Nellie McKay - writing 'Election' musical, playing 92YTribeca

Nellie McKay @ LPR in December (more by Chris La Putt)

Pop Matters: What have you been up to musically since your last record?

Nellie McKay: I’m doing the music and lyrics to a play based on the book and movie Election. This means I get to decide what parts are emphasized, which creates a lot of pressure on me. I hoping it turns out all right, but there are so many people involved in the making of any one of these shows that it’s hard to know what fingers to cross.

Of course, being part of a group is also what makes it fun. I love writing for dancers. You don’t have to worry about the lyrics. I think to write words without music must be so frustrating. It must be always be so good, so perfect. If you write with music, you can write complete gibberish, you know, “Ooooh ooh ooh, what a little moonlight can do,” and you have a standard for all time.

Nellie McKay plays 92YTribeca in NYC on Saturday, July 18th with Jesus H. Christ & The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse and Life in a Blender. Tickets are on sale.

All other Nellie McKay tour dates below…

Nellie McKay – 2009 Tour Dates
June 19 – Swallow Hill Music Hall – Denver, CO
July 18 – 92YTribeca – New York, NY
July 25 – ‘Taking Action for Animals’ Hyatt Regency, Crystal City/Arlington, Va