Harding also wrote the music and lyrics for the Off-Broadway musical Music City. (With Peter Zinn writing the book.)
The hit musical centers on Nashville songwriters who long to make their songs heard at any costs. It’s an uplifting story about navigating hardship and finding the courage to be your authentic self while holding onto your dreams. There’s also a love story with Harding’s killer ballads and uptempo songs, top-notch musicians and inspired dancing.
“It’s a show about artists struggling to survive in a place where artists aren’t appreciated or subsidized or nurtured. It’s an American story about poverty and drug abuse, about our military culture,” says Music City’s director Eric Tucker. “It’s also really about turning a life around after a series of bad choices. It’s about what we sacrifice for our family and country.”
Music City is the latest production from Bedlam. Founded in 2012, the theater company is devoted to creating an intimate relationship between actors and audience. Their works are produced in unique raw spaces that reinvigorate traditional forms.
“We try to give the audience the experience of being in the same room as the action of the piece. We want them to feel that they are experiencing something immediate, present and alive and right in front of them,” says Tucker who is also Bedlam’s artistic director. “We want to tell the audience a great story, but also show them what only theater can do, which is ignite the imagination in a way TV and film cannot.”
With Music City the production was staged in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on New York’s Upper West Side. Tucker and the show’s design team completely transformed the space into an immersive Nashville honky tonk, called the Wicked Tickle in the show. Looking for authenticity they wanted to cast actors who looked like country singers versus Broadway actors. Also, before every show, there’s an authentic open mic where songwriters can sign up to perform for five minutes.
Tucker believes that it’s key, especially at this moment, to bring stories of struggling songwriters and musicians to light. “Now more than ever it’s imperative to remind people how important artists are to our community. We are in a deep dive now where artists are not valued,” he says. “Artists are typically people who make up a very diverse group. And diversity and inclusion are now the enemy of the state. It’s up to us to tell the stories people need to hear. Storytelling in any form is vital to our survival.”
If he could say anything to the artists in Music City, Tucker would tell them not to give up. “When artists continue to make art, and express themselves, even when they don’t make a living at it, they will eventually be seen and heard,” he says. “It’s about perseverance.”
Jeryl Brunner: It’s so hard for any theater company to thrive, especially now. Why do you think Bedlam continues to be successful?
Eric Tucker: Bedlam came about in 2012 because I wanted to have an outlet to do the kind of work I can’t do freelancing as much. I thrive on collaboration and building something from scratch in the rehearsal room that’s very specifically built around a particular cast. There’s no use planning everything down to the last detail before we go into rehearsal and then not allowing actors and designers to have a creative process in relation to my own.
Brunner: What went through your mind when you learned about Music City and the possibility of directing it?
Tucker: I was offered the show in 2021 by other producers who owned the rights and wanted to take it to Broadway. I knew it was gold when I read it and listened to the music. Those producers dropped the ball through no fault of their own and the writers asked if Bedlam might produce it. I always felt it was a winner because it wasn’t a typical juke box musical. It’s far better than that and it felt like the perfect musical for Bedlam because of the Wicked Tickle setting and the character doubling that the writers allowed me to do.
Brunner: J.T. Hardin writes songs that come from such a deep place. How involved was he in the show’s creation?
Tucker: J.T. is a brilliant song writer. The lyrics are deeply human and incredibly poetic as well as funny and moving. And the songs are all different. So many musicals today sound the same to me. JT was very involved. He was in rehearsals every day and was always supportive and willing to play.
Brunner: What was the joy of directing Music City?
Tucker: I never get tired of the material. JT and Peter and I connected instantly as friends and collaborators and I wanted to work with them. They have been champions of my process and patient and trusting. That trust from a writer is rare. And the cast. I love this cast.