Lynne Bernfield: psychotherapist / author / consultant / speaker / musician / performer and media artist

11-29-11 – Click here to listen to the Interviews

Interview with Laura Osnes
Director Jeff Calhoun describes Laura as “beautiful inside and out” and it is definitely true. The term unaffected is old-fashioned but seems to apply here; Laura seems almost unaware of her beauty, talent and sweetness. And her story is perfect for her; from the beginning others saw the potential star in her and encouraged it. Listen to the remarkable way her career simply unfolded, including how she won her starring role in Grease on a reality show. From there she captured roles in South Pacific and Anything Goes, but they were roles others had created. On Dec 1st Laura gets her chance to define a role – she will put her stamp on Bonnie Parker, beloved partner of Clyde Barrow. If you want to catch a rising star – hurry on down to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, and see Laura launched.

Interview with Don Black
If Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan are on the cusp of their careers, Don Black the lyricist for Bonnie and Clyde the Musical is riding the crest of his. With more than 1000 songs for film and stage to his credit, mega hits – To Sir With Love and Born Free among them – Don continues to write songs which perfectly establish and define the characters for whom he is writing. Lyrics like the exuberant “When I Drive” and the poignant “My Bonnie” help us see the Clyde behind the gun. And the lyrics for “You Love Who You Love” and “Dying” help us understand why a “sweet girl like Bonnie” would give her life to a “bad boy” like Clyde. A tried and true veteran Don continues to love the life he’s chosen, to appreciate the opportunity to dream. He says that old song writers maintain a “twinkle,” and a spring in their step, this is definitely true of Don. Listen to him twinkle and .hear his beautiful lyrics.

2-8-11

Apparently born with words in his mouth. Steve DePass was rhyming from the moment he could speak and performing on Broadway with Jimmy Durante at five years old. Nelson Rockefeller, who was then the Governor of New York, dubbed Steve America’s Singing Poet and brought him to the White House to perform when he became Vice President. Steve kept the title and has not only played for many Presidents, but in venues all over the world. Born in New York City, Steve was a very sick child so his parents returned to their native West Indies to love him into health with a combination of “coffee and stimulation.” Steve learned the lessons of love and it became his driving force. Listen to his remarkable story and the unique and special songs he writes.

January 14, 2011

Interview – When he was nine years old Mark Winkler told his parents that he was going to be a singer and surprisingly his parents said “of course you’re going to be a singer.” As luck would have it Mark’s aunt – a band singer introduced him to Jimmy Haskel a very successful arranger. Jimmy had little interest in meeting Mark, but a lot of interest in dating his beautiful aunt. And although the romance didn’t work out, Jimmy heard something in Mark and suggested that he start to write songs, and as they say – the rest is history. Listen to the rest of Mark’s story, his wonderful voice and terrific songs.

November 9, 2010

On November 19^th the Asolo Repertory Company of Sarasota Florida will be premiering Bonnie and Clyde the musical which brings a brand new focus to the Bonnie and Clyde story. In my show I am airing interviews with Bonnie, Laura Osnes whose previous work includes starring roles in South Pacific and Grease; listen to the remarkable way Laura’s career simply unfolded before her and how she won her starring role on Grease on a reality show, and lyricist Don Black whose 1000 songs include not only To Sir With Love, and Born Free but too many others from film and stage to name…

July 13 Interview with Duncan La Mont

Although already a very successful musician and composer Duncan La Mont discovered that his first love is songwriting. Listen to how he discovered his skill and his passion for songwriting and hear some of his songs which were recorded by Natalie Cole, Blossom Dearie and Cleo Laine – to name only a very few. Duncan’s story to use his words is nothing less than “Magical and Spiritual.”

July 06, 2010

This is the first half of my interview with the much awarded, applauded, and accoladed Duncan La Mont. A boy from the tiny poverty stricken town of Greenock, Scotland, who expected to spend his life working in the mines, and although he tried hard to avoid it, found himself playing with Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman, Paul McCartney. Listen to remarkable way Duncan was pushed into accepting and using his prodigious musical gifts. Hear his wonderful music and his disarming sweetness.

September 08, 2009

Interview – In this show I interview composer, arranger, pianist, songwriter Mike Moran (husband of Kitt Moran from last week), a year behind his wife, Mike decided at four years old that what he wanted to do was “make music.” Less supported in this dream than lucky Kitt, he finally gave himself to music. Listen to the lovely result of that surrender.

Interview – Whenever I encounter a couple, both of whom make their living or their life with an art, I like to interview them as a couple. The Moran’s have been together 36 years and when you hear them talk together you can tell why. There is tenderness, affection, respect, and admiration in virtually everything they say about each other.

June 23, 2009

Do you know if who you are pretending to be is actually all that you are? In this show I describe how pretending to be who we think we are defines who we chose for a partner and how this predisposition stops us from doing things we would want to do. I also present a memorial retrospective to singer-songwriter Kenny Rankin who died June 7th at 69 of Lung Cancer. I play several of his own songs and several others which over his 3 decade career he recorded – and which had a profound influence on the music industry.

May 19, 2009

In this show I move on to discuss under what circumstances a child may choose to mode his or her opposite sex parent and interview Amanda McBroom who talks about the magical experience of writing the song The Rose and how it changed her life.<