Drama Queens, a five-star arts journal focusing on female artists

Dale Baron Interview by Jen Bush

Dale Baron is one of the talented writers and the songwriter behind Dream on, Baransky! which will be playing at the esteemed American Theatre of Actors in March.  Ms. Baron was kind enough to chat with us about this production and her artistic career.

Ms. Baron’s art is spontaneous and organic.  She draws from the human condition.  “I don’t hold back, I write what I feel, and hope for an honest emotional reaction from listeners.  My creative process is often involuntary.  There are times when I’m absorbed in other projects and out of the blue – a melody, lyric line, or moment in time, strikes me as being worthy of a song.  By observing people interacting, processing comments that are shared through conversations, and looking honestly into my own fears, passions, and relationships, I work these realizations and perspectives into lyrics and melodies.”

Inspiration can strike when you least expect it to.  Who knew that breaking bread at an Italian restaurant would lead to an artistic collaboration and a full-scale production at a prestigious theatre?  “My co-writer Richard and I drew on our personal relationships, experiences and pure fantasy, to create the story of “Dream On, Baransky!” One night at an Italian restaurant, Richard simply asked what I had been doing lately.  When I shared with him that I had been writing music, he requested that I send him some of the lyrics. One email turned into many more as I sent song after song.  Months later, he surprised me with the news that he had started writing a show that united the songs within a comedic storyline.  We began working on the script together and I created some new songs to support the plot.  Collaborating with Richard has been a true highpoint of my life and I am forever grateful for his humor and patience with the process.”

Mr. Baron’s creative process is a combination of serendipity and intent. Repetition is key in getting the tunes to a place of completion.  “My process is spontaneous and sometimes purpose driven. I write music from a place that combines reality and fantasy. At times, when I least expect it, a new melody pops into my head and I immediately record the tune, even in the middle of the night.  In days that follow, the song will constantly play in my head as I make changes to the chords, timing, and lyrics in an attempt to meld the pieces together.   The piano calls me and I play and replay the songs and take long walks to work through the options.  There is a sense of joy that comes over me when it all sounds right.”  

Psychotherapy can be a sensitive topic.  Ms. Baron handled the subject matter well in this production.  “The approach taken for Dream On, Baransky! is to depict therapy as a vehicle for self-exploration.  The therapist is intentionally written as a caring yet zany character, prescribing a comical therapeutic treatment regime.My goal is not to mock the analytic process at all, but instead to beckon viewers to consider the potential significance of messages that are unleashed through our dreams and subconscious voices.”

While writing this musical, Ms. Baron allowed herself to be exposed.  The results were positive and satisfying.  The feedback that she received served to enhance her creativity.  “Music is a raw form of communication for me.  I express feelings and observations through my songs, that in some cases I might not dare to say out loud. Through the writing, I realized how vulnerable I could be with total strangers.  I’ve also learned to appreciate how valuable uncensored feedback is. For years I had created in a vacuum.  Over time I implored listeners to provide brutally honest input. In an effort to improve my writing, I absorbed their comments, good and bad, and heard a consistent message that my songs trigger feelings and memories that elicit a gamut of unexpected reactions.  Seeing people laugh along with the lyrics and feel the intent of the songs, is beyond gratifying and made me realize how much joy I experience tapping into people’s emotions.”

The American Theatre of Actors get another well-deserved glowing endorsement!  “The ATA Team is dedicated, accomplished, professional, humorous, and more.  Truly, I’m the one who’s “dreaming”, not Baransky, as I am so very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with ATA. The increible Director has assembled an extremely talented cast of performers who are focused on a successful outcome as they bring Dream On, Baransky! to life.  It is an honor to be among the shows performed on the distinguished stage at the American Theatre of Actors.”

The pandemic was a raw, devastating and emotional time period.  It was pretty much a given that a plethora of art from songs to poems to plays and musicals would come out of it.  Some will be tragic to reflect the pain the world went through.  Ms. Baron’s new work about the pandemic is more uplifting.  “I have written a new musical “Has Anyone Seen My Life?”, portraying a sensitive, reflective glimpse into the emotional rollercoaster we experienced during the height of the pandemic.  The song lyrics speak to unexpected insights, acts of kindness, and surprising outcomes. For example, one comical tune “I’m in Quarantine With You” paints a touching picture of the dynamic between couples in quarantine. We are producing an album of the songs with a professional cast and a live performance will follow in June 2023. The album will also be used to promote the script for performances on new stages.”

It was a “dream” getting to know Ms. Baron better.  You can witness the fruit of her labor starting on March 22^nd at The American Theatre of Actors in Dream on, Baransky!