Etheridge I dropped out of school too.
Is it difficult to tell your story in new media?
sobre We’re storytellers, so I think it’s a natural progression. And now we’ve grown it and it’s become more cinematic in a way. was [They both roar with laughter.]
Etheridge I don’t always like to say “at our age” but at this stage in our lives it’s great to have different creative expressions. . My brain was so tickled and delighted with what I was able to do.
Melissa, what was it like playing St. Jimmy in ‘American Idiot’? in 2011?
Etheridge It was amazing. This was a full Broadway show and there were so many things I didn’t realize I was getting into. Especially when they said “I’m going to rehearse for Deathdrop now”. Up this moving staircase he climbs two steps and falls backwards into his two arms. And I’m no dancer! For me, it represented my own fear of stepping into the world of theater.
sobre Theater was a learning curve. I remember the director saying, “OK, move the stage to the left.” And I was like, ‘Oh my God. [expletive] Are there any stages left? There are so many dialogues that I can’t even remember my own lyrics. I was like, “Can I have a monitor? Did Springsteen have a monitor?” They said, “You’re not Springsteen.” Ok, fair enough.
Jill, you are working with a playwright. Liza Birkenmeyer to your show book. Melissa, your wife, Linda, is helping. how do you work with them?
sobre Basically we have a conversation and find the best way to put the jigsaw together.
Etheridge My Covid experience really focused on this show. etherridge tvI turned my garage into a streaming studio, streaming five shows each week. On Wednesday I did a chat show with my wife and on Friday we did something called the Friday Night Time Machine. I started digitizing my old photos and videos, showing them and telling stories from my life. I got used to saying it and my wife started writing it down. But I’m going to improvise on the show — hitting the beats so everything matches up correctly, but not reciting the lines.