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POINT OF VIEW: An interview with actress E. Faye Butler
 Northlight: When you were first approached about this project, what excited you? What about this role is most thrilling and/or challenging to you as an artist?
E. Faye: I was excited because I never get to work at home anymore. Working on this project allows me to be home for the holidays! The thrilling part is that it is the music of Ella Fitzgerald…period. She was an amazing instrument. The only singer that could actually duplicate the sounds of instruments. She had perfect pitch. The challenge is trying to live up to a fourth of what she accomplished as an artist. Her sound, her demeanor, was like no other. People know that sound—they know the phrasing. That's why she was ELLA.
NL: We were so lucky to have you at Northlight playing Dinah Washington in Dinah Was. How do you approach roles like Dinah and Ella—real women who are not only recognizable, but also beloved by many?
EF: You can't think about what others want. You have to study the real person. Many people will be surprised to find out who Ella really was. My greatest task is to honor the spirit of Ella. I'm not here to mimic her. I just want the audience to leave knowing something about the human being—more than just her music. Why she sang like she sang and how. I always approach every piece from the writer’s vision.
NL: So, how do think this piece will appeal to audiences of different generations?
EF: There will be people who want to see Ella standing onstage. Well, she won't be there. They will want you to sound exactly like her. That won't happen either. The audience must come with an open mind, to enjoy the history and life of an amazing woman, to learn things they didn't know, and to hear the great tunes she made popular. I think this show is a wonderful way to bridge the generation gap in families. I feel that jazz has become a music form young folks are getting into. So the gap won't be that hard to fill. |
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The microphone pictured above is a registered trademark of Shure Incorporated, which is not affiliated with Northlight Theatre.
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