Those of you who rocked your kids to sleep watching the “Pearly Mae Time” show on Public Access, save these dates: Aug. 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10.
David Frumkin said he could never have more fun than he did on his television show playing the theme song (his first original composition) with his guitar and kazoo and his dog Pearly Mae, an Ithaca celebrity. Now he and colleague Liz Bauman have created the musical “Katrina” at the Kitchen Theatre.
Growing up on Long Island, David always loved music. As a kid, he heard recordings of every genre, both on the record player and at concerts he was privileged to attend with his dad. Beginning to study violin in fifth grade, he also began to play by ear. A couple of years later, he entertained himself by spontaneously singing harmony to the prayers in the synagogue as he was preparing for his Bar Mitzvah.
In college, David reunited with Michael Wellen of the Zobo Fun Band, whom he knew from junior and high school. After visiting Zobo members in Ithaca, David left SUNY Buffalo and moved here in 1977.
Until David completed his degree in music education at Ithaca College, he thought of himself as a man without a career. Mostly, he played music and worked with young kids in daycare, his two favorite things.
For six years, David played music with Peggy Haine’s Lowdown Alligator Jazz Band, where he picked up the tenor banjo and was able to both be a soloist and member of the “horn section” on the fiddle and have the fun of being part of the rhythm section.
When he completed his degree at Ithaca College in 1988, David took his music to Cortland schools, the Mayer School and to Ithaca City School District, teaching the violin family at BJM, South Hill, Enfield and then ACS—now the Lehman Alternative Community School. That job included individual lessons, middle and high school courses, and the Rock and Roll Ensemble.
Several years down the line, David was approached by Fall Creek Elementary teachers to help with the yearly musical. Following in the footsteps of his older brothers (undoubtedly inspired by the Allen Sherman “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah”), he wrote song parodies and then, original songs. Never seeing himself as a composer, he found it worked for him to write songs with specific themes in mind. With that inspiration, the music fell into place.
As the years passed, David continued working with kids and playing music—bluegrass, folk and rock and roll, and jazz has remained his favorite. He loves to perform the standards with his combo “BLUE SKIES,” improvising on jazz fiddle and singing with his friend George, wonderful wife, Diane and a variety of equally talented bass players.
In 2005, violin student Liz Bauman, editor and writer at Cornell, agonized over the suffering of the people in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. While documentaries, plays and TV series were based on that monumental catastrophe and its aftermath, she waited for someone to recount the story as a musical. A few years after Liz retired from Cornell, she did extensive research from home and in New Orleans before she wrote the draft of “Katrina” and asked David to write the music.
Liz and David collaborated on the lyrics to 15 original songs. David set them all to music and added three other originals of his own. That process took about 18 months.
“I guess I’m starting to think of myself as a songwriter now,” he said.
“Katrina” is local producer Priscilla Hummel’s third production in Ithaca since creating WOW (Walking on Water Productions). David describes watching the process of “Katrina” unfold.
“First we did 10 three-hour workshops at the Just Because Center. Actors, singers, playwrights and other experienced theater people read through the script and sang the songs,” David said. “Following many revisions to the script and to the music, there were two staged readings at the Cherry Street space—no costumes, no scenery and scripts in hand. … It went well.”
About 100 people showed up one day and maybe 75 the second day, David said. After each performance, they were all thankful for the positive audience feedback.
Rehearsals for the new cast began in June. There will be 11 or 12 actor/singers in the ensemble, six musicians in the pit band (some playing two instruments), set and lighting designers, technicians and many more, which David calls “a cast of thousands.”
“I never did think of myself as a songwriter,” David said. “I never looked for the opportunity to write songs. I just loved to make music. But now I know if someone gives me an idea, an emotion, a character, … I can create the music.”
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