Director, writer and composer Eli Bauman chatted about his new show “44 The Musical” and its run at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles.
What inspired your musical “44”?
I was in a Ramada Inn in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, when a certain President 45 (and now 47) was elected.
I had just spent the week campaigning for Hillary, and when the news came in that he had won, I just busted out laughing, which is generally how I deal with stress and disbelief.
My first thought was that 8 years earlier, almost to the day, I was celebrating the election of President 44, whose campaign I worked on for the better part of a year in Las Vegas, Nevada. And my second thought was, “how the hell did we get from there to here?”
“44” was my best answer to that inexplicable question, told with all the requisite absurdity I believe it merited. With cool music, of course.
What can audiences expect to see in the run at the Kirk Douglas Theatre?
Audiences can expect a fun, inspiring, nostalgic, hilarious, thought-provoking night out. Our audiences tend to be rowdy and loud, and we like it that way, so come prepared to let loose and lose yourself in the experience.
I always say we don’t perform at you, we perform with you, so the whole night is a collaborative moment of joy.
We’re fortunate to have a lot of diehard fans already, many of whom have seen the show over a dozen times, some of whom have flown across the country to see the show, and we’re returning the same amazing cast, band, and music as before, with a couple exciting new wrinkles.
But from a production standpoint, we’re taking a giant leap forward, which is beyond exciting.
We’ve done the show for the last couple years with nothing but pipe and drape and two doors floating in space, and now we have a beautiful and charmingly bizarre set designed by Yellow Studios, the design team behind the Grammy’s and BAFTAs.
How has the reaction been for the show in the cities that the show has played? Do you think it will resonate in a different way now that the election is over?
The show has worked everywhere we’ve been so far, which has been a blessing and joy. Obviously we live in an anxious, polarized and unpredictable time, so we’ve gone into every run unsure of the mood of the country, and the mood of our audience.
So far, we’ve been fairly Teflon to the roller coaster ride of insane headlines.
I think anyone who says anything about what is going to happen next is either a liar or hubristic.
Truth is, none of us have any clue. But what I believe to be true is that “44” has a role to play for these times, and that our resonance will hit different in 2025 and beyond.
I think we’re perhaps a much-needed antidote, or at least respite, from what will be swirling around us.
What are your future plans for the show and for you after the LA run?
We have a bunch of things in the hopper, none of which we’re announcing until toward the end of this run.
So, you’ll just have to wait around and see. One thing I do know is we’ll probably not be going to The Kennedy Center…
How does it feel to be a writer and director in the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent).
I think it’s scary times with the rise of AI, but like everything else going on these days, there’s really no way to predict where things are going, either for the next few years or for the next few hours.
So, I try not to stress myself too much on these existential questions of where art and technology collide.
Control the controllables, which as making art that connects with people. Social media, to me, is the death of creativity, so I basically stay off that other than obligatory show promotion. But if Twitter/Facebook etc. fell into a digital abyss, I wouldn’t shed a tear.
What is your advice for young and aspiring creatives that wish to make it in this industry?
Do the work and don’t be scared. The good news, and the bad news, is that nobody knows anything.
So you have to follow your own north star and stick to your guns. But most of all, you just have to keep going. So much of this business is luck.
I know plenty of talented people who were unlucky early in their careers. But the throughline of almost every successful person I know in this business is they kept going. Persistence and resilience. Also, reliability.
What does the word success mean to you?
Success means getting to do what you love for as long as they’ll let you. I’ll take longevity over fame or money any day.
The fact that I get to bring people joy in the process is a huge bonus.
What was the one thing you want our readers to get out of “44”?
Not to dodge the question, but I’m actually a firm believer that it’s none of my business what people get out of “44.”
My job is to put it out there and let people respond however they like – what feels right for them is right.
I suppose I hope they leave here with a sense of hope, of joy, humming their new favorite songs.
To learn more about “44 The Musical,” check out its official homepage.
