On SEPTEMBER 7, Greta & Friends will appear on ABC Radio's TGIF! with Richard Glover. Tune in at 4pm, or better still join the live audience! Details here: http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/drive/tgif/
Poster by Aaron Meshon.
SYDNEY FRINGE FESTIVAL SHOW ANNOUNCED!!
SEPTEMBER 13, Leadbelly Newtown (Sydney, Australia)
Greta will be joined by a full band, including Adam D Gold (drums), Lara Goodridge (violin, vocals) and other special guest vocalists performing short excerpts of her rock musical Triplight (developed at Joe's Pub, Ucross, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, The Tank and SPACE at Ryder Farm in collaboration with Australian playwright Alexandra Collier), The Red Tree (a collaboration with playwright/lyricist Hilary Bell, based on the book by Shaun Tan and produced by the National Theatre of Parramatta in 2017), Anna Hit her musical in collaboration with Stew (TONY Award-winning creator of Passing Strange) and other musicals-in-progress in concert form.
Special guest vocalists will include:
JODI PHILLIS (The Clouds)
JUSTINE CLARKE
TANIA BOWRA
JAK HOUSDEN (The Whitlams)
BONNIE STEWART
BEN FINK
MOSS JOHNSTON
and more TBA
Tickets Now Available Here: https://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/greta-gertler-gold-friends/104900
Please join us for a dazzling night of songs with guest vocalist/actors and string quartet. Click poster above for tickets! Very grateful for this beautiful artwork by our friend and neighbour, Aaron Meshon.
greta directs stunning New Music video for Alice Bierhorst's 'not like the movies'
Just discovered: A beautiful performance of one of Greta's songs!
'Charlie #3' by Greta Gertler Gold (music & lyrics) & Tim Freedman (lyrics) performed by The Whitlams and WA Symphony Orchestra.
Happy New Year! In 2018, I'll be hosting a new music series in my beloved neighbourhood. The last Sunday afternoon of each month at Parkette (41st St/5th Ave, Sunset Park). Click the pic to hear a relevant song...
Catch 'Triplight' in workshop at The Tank (NYC), Dec 8 & 9!
Riverside Theatres presents a National Theatre of Parramatta production THE RED TREE 19 — 28 Oct 2017
I'm so thrilled to be composing the music for this show, in collaboration with the incredible playwright, Hilary Bell, based on the dark, beautiful illustrated book by Shaun Tan. The show is entirely sung or scored, and is the most major body of music I've written for a long time. It is so exciting to hear how it is shaping up in workshops, thanks mainly to an incredible production team, led by director, Neil Gooding, and extraordinary, young actor-singer, Nicola Bowman. I'm also extremely excited to be working as musical director on the show with impeccable local musicians Ben Fink and Bonnie Stewart. There are many "firsts" for me in the show and I'm learning a lot. I hope my friends in Sydney will be able to attend. We feel that the show will appeal to audiences aged 8-150 years old. :) Read more about the show here. Purchase tickets today here.
A PIECE OF MUSICAL THEATRE BASED ON THE BOOK BY SHAUN TAN
Book and Lyrics by Hilary Bell
Music by Greta Gertler Gold
Directed by Neil Gooding
Set & Costume Design by James Browne
Puppetry Consultant Fiona Gentle
Production Manager Neil Shotter
Stage Manager Kirsty Walker
Assistant Stage Manager and Creative Futures Amanda Sullo
Assistant Stage Manager Concey Bosco
WITH
Nicola Bowman (Ava)
Musicians:
Greta Gertler Gold (Musical Director)
Ben Fink
Bonnie Stewart
Produced by arrangement with Hachette Australia Pty Ltd Photo by Jeff Busby Illustration by Brian Vallesteros
Tickets: https://riversideparramatta.com.au/NTofP/show/the-red-tree/
The Real Whisper (March 29 & 30 at 8 p.m.; April 1 at 6 p.m.; Merriam Theater)
Music and Lyrics by Greta Gertler Gold Book and Lyrics by Akin Salawu Director: Nell Bang-Jensen Music Director: Amanda Morton Choreographer: Amy Smith
Description: When Whisper, a teen runaway, breaks into a haunted Massachusetts Manor that hosts ghost tours, she finds herself entangled in a hidden killer’s murderous rampage. As the body count rises with the Manor’s supernatural thirst for blood, Whisper realizes she must team up with the 100-year-old ghost of a Black American slave if she is ever going to make it out alive.
THE REAL WHISPER is a musical about a haunted mansion that hungers for human souls and a group of people who are drawn to ghost hunting. It was initially inspired by a ghost tour Adam and I took in North Adams, Massachusetts. I met Akin at an event organized by The Public Theater, aimed at introducing composers and playwrights, and we bonded over a love of horror movies. I've written quite a few songs for this show.
We have a fabulous cast of extraordinary actors and musicians breathing life into the show, with direction by the brilliant Meghan Finn, this MONDAY, DECEMBER 19 at Ars Nova on W 54th Street between 10th & 11th Ave at 3pm. It's free!
Please click the link below to RSVP:
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/10132710
THE REAL WHISPER
Music and lyrics by Greta Gertler Gold
Book and lyrics by Akin Salawu
Featuring:
Jenni Barber
Margot Bingham
Danny Bolero
Alexis Bronkovic
Tony Crane
Blake Delong
Rebecca Hart
Ronete Levenson
Graydon Long
Lauren Molina
Ronald Peet
Nathaniel Stampley Jr
Directed by Meghan Finn.
Stage Manager: Molly Shea.
Musical Director / Pianist: James Harvey
Band:
William Bva Bausch (drums)
Kevin B Harris (bass)
Pete Smith (guitar)
Thank you - and happy holidays!!
Greta &
The Universal Thump
GretaGertlerGold.com
PATREON Campaign and Greta's Blog Launched!
Please click here to find out more about Patreon and catch up on Greta's Blog... We'll be releasing a new digital single in mid-September called 'Middle Life'. We began recording it last Summer in Brooklyn with very little air-conditioning, and baby Lila almost here - it was so uplifting to record it! We hope you'll consider becoming our Patrons. Every $1 helps us so much. Thank you xo
WE'RE LIVE! 'Seder-Masochistic' Music Video & Digital Single Released just in time for Passover. Featuring guest vocalist, Broadway's Lauren Molina (The Skivvies, Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages) - please =enjoy and share!
NEWSFLASH!
Today we launch The Universal Thump's Patreon campaign, with which we will release new music, videos, podcasts, songbooks and more on a subscription basis per "thing". (We were thinking of doing a monthly subscription, but we can't guarantee that timeline or quantity of output at the moment, being new parents and all). First up, we will hopefully be releasing a music video and digital single in time for Passover - 'SEDER-MASOCHISTIC' - featuring guest vocalist, Lauren Molina. The video will also feature her, Anna C Cabanna (Moses). Please join us on Patreon to help make this happen! The link is here. Thank you! XOXOX
APRIL 2016
A few months have flown by. It's been a blur of changes (musical, continental, diapers/nappies). We just spent a beautiful 5 weeks in Australia and are now back in Brooklyn.
Coming up: SUNDAY, MAY 1 at 7pm - The Universal Thump hosts THE SEDER-SONGWRITER PROJECT at Joe's Pub with MC Anna Copa Cabanna (aka 'Moses'). This will be the 3rd year we've done this, and the line-up of special guests is spectacular: Stew, Rachelle Garniez, Corn Mo, Dawn Landes, Pete Galub, Rebecca Pronsky, Noam Weinstein, Serena Jost, David Nagler, Deb Adler Poppel, Ian Riggs, Jesse Krakow and more TBA soon. Tickets are Available Here Now.
DECEMBER 2015
There is much exciting news to report, as the new year approaches.
Greta and Stew (TONY Award winner for Passing Strange) will be presenting songs from their musical, ANNA HIT at Barbés on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 with full band and actors. Musical direction by Adam D Gold. Greta and Stew will also each be performing a short solo set. Click here for more details.
On TUESDAY, JANUARY 12: Songs from The Real Whisper - a new musical in development at Ars Nova Uncharted, by Greta Gertler Gold & Akin Salawu at ARS NOVA. More information and ticket link coming soon.
And NOW ON SALE: The Universal Thump's Australian EP Release show at CAMELOT (Marrickville, Sydney). With Peccadillo! Celebrating their 21st Anniversary. This is all happening on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25. One Sydney Show Only. And Lila Pannonica Gold will be in attendance! Click here for tickets.
SEPTEMBER 2015
Please welcome our newest release... Lila Pannonica Gold! Born September 8, 2015 at Weill-Cornell Hospital in NYC - Greta's and Adam's first child - very much hoped and wished-for, for many years. She has brought so much joy! The family (including Minke) have been off grid for a little while, but will return to making music soon.
AUGUST 2015
The Universal Thump's new release Walking the Cat: The Abbey Road EP is now out on Bandcamp, iTunes and all the usual digital suspects. CDs plus TOTE BAGS (featuring whale-cat-inspired design by Dutch artist & musician, Sonja Van Hamel), can also be ordered via the Bandcamp Page or by emailing info@theuniversalthump.com
We were thrilled to receive this REVIEW on Italian blog, Clouds and Clocks. Plus Beppe Colli also interviewed Greta here about the making of the EP at Abbey Road Studios (Photos included).
In other news....
The Universal Thump has been producing the forthcoming album, 'The Beacon' by NYC based singer-songwriter, ALICE BIERHORST. The album is dedicated to Alice's mother. It ranges from intimate to orchestral pop to theatrical in terms of arrangements. We were thrilled to work with Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Joan As Policewoman) on the mixes. You can take a listen here on their Soundcloud page.
Greta has also continued to compose music for new musicals with STEW (Passing Strange) and AKIN SALAWU (Ars Nova Uncharted) throughout this year, and will be presenting songs from both shows in two shows this upcoming NYC Wintertime. More info TBA soon.