A NEW MUSICAL ALL ABOUT BOOBS DEBUTS IN LA

INTERVIEW: CASEY CHRISTENSEN AND JENNIFER GOODMAN

BY RYAN M. LUÉVANO

Ten years in the making, conceived by Jennifer Goodman, Casey Christensen (book and lyrics), celebrity vocal coach Rachael Lawrence’s (music) musical Life in Boobs will have its debut at Second City Hollywood. The musical deals with the journeys many women face with their boobs, from training bras, to dating, to pumping at work, and even facing breast cancer. Among the many songs in the show, some of the notable ones are “Life in Boobs,” “Wife Beater Tank Top,” “Suck It, Cancer” and the inspirational “I’m Diane”. In this Tin Pan L.A. exclusive Casey Christensen and Jenifer Goodman discuss the creation and what audiences can expect from the upcoming debut of Life in Boobs. Additionally, The Second City Hollywood will be donating a percentage of the show’s ticket sales to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

How would you describe Life in Boobs in a nutshell?

CASEY: It’s a ride from big Broadway style numbers to comedic scenes and dramatic monologues. We’re tracking the lives of women, but with the framework of their relationships with their boobs. The awkward, the fun, the shamed, the wild and sometimes sad. 

JENNIFER: I would say it’s a journey into women’s relationships with boobs through laughter, some tears, songs and monologues rolled into pure magic!

How did the idea for Life in Boobs come about . . . inspiration?

JENNIFER: I always had issues with my big boobs growing up and it carried on through my adulthood with challenges with breast feeding etc. the list goes on and on. To be honest when I first had the idea about doing something about boobs, I didn’t have a musical in my mind. At first I thought something like the Vagina Monologues but when I came to Casey and we talked about it she had the amazing idea of bringing music into the mix. 

Given that this show has been ten years in the making, what’s been the process from first draft to the premiere at Second City Hollywood this fall?

BOTH: We started meeting and having a bunch of conversations and I started writing many many drafts of the show. I had a table read at my apartment years ago and the feedback was great but I knew something was missing. I realized it had to be a musical. Once I was a mom and my hearing loss came into play I had to stop being a perfectionist and get it out there. When I approached Rachael on a prayer, I was thrilled when she said yes and she hit the ground running. She was able to take a very simple concept of a song and turn it into an amazing catchy piece. It was an incredible collaboration and in some cases,  we have added monologues into the songs which has worked really great in the theatrical setting. 

And to be honest sometimes the pauses were due to other projects and sometimes the pauses were due to financial needs. It’s not free to put up shows, unfortunately.

What inspired you to write Life in Boobs? Why tell this story?

CASEY: Every woman has boobs and every man either has a mother or another woman in their life. It wasn’t until I became a Mom in my thirties that it cracked open a whole new world for me. I also had a very dear long family friend, who was like family, pass after a very long battle with breast cancer, and I had two friends in their thirties battling cancer. Seeing the family and my friends go through this gave me a more specific perspective. All of these real-life experiences are now wrapped into the show, I have a lullaby that I had a draft of years ago, but when my son was born, it was real, and I could write from that specific place. I think my own personal journey had to happen in order to bring the show the depth it needed.

Life in Boobs is not a traditional “book” musical, so how do the songs function in your show?

CASEY: I’m using music as much as possible. We move through the journey in a linear way with time, but not with character. So, each song frames a different stage of woman’s life. We’re using monologues for intimate moments and quick one-off jokes, but if there’s a real-life moment that we can chew on, it’s usually in a song. 

JENNIFER: I would say the songs are the glue to the show. There is truth in every word that is sung. It’s what everyone thinks about but does not want to say in public. It is funny and it will bring so much joy to the audience.

How has the director helped shape this show?

JENNIFER: Casey has brought her knowledge and her talent and has made a masterpiece! She is also so passionate about the show and making sure everyone feels right where they need to be home on stage. She works with every actor until they feel 100%.

What is your favorite moment in the show?

JENNIFER: I love it all, but my favorite is the song Wife Beater Tank Top. I’ve always been a little obsessed with women who can just throw on a white tank top and look great. As a women with big boobs I never could pull it off. So in my mind it would have been a skit of some sort but Casey took it and made it so much more with the an amazing musical number and it’s all come to life.

CASEY: Honestly, every night I have a different favorite part of the show. There are these stupendous chorus numbers where the cast is so tight and their harmony just lifts me out of my seat, there is a lullaby that gives me straight up goosebumps on my right side, there’s one song that moves me to action, and then there are so many moments in the show where the cast surprises me and CRACKS me up!  The talent on this stage blows my mind.

Any final thoughts about Life in Boobs?

JENNIFER: I would say it is a show that all women and even men can relate too and I can’t wait for the show to be seen in every city.

CASEY: I’m really proud of this show and am so touched by the talent of this cast and of Rachael Lawrence who composed all of the catchy songs. People are singing songs to me after the show and so many men are connecting to this piece, I’m so thrilled and relieved how much men love it.

TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION

LIFE IN BOOBS will run on Saturdays at 10pm from September 21st to December 14th at Second City

Hollywood located at 6560 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90028. 

Tickets are $12 at secondcity.com or 323.464.8542.