The evening served as an introduction to the melodrama of Colaneri’s musical universe. He crafted Bluebirds in the Golden Age tradition of musical theater: sweeping scores and elaborate costumes centered around a love story.
There’s a twist, however. Colaneri uses the format of a time-honored theatrical tradition to tell stories that have, historically, been excluded from the genre. Bluebirds introduces Anthony and Lucille Baker, a young married couple navigating the social hierarchies of 1930s New York City, with Lucille vying to join an exclusive society of catty, upper class ladies. What may seem like a classic comedy of manners deepens when Anthony meets Luke, who sweeps the sheltered husband into an underground world, liberating him from the social constrictions that govern his daylight hours. As Anthony falls deeper into this realm of freedom and debauchery, he entangles himself in a queer love triangle. The ending of the story shocks the audience, leaving them with a newfound appreciation for the melodramatic elegance of Golden Age tradition.
Bluebirds’ concept came to Colaneri during his time at Belmont University, where early versions of the songs took center stage in his senior thesis.
“From there, I sent it to a couple friends that I had in the city. I just wanted their opinions on it. And JQ, who is now the book writer of the show, was one of those people that I sent it to. She was like, ‘Oh, this is an amazing idea for a show. Can I write the script for you?’”
This collaboration proved fertile, with Colaneri describing his and JQ’s relationship as 50-50 partners.
The show was accepted into the Table Read Co.'s New Work Program, and scheduled for a performance at one of the organization’s 54 Below New Work Nights at the end of January. When weather reports warned of a “monster storm” bearing down on the city (remember that?) a show rescheduling proved necessary, with a new date on July 5th.
Colaneri and JQ were not willing to wait six months to present their work.
“We felt like our Bluebird was ready to fly.”
Colaneri had friends who performed at The Green Room 42, and knew it presented the perfect setting for an early showcase. The intimate cabaret venue, outfitted in white tablecloths and deep purple lighting, gives an air of intrigue. The singers’ voices shone strong and clear throughout the acoustics of the space. The show proved a triumphant exhibit of the hard work and talent of Colaneri, JQ, and his cast.
Colaneri exemplifies the spirit of Waiting…, nurturing his creations and working hard to make a living. His schedule is dizzying. He teaches music in the morning from Monday to Friday with Education Through Music, a nonprofit that provides music programming to underfunded New York City schools. He’s got a piano in his classroom, and when students are away, he squeezes in time to sit down and write.
In the evenings he heads to Hunter College for three hours of graduate coursework from Monday through Thursday. On Sundays, he bartends at Sfoglia on the Upper East Side, a gig he's held onto even as the rest of his life has swelled to capacity. When asked when he has some free hours, he laughs.
“Saturdays.”
Colaneri doesn't treat his day jobs as obstacles impeding his creative life. His bartending experience directly shaped The Nightingale, the queer nightlife bar at the center of Bluebirds.
“A lot of those conversations that we have in the show are things that I've said to people from behind the bar."
Both his guests and coworkers color his shifts, unknowingly shaping his characters and storylines.
"Everyone's waiting. One of the best things about being in a restaurant is that you are going to meet so many other artists. You're not meeting these kinds of people at a nine-to-five desk job."
Colaneri’s songs often begin with him humming renditions into his phone in the middle of the night, half-asleep. He wakes up hours later, finds the recording, and sits down at the piano. Bluebirds started that way: somewhere between a shift and a dream. ∎
Bluebirds has its New Works Night at Studio 54 on July 5th.
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