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Torch Songs with Frank Spitznagel and Lloydie James Lloyd
Class Description
This emotion-filled workshop looks at songs of unrequited love. A torch song in musical theatre (and beyond) is a song about a someone you can’t be with or something you can’t have. Picture yourself lying across a grand piano in an underground bar at 2am with a scotch in your hand and a picture of your unrequited love in the other! In this workshop you are going to get deconstruct and then make up torch songs. Usually romantic, always powerful, we look at the common structure for these songs, why they are sung and where they fit into musical theatre and popular culture. Examples from musicals include “Send In The Clowns” (A Little Night Music), Fine, Fine Line (Avenue Q) and Losing My Mind (Follies). Learn how to move your audience and also how these songs can be comedic. You will be happy singing solo and will need musical improv experience - ideally at least a Level One.
Frank Spitznagel is the Musical Director at Magnet Theater and a piano accompanist who frequently plays for such improv groups as I Eat Pandas, Veal, The Made-Up Musical, Gusto, and many others. He is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music, where he studied piano performance. His work can be heard on several studio recordings. Frank has composed for Comedy Central and the Aspen Comedy Festival. He accompanied Itzhak Perlman in an original jazz composition by Benny Golson at Lincoln Center. He also played the American premiere of The Hired Man Off-Broadway. He has been musical director for productions such as Nunsense (all incarnations), A Chorus Line, Chicago City Limits, and several original musicals.
Lloydie is an improviser from Nottingham, UK. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Robin Hood International Improv Festival which enters its third year in 2024. Lloydie performs with Rhymes Against Humanity – The Improvised Musical, The Clones - a two person improvised play alongside Liam Webber, and Brand New Musical, a Sondheim inspired musical show alongside Katy Schutte.
Lloydie runs the improv program for the Nottingham Playhouse theatre, he performs and teaches around the world and is the host of The Improv Chronicle Podcast, a documentary podcast for improvisers.
Lloydie trained at UCB, iO and Annoyance Theatres and has been coached by a variety of improvisers, including Armando Diaz, Susan Messing, Mick Napier and TJ Jagadowski. In his spare time he sings, writes and collects nice hand lotions.
Full Session Schedule
Session Schedule*
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Mar 16, 2024, 12:00pm - 3:00pm
at Magnet Theater
(254 W. 29th Street)
