Hadestown's Reeve Carney Performs Live

Summary

All Of It with Alison Stewart: Hadestown's Reeve Carney Performs Live

Episode Release Date: August 1, 2025

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Description: ALL OF IT is a show about culture and its consumers, engaging thinkers, doers, makers, and creators to explore the "what and why" of their work. The show celebrates the diverse perspectives that make New York City vibrant.

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Introduction to Reeve Carney

The episode opens with Alison Stewart introducing the special guest, Reeve Carney, a multifaceted actor and musician renowned for originating the role of Orpheus in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. Reeve’s extensive career also includes leading rock bands and releasing a solo album titled Youth is Wasted in 2017. Alison expresses excitement about featuring Reeve, highlighting his dual expertise in acting and music, which aligns perfectly with the podcast's focus on culture and creativity.

Notable Quote:

• Alison Stewart (00:09): "We wanted to invite a musical guest who also knows a little something about the actors creative process."

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Live Performance: "America"

Reeve Carney kicks off the episode with a heartfelt live performance of his original song "America." The poignant lyrics reflect his deep love for the country and a contemplative view on its ideals and struggles.

Notable Lyrics:

• Reeve Carney (01:26): "America, oh my sweet America, may you come to be all that you aim to be."
• Reeve Carney (02:09): "A nation under God and unrepaid."
• Reeve Carney (02:27): "What justice, liberty and peace remain the cardinal decree."

The performance sets a reflective tone, emphasizing themes of hope, struggle, and the enduring spirit of America.

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Conversation with Reeve Carney

Writing and Inspiration: Post-performance, Alison engages Reeve in a discussion about his creative process. When asked where he wrote "America," Reeve shares that he composed it at home in New York, drawing inspiration from his love for the country and its people. He emphasizes the ongoing "American experiment" and the collective striving towards positive societal goals.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (05:37): "I love this country and I love people, and I do think that America at its best does both of those things."

Dual Roles: Actor and Musician: Alison probes deeper into Reeve’s dual career, exploring how his experiences as an actor influence his music and vice versa. Reeve discusses the challenges of writing, describing it as the "hardest part" of his work due to its isolating nature. He appreciates the balance between acting and music, as it keeps his mind engaged and provides a creative outlet beyond the often unpredictable world of auditions and performances.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (05:59): "It's nice to have things to jump between, because this business... keeps my mind really engaged."

Family Legacy in the Arts: Reeve delves into his family's rich history in the performing arts. His mother holds a degree in musical theater from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and his parents met as musicians at the legendary Bitter End in the 1970s. Additionally, his great uncle is the acclaimed actor Art Carney, highlighting a familial lineage steeped in acting and musical performance.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (07:26): "My uncle's a very famous actor. Some of you might know my great uncle, Art Carney."

Handling Auditions and Character Development: The conversation shifts to the audition process, referencing the challenges portrayed in Alison's book Audition. Reeve discusses the importance of a reasonable audition timeline, allowing adequate time to develop and understand a character. He values the opportunity auditions provide to assess whether a role is a good fit, enhancing his ability to choose parts that align with his strengths and interests.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (08:12): "I find it's really useful because then you kind of learn yourself. Am I going to be able to do this or not?"

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Upcoming Performances and Voice Care

Upcoming Shows: Reeve shares details about his upcoming performances at Green Room 42, where he hosts monthly shows with varying themes. Recently, he performed Broadway Divas and is preparing a tribute to Queen for June 20th. He appreciates intimate venues that foster a genuine connection with the audience, contrasting them with larger, more distracting settings like rock clubs.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (09:15): "I like the intimate spaces. It's a real listening room, which is really nice."

Vocal Health: Alison inquires about maintaining vocal health amidst a demanding performance schedule. Reeve outlines his routine, emphasizing the importance of adequate sleep, hydration, a balanced diet, and consistent vocal warm-ups. He acknowledges the necessity of these practices to preserve his voice, especially during intensive performance periods.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (10:03): "If you listen to your body, you know. So I think that helps."

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Personal Milestones and Collaboration

Alison's Engagement: The conversation takes a personal turn as Reeve congratulates Alison on her engagement to Eva Noblezada, a fellow performer known for her role in Hadestown. He remarks on Eva’s vibrant presence and the positive energy she brings to conversations.

Notable Quote:

• Reeve Carney (10:24): "There's no one like her. So I like to watch that and I haven't watched it, but is it available online? Probably."

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Live Performance: "Checkmate"

Reeve transitions back to his musical talent by performing "Checkmate," a track from his album Youth is Wasted. The song delves into the complexities of love, portraying it as a strategic and sometimes painful endeavor.

Notable Lyrics:

• Reeve Carney (11:30): "Checkmate. We'll losers in the game of love, my love."
• Reeve Carney (12:49): "When love is the power play. Checkmate."
• Reeve Carney (14:14): "Checkmate. We're losers in the game of love, my love."

The performance is emotive, capturing the tension and vulnerability inherent in intimate relationships.

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Conclusion and Teasers for Next Segments

After his performances, Reeve expresses gratitude for the opportunity to join the show. Alison wraps up the segment by teasing upcoming content, including a conversation with author Richard Price about his novel Lazarus Man, which explores the collapse of a tenement building in East Harlem and the lives of its inhabitants. She also mentions an upcoming live performance by trumpeter and bandleader Anthony Hervey, promising a diverse and enriching continuation of the program.

Notable Quote:

• Alison Stewart (19:30): "Stick around to hear my conversation with author Richard Price about his novel Lazarus man... Plus, here's some music performed live by trumpeter and bandleader Anthony Hervey."

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Final Thoughts: This episode of All Of It masterfully intertwines live musical performances with in-depth conversations, offering listeners a comprehensive look into Reeve Carney's artistic journey. Through insightful discussions and evocative performances, Reeve exemplifies the rich tapestry of culture that the podcast celebrates, embodying the essence of New York City's diverse and dynamic creative community.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Our get lit with all of it book club selection audition centers around acting and performance. So we wanted to invite a musical guest who also knows a little something about the actors creative process. We were thrilled that actor and musician Reeve Carney was able to join us. Reeve is best known for originating the role of Orpheus in the Tony award winning musical Hadestown. He's also fronted rock bands and performed as a soloist. In 2017 he released the solo album youth is wasted.

[Reeve Carney]

You'll hear some of my interview with Reeve in just a bit, but first let's kick things off with some music. Here is a special live performance from Reeve Carney.

There's an unrequited dream I'm praying for.

She flies weathered, wise and frayed May.

She stand by the car she's been.

Waving for the red, the white, the.

Blue, the free and brave America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you aim to be America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you claim to be upon the backs of those.

Shackles the stolen shores A nation under.

God and unrepaid.

Under the stripes and the stars they're still bleeding for may we do more than only say their.

Names America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you claim to be America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you a beautiful oh sick can you see a land where wolves are not policed? What justice, liberty and peace remain the cardinal decree and where our kids don't have to flee from someone's empty magazine.

Now tell me about your freedom Is.

It man or machine we are crying.

For institutions I can't entertain Thoughts and.

Prayers for the cause they've been dying.

For the memories I will not betray.

America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you aim to be America, oh my sweet America May you come to be all that you aim to be America, may you come to be America man you come to be all that you aim to be America man, you come to be America man you come to be all that you. A.

Thank you. Well, this is like my first. It's like a daytime late night talk show kind of.

Right?

Yeah.

It's good, right?

It's awesome.

Where were you when you wrote that song?

At home in New York.

Yeah.

Here? Yeah.

What prompted you to write it? Just listening to the lyrics.

I mean, I love this country and I love people and I do think that America at its best does both of those things. So, you know, it's. You know, it's the. The American experiment that we're still striving towards reaching what we're aiming, you know, our ultimate goals in a positive way. So I guess that's where it comes from for me.

You know, when they said we have to find a musical guest to go with Katie's book, your name was first in my mind. Seafood Car. It would be great because you're an actor, because you're a musician. When you think about the two of them working together, how is being an actor helped you as a musician? And how has been a musician helped you be a better actor?

That's a great question. I do have the opportunity to work with amazing writers in this business, so it certainly helps. I was talking to Katie backstage. I think writing is the hardest part of what I do. It takes the longest. It's the. It's very isolating as well. You're there by yourself. There's. I mean, I guess you could write. I could. Maybe. That'd be pretty boring for all of you guys, though, if I were sitting here writing a song in front of everyone. Especially since they take like. This was a fast one. That one took me maybe like 40 hours, which for me is fast, but sometimes they take years. Yeah, I don't know. I guess you learn. It's nice to have things to jump between, because this business. As Katie, you were both speaking of this in her book. The. We were speaking backstage a little bit is an interesting business when you don't have something else aside from auditioning or waiting for the next job. So I'm really grateful that I do have these other things because it keeps my mind really engaged.

You grew up around actors. Your mom's an actor. Is that the case?

But yeah, My mom has a degree in musical theater from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She's right there.

Hi, Mom.

Yeah, and she lives in New York, too, and. Yeah, and then both my parents met as musicians in the seventies at the Bitter End. Really? Which is funny because they're not married now, so it's kind of a funny little twist.

The Bitter End.

Well.

No, but. But, yeah, they met back then. And my uncle's a very famous actor. Some of you might know my great uncle, Art Carney. She goes. So it's been in the family. Definitely.

You know, in the book audition, the protagonist is having a hard time with her part. She doesn't seem to feel that she can get the part down. When you're struggling to get a part down. When you're struggling to find the character, what do you do?

That's another good question. I think that's one thing that's nice about the audition process, when it's reasonable, because sometimes it's a bit. You know, there's some new SAG rules which are really helpful, because during the pandemic, it got kind of nuts. You get auditions, and they'd be due the next morning by 12 noon or something like that. You're like, oh, my gosh, I don't even have time to develop this character. But with a longer process, I find it's really useful because then you kind of learn yourself. Am I going to be able to do this or not? So that's one thing I do like about auditions, that it gives you the opportunity to say, maybe this one's not for me, or, yeah, I can pull this off, but it can take. Sometimes you get it quickly. I'd say a couple days at least. To memorize the lines and get a foundation of a character is what I would like to have.

So, yeah, I want to ask you about green room 42. Oh, yeah, you've got a big show coming up.

Oh, thanks. Well, I love Queen, and I'm doing, like, a tribute to them, and they're one of my favorite bands of all time. So I try to keep it interesting, change it up every month. I play there every month, but I do a different show kind of every month there.

Why do you like that space?

It's a lot like this, actually, in terms of the size. I have a more elaborate setup there just because it's more music of the night, in the night. They've got a nice piano there. But I like the intimate spaces. It's a real listening room, which is really nice. I love that. As opposed to, like, it's fun playing a rock club when you're with a band, but it can get distracting when you're doing a solo act and all you hear is people ordering drinks in the back.

So wait, last month, did you do Broadway Divas?

I did, yes. Wow, that's great. Thanks for knowing that. Yeah.

Yeah. And you're doing Queen next month?

This. Yep. Yes. In June 20th? Yep.

Do you give yourself a break between Broadway Divas and Queen? That's a lot on the Voice.

I guess you just gotta practice a little bit every day, and that helps.

Well, how do you. How do you take care of your voice? How do you preserve your voice?

Try to get enough sleep and drink a lot of water, Eat a diet. That feels right for me because I don't like to say tell people what to eat, but like if you listen to your body, you know. So I think that helps. Um, then warm up, you know, that's really important. Really making sure you. I didn't warm up as much today cause I didn't quite have a. But you know, if you're singing a lot of music, you gotta really warm up.

I wanna say congrats to you on your engagement.

Oh, thank you. You and Eva had an thank you? Yeah.

Yeah. Eva.

Eva Noblezada.

She told me she had an amazing conversation with you a couple weeks ago.

Oh, we had a good time. Yeah, she was on fire. She came in hot.

Oh, I bet. Yeah, she's. Yeah, she's. There's no one like her. So I like to watch that and I haven't watched it, but is it available online? Probably.

You can get it online?

All of it. Wnyc. What are you going to play for us next two songs?

I'll play a song from my album Youth is Wasted called Checkmate. Why not?

It's Reef Carney.

It started with the kids alone in the abyss. We used to be strangers. We were just strangers. And every step we take. With every move we play. Your heart is in danger. And I dance with a stranger.

Your scars will set your tears to say it's over. And your heart will bend the rules suit the soldier. When love is the power play.

Checkmate.

We'll losers in the game of love, my love. Or losers in the game of love, my love.

We'll take the future blind. Then you'll trust your heart with mine. And I'll try to take it. And hope not to break it. But I see it in your eyes. Not much for long goodbyes. Let me do us a favor.

Cause sooner or later your skies will set your tears to say it's over. And your heart will bend the rules to suit the soldier. When love is the power play.

Checkmate.

We're losers in the game of love, my love. Our losers in the game of love, my love. Oh turn around and trust your hesitation. Cuz I can only hurt you When I fall. Everyone must fall.

I'd rather watch you walk away Than to take you with me down in flames. I'll always love you babe.

But my scars will send your tears to say it's over. And your heart will bend the rules to suit the soldier.

When love is the power play Checkmate.

Thank you.

When I'm lost you bring me back. When I cry you make me glad. When I think I have it back.

I think of you.

When I don't know where to go and it feels like I'm alone When I hang my.

Head down low I think of you.

Each night you wait outside my door? Cause you wanna know.

I think of you.

When I fall into a snare and it's all too much to bear.

When I think nobody cares I think of you.

When the going's getting tough and I feel feel like giving up.

When I think I've had enough I think of you.

You've always been and you always be even to the end. Oh.

I'll think of you.

You are the way, the truth and the life And I'll follow you when it's time to say goodbye. And the te wells in my eye I can hold my head up high.

When I think of you.

My flower flesh is weak but your spirit wills and my heart and mind oh.

Will think of you.

Thank you very much. Thanks for having me.

That was a special performance from Reeve Carney, musician and former star of Hadestown on Broadway. He joined us for our May get lit with all of it book club event. And that is all of it for this hour. Stick around to hear my conversation with author Richard Price about his novel Lazarus man, about the collapse of a tenement building in East Harlem and the people who live there. Plus, here's some music performed live by trumpeter and bandleader Anthony Hervey. That's coming up right after the news.

[Alison Stewart]

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