Keeping up the Beat with Scott Stearns

1. Tell us about yourself!
I am Scott Stearns, father of Allison. I own HandWorks Massage LLC and I work as a massage therapist. I am the music director for Dimondale Presbyterian Church, the Saturday mass for St. Michael in Grand Ledge, and currently, the production of Little Shop of Horrors at Riverwalk Theatre. My favorite color is blue.

2. So what prompted you to get into music directing? How do you like it?
Allison was my impetus actually, sense a theme? When she was born I decided to find some way to raise her myself, so I quit my job as a Jiffy Lube store manager and applied to a church to be their director of music. I also started teaching piano lessons. Less money, less need for money, much happier Dad. As far as the theatre music directing, that's your fault, Erin. I do like it. I like the energy, fellowship, and creativity of talented people trying to bring order to chaos.

3. How many instruments do you play?
I play piano (keyboards) and vocal chords. I have messed around with the classical guitar a bit, but I am inconsistent with my practice. Allison plays trumpet, clarinet, flute, piano, and voice. I'm sorry, I thought I heard you ask..

4. Who are your favorite composers?
Rado and MacDermot, Tori Amos, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Carole King, Stephen Schwartz, those ABBA dudes, Ed Kowalcyzk, Rodgers and Hart, Shawn Colvin, Johny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael, dotdotdot

5. Favorite lyric of ANY song?
You are here, so am I, maybe millions of people go by, but they all disappear from view.

6. How would you describe the way you relate to the people you are directing?
I try to understand how people learn, so that I can be more effective in helping them. With some it's repetition, with some it's breaking down the song into its component parts. I like to collaborate with people when possible, I love learning about new music from people or trying something in a different way.

7. Have you ever heard a voice that literally made your ears hurt? Yes. Her name is Ethel. But I love her now.

8. You’ve been involved with Singers on the Grand for quite awhile – how did that come about and are you still involved?
They asked me to accompany them in their second year, then I joined the singers and divided my time between playing and singing. I get my exercise in that show! We are preparing a show right now. It will be at the Grand Ledge Opera House on November 8th and 9th and at Riverwalk on April 17th, 18th, and 19th. Thanks for the subtle opportunity for a plug!

9. Do you have any desire to give acting a try?
Yes. I know that it's a craft hard learned however, and I, as an American adult, crave instant success. I think that I'll stick with what I'm relatively competent with for now.

10. What is important to you about theatre?
To me personally? This amazing community of actors, dancers, musicians, techies, etc that I've met. I love just listening to the stories around a round of beers. For an avid people watcher, it's heaven to be in this company.

11. If you could have a dream job, what would it be?
International food critic. Or a massage therapist working in one of those stilted huts out in the ocean.

12. How old were you when you first started to sing? I'm sure I was very young, although I quit the biz in 5th grade after my voice cracked on stage as I was singing a very important Christmas medley solo. I sang in high school and took a few lessons here and there. Singing was always my hobby, not my profession. My mom always tells me to just shut up and say (Thanks).

13. Do you have any superstitions about performing? (like uttering the name of the Scottish play in a theatre or do you prepare in any particular way for a performance?)
I wear black. It's not a superstition. I just always identify myself with the band and the band wears black. I breathe. When distracting thoughts or voltage fluctuations threaten, I breathe. Intentionally.

14. Why do you believe theatre/music is important to the community?
For the same reason it's important to me. We see talented, dedicated people entertaining us, enlightening us, showing us the fantastic and the sublime. They encourage us to access our emotions or think about something differently or just escape into farce with them. And they're right here!