Cle Holly Interview by Jen Bush
Cle Holly is a gifted musician, composer, lyricist, songwriter and singer/songwriter. She plays the violin-fiddle, the violin and is a vocalist. Ms. Holly is a prolific artist with over 300 songs to her credit. Her highly lauded musicals feature smart and complex female characters.
Ms. Holly’s current musical Four is about a string quartet whose members are contemplating the quartet’s future. It’s a poignant work about chosen family. The manager of the string quartet introduces the group to a new 1st violinist. This changes the dynamics of the group as they go beyond the music to navigate their new path.
Premiering at the Hollywood Fringe Festival
Opening Tuesday, June 6 @ 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, June 10 @ 2:00 p.m.; Sunday, June 18 @ 12:30 p.m.; Thursday, June 22 @ 9:30 p.m.; and Saturday, June 24 @ 5:30 p.m. The Broadwater (Second Stage), 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.
Ms. Holly describes FOUR in her own words. FOUR is a play with music, which opens on a string quartet on the brink of a breakup. A founding member has died, and the remaining three – a violinist, a violist, and a cellist – are planning to pack it in.
For artists inspiration comes in any and every form. The inspiration for FOUR literally fell out of the sky. “Usually, I make a voice recording of my projects as they come to my mind – there’s always a date and time stamp, and some sort of epiphany in my own voice. But FOUR…there’s not a grand, shining moment. I started writing it in September 2021, about a week or so after I had jumped out of a plane. I guess I was feeling free. And I said, Write what you know, huh? I know string instruments, and I know what it’s like to play with others, and I know what it’s like when things fall apart.”
Writing FOUR has been a positive experience for Ms. Holly. “Writing FOUR has been a joy! My works are very character-driven, and all of these characters came together immediately, as if they were waiting to be given their voices. I started writing this show in earnest in February 2022, and I held the first table read in September 2022 with working actors in New York City, and the second table read about 3-4 weeks later in Northern California with community theatre artists. It has also been fun to compose and arrange the classical vignettes which feature in the show. There’s a piece by Faure’ which bookends the show, and a few other pieces which the audience will recognize – along with my own compositions!”
There is much for the audience to take away from this piece. Musicians will easily relate to it. It will resonate with individuals dealing with loss. “On a visceral level, that anyone can do anything. Our characters are all unique and diverse individuals, and that doesn’t factor much into the storyline. It’s taken for granted that of course this person from a non-wealthy socioeconomic background can play an instrument, and of course this other person could have studied with the first chair cello of the Vienna Philharmonic, regardless of phenotype. On a deeper level, though…it’s about managing grief and loss. And how and when, and if, to move on.”
Ms. Holly recognizes that quality theatre takes time to craft. “It’s so new – especially in theatre terms! As I had mentioned, I wrote the first word of the first page in September 2021, but I didn’t begin writing in earnest until February 2022. Once I started that, I gave myself a first-draft deadline of July 2022. It was such a thin draft! But I slipped in an email and sent it to a director friend of mine, and she loved it! It was just enough encouragement for me to keep going.”
Previously, FOUR had table reads in NY and LA. Ms. Holly is elated that it has gotten to this pivotal point. “The show has its world premiere on June 10th, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in Los Angeles, California. I’m so excited to open the doors and invite everyone.”
Classical music lovers, this show is for you! “First of all, the classical music community and those who love string instruments, of course will enjoy this show. And that’s a pretty large group: Did you know that up to 35% of the US population has listened to classical music in the past year? On the radio!”
Ms. Holly shares the works and the artists that inspire her. “The show that brought me back to writing was Something Rotten – it features a broad swath of musical theatre shows, and I thought to myself, sitting in the St. James, Huh, if I could find my voice I could write one, too. And I flew back to my hotel room in Missouri and started writing the first song of my first developed musical, PARALLEL LINES. As for writers/composers, I love so many – I have kind of a short memory, and I’ve met so many talented people.. Oh, I know – the work of the writer of The Lehman Trilogy, Stefano Massini. My word…stupendous.”
Ms. Holly has some theatre recommendations. “I saw Leopoldstadt in early previews, and it was heartbreaking. More recently, I took my mom to see A Beautiful Noise – it is such a crowd-pleaser. A more mature crowd, so a lot of shared cultural references that my mom enjoyed. I’ll be back in the city to see Some Like It Hot. It’s based on one of my favorite movies of all time.”
Ms. Holly has a favorite part about working in the theatre. “Creating, creating, creating – and then hearing the words spoken aloud by someone else, by someone else who is interpreting them and who gets the character and then tells their story.” As far as her favorite theatre memory, that’s still to come.
Ms. Holly is involved in many wonderful artistic endeavors through her company, including film. “My company also produces movies, and there’s a World Premiere in Tribeca this weekend where I participated as Associate Producer. There’s a two-hander called American Standard that I’m really proud of – it’s being looked at by a theater right now for a potential reading. And I’d love to stage a large jukebox musical, and I think that the time might be right for that. People want to celebrate!”
You can find out more information about the play on the website:
FOURthePlay.com
Ms. Holly would be delighted if you came to see the show. She’s even offering a special discount. “Please, please – if you’re in the Los Angeles area and you’re interested in seeing a beautifully written, emotional, poignant play about grief and loss, starting over, and the family you make, please, please come to the Broadwater Theater in Hollywood for Opening Night, June 10th, at 7:45 PM. Limited parking, no late seating. The special code for 25% off is QUARTET. Thank you!”
You’ll like this musical…FOUR sure!
Drama Queens, a five-star arts journal focusing on female artists 
Leave a comment