The following is an interview with Katherine King regarding the launch of the production, Horny! the Musical, at the 2019 Hollywood Fringe Festival. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with King about the inspiration behind the production, the creative process of preparing with the cast and crew, what she hopes that audiences will take away from the show, how you can purchase tickets, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: The production, Horny! the Musical, will be appearing at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this summer. For our readers who may be unfamiliar with the show, how would you describe its premise?
Katherine King: Social climbing as quickly as possible away from her embarrassingly bohemian mother into the arms of the most eligible bachelor and heir to the Smitt Family Wineries, Emily is the luckiest girl in the world…until she starts to grow horns right before the wedding. Her new social circles could never accept such a thing, so she must resolve the problem before her new fiance––not to mention her new mother-in-law––finds out. Knowing her mother’s sexually free nature, she wonders if it’s genetic and braces herself for the answer to the question: Who is my father? This simple question unleashes an avalanche of satyrs and nymphs from a different world…party-crashing her high-society wedding rehearsal and upending her carefully-constructed plans with wild debauchery and mayhem. If that weren’t enough, as prudish Emily’s horns continue to grow, so do new…feelings.
BD: As the writer of the show, what inspired the creation of this project?
KK: Several years ago, I invented the character of the main satyr, Baki, in the Westside Original Works writing group I host, basing it off of friend and group member Jeremiah Benjamin, who embodies the zany look and style of a satyr (half-man, half goat, lover of nymphs and wine!). This year I decided the time was right to develop it into a full production. Along the way, my script picked up our society’s recent positive energy toward examining and expanding the depictions of women in entertainment that I wish to contribute to as a writer.
BD: What can you tell us about your creative process in bringing Horny! to life with your cast and crew?
KK: One of my favorite aspects of writing/producing at the Fringe is providing other artists with a platform to display their own talents. It’s such a joy to portray my vision to the actors and other talents and then see what they do with it. So far, I’ve had an amazing collaboration with Daniel Yokomizo (pianist), whose intuitive musicianship beautifully brings my songs to life, and I’m so pleased to work with Diane Linder as both actress and choreographer-this musical will have some impressive dance numbers thanks to her professionalism and experience, and I’ve had so much fun discussing concepts and staging with her. And with the costuming for the satyr-goat horns, goat legs and hooves-how can you go wrong with explaining to a bunch of thespians that they are basically going to be carousing wildly on stage for the full performance? Rehearsing is a blast!
One fun anecdote was cast members’ recent mixed reaction to the satyrs’ bawdy (and historically accurate) costume, which requires the men to go shirtless and sports a bold tribute to male anatomy. I appreciated and got a laugh out of cast member Apollo Levine’s wry response: “It’s all good. Between the burlesque show I’m in and Horny, I just have motivation to keep working out.” Lou Daniel, who plays a satyr, had my favorite reaction: “I’m French, so it’s all good.”
Longtime co-producer/actor Justin Baltz and technical director/actor Stephen Juhl form an unbroken team since our first 2015 Fringe, and it’s amazing to see their commitment and dedication to entirely new material every year and the multiple hats and hard work that producing at the Fringe requires. Their stability, support and faith in the project allows me to confidently step out as first-time director at the Fringe.
Of course my favorite aspect as a writer is sharing with the cast about the historical background of the script-the nature of satyrs and nymphs and how we are paying homage to Greek-style theater stylistically. The satyrs and nymphs form the “Greek chorus” aspect of the play, and the play itself patterns itself after Euripides’ Cyclops, the only surviving completely intact satyr play.
BD: What do you hope that audiences will take away from the show?
KK: My favorite writing style is always firmly rooted in historical research, and Horny is no exception. I hope to entertain audiences with a wickedly fun sex comedy––precisely what satyr plays were for ancient Greek audiences. In fact, while developing the play, I was delighted to discover that our word “satire” comes directly from “satyr.” Playful satyr plays poked fun at sexual social mores and the upper class and were paired with heavy tragedies in theater festivals to bring levity and comic relief.
BD: What makes the Hollywood Fringe Festival the best venue for Horny! the Musical?
KK: This show celebrates real ancient Greek traditions, such as having a “Satyr Play” as comic relief after the many heavy Greek tragedies in their theater festivals, where playwrights would present their work and compete for prizes. I’m particularly excited about my entry this year, as I feel it connects right to the spirit of Fringe!
BD: The show will be appearing at the Hobgoblin Playhouse from June 7-28, 2019. Are there any future plans to perform the show at other venues?
KK: We have laid groundwork to bring the show to Solvang, where the wine culture will lend itself well to the play’s themes, as well as Las Vegas, which of course welcomes debauchery of every kind! And fingers crossed, we have a celebrity interested in starring in another run of Horny!
BD: Are there any upcoming projects that you would care to share with our readers?
KK: I have challenged myself to write a brand-new show every year for the Fringe, so you can plan on seeing my next show in the 2020 Fringe! You can also check out my IMDb page for my recent screenwriting projects, such as More Cake, a short film currently in film festivals, which world premiered as a stageplay in the 2018 Fringe!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about and purchase tickets for Horny! the Musical?
KK: For more information on Horny! the Musical, our beautiful venue, the Arena Stage in Hollywood, and ticket info, please visit http://hff19.org/6258. Use the discount code FANBASE for a $10 ticket!
