| The Talented Jennifer Sheehan |
| Written by Ioana Vanessa B. | |||
| Monday, 14 May 2012 04:39 | |||
 Recipient of the Margaret Whiting, Noel Coward, Dorothy Loudon and Julie Wilson awards, Jennifer Sheehan invites us to a night "in the sensational 60's", opening May 23rd and the Feinstein's. TimesSquare.com had the pleasure of taking with her about the hopefulness, happiness and healing powers of her music. TimesSquare.com: When did you first start singing? Jennifer Sheehan: I grew in a house where music was playing constantly. We were listening to classical music, the golden Broadway repertoire, and my mom played just about everything else. I was taking piano and dance lessons, and singing in a children's choir, but I didn't start seriously singing until my early teens. As a teenager, I was taking all kinds of different artistic lessons and performing in the community theater, as well as at the Muny, the huge outdoor theater of St. Louis. TS: What drew you to cabaret singing? JS: When I was 13 or 14, I saw Andrea Marcovicci's performance in St. Louis. I was immediately captivated by the medium. It was so intimate, unique, sometimes hilariously clever and other times just beautifully poignant. I was very impressed! TS: What are some of your other influences? JS: I was very influenced by that performance. At that point, I started researching other singers; older ones as well as contemporary ones. I became immersed in different kinds of music, including the 60's style, which what my upcoming show is about. TS: Did you grow up thinking that you would become a singer, or did you fancy other plans? JS: I always loved the music scene, but I don't know if I was 100% sure about the direction I would go in. I was receiving a lot of encouragement from the professionals that I worked with. Being accepted to Julliard was also quite a special moment for me. That moment gave me a lot of confidence. TS: What memories do you keep from Julliard's? JS: I had a wonderful time there. I was exposed to a lot of music, and had some really wonderful performance opportunities. I had very nurturing teachers. Being in such a creative and passionate environment was very inspiring. TS: Is the competitive stereotype about Julliard's true? JS: I wouldn't say that. I was in a class with 7 other people, who all appreciated each others talents. We also appreciated how each brought something different to the table, as a class, so I wouldn't say that there was that competitive spirit. I know that's kind of the stereotype: a place for all the snobby, competitive kids, but I have to say this was not my experience. If anything, I've met some of my best friends there. TS: What is the inspiration behind your new upcoming show? JS: This new show that I am going to be performing is called "I Know a Place". I'm very excited about it! My trio of musicians and I have been having a blast getting to know all of this rich material. The 60's have been another area that I have always been drawn to, partly from hearing my parents playing it and listening to oldies' radio stations growing up, and partly thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of videos from that era that are now available on the internet. That decade was really an explosion of innovation, creativity and variety, musically speaking. So we're going to cover as much of that variety as we can. We'll be playing everything from the Beatles, Broadway and Hollywood music, to folk songs. We're very excited about it, it's going to be so much fun! I'm also excited to be bringing a different, younger perspective to this music. We're really making an effort to make going to the show at Feinstein's more affordable. We're starting tickets at as low as $30, to try to get as many people of all ages to see it! TS: What do you wish to achieve with your talent? Where will you be going from here? JS: Well, right now, my biggest plan is to have a great time at Feinstein's! It's a lot of work putting together a brand new show, so that's my number one priority. But, to answer your question a little bit more, honestly I would love to continue performing in concert, and travel with my musicians as I have until now. It's very encouraging. Our performances are very well received, so I would love to keep doing that. I would also like to keep performing in theater musicals. At the end of the day, it is such a thrill to share music with people, and hopefully touch them in some way! I feel that I am bringing happiness, escape and understanding to people's lives. It's a real privilege and I love doing it! TS: What advice would you offer to the novice singer? JS: I would say to sing honestly and from your heart. Find music that really speaks to you and communicate something that is important for you to people. And remember that music is a very powerful thing. It's a healer, and entertainer and something that really does affect people. There is scientific evidence to prove that! (chuckles). Remember that it is a very special gift and what you do is not just about singing and making pretty sounds, but it's also, and most importantly, about touching people, communicating, and hopefully healing. Jennifer Sheehan plays at Feinstein's at Loews Regency from Wednesday, May 23 to Saturday, Jun 02, 2012. For more Times Square articles like The Talented Jennifer Sheehan, please visit the Music Interviews Section of TimesSquare.com
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