Those aspiring to have a career in show business are often told to “reach for the stars.” Holly Block, a 2017 Mahopac High School graduate, has been reaching for them for nearly a decade, and the blood, sweat and tears seem to be finally paying off. Those stars are within her reach at last.
Block, an actress, singer, dancer, director and playwright, is best known for co-creating the award-winning stage production “Safe & Sound: The Musical” with her partner, songwriter and healer Elizabeth Jerjian.
Block and Jerjian have been working on the musical for nearly eight years. It was ready to make its debut in 2020, but then the pandemic hit, and the duo was forced to create an online production where fans could buy tickets and watch live performances from the safety of their own homes.
Since then, Block and Jerjian have continued to tweak the production, writing new songs, discarding old ones and giving the sound and story a fresh new feel.
The hard work is finally paying off. Next month, the show will be part of the New York Theater Festival, with three performances. The festival is widely known as a supporting steppingstone for emerging playwrights, directors and actors, showcasing diverse, independent talent.
“It is the next step in getting it to run Off-Broadway or even Broadway,” Block said. “The festival is important to the creative side of things and the business side.”
The Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical “Next to Normal” emerged from the New York Theater Festival.
“Safe & Sound” was created in 2018 after Block and Jerjian met in New York. The show blends musical theater, pop, and soul music with themes of healing and emotional recovery. According to Block, it is the first musical to incorporate sound healing and Reiki concepts directly into its orchestration.
The story follows three struggling characters guided by a symbolic figure named “Love,” played by Block. The musical explores themes such as mental health, suicide prevention, LGBTQIA+ identity, toxic masculinity, PTSD among military veterans, self-love and social justice.”
Block described the show as ultimately hopeful and centered on compassion and emotional healing.
The production first gained attention during that pandemic-forced 2021 online performance at the Front Row Fringe Festival, where it won myriad awards, including Best Musical, Best Music and Best Director.
Since then, the show has continued to evolve through concerts, workshops and festival performances and now the New York Theater Festival.
Music from the show has also been released commercially, including its biggest song “I’m Not Ashamed.”
“Good things take time, and to be able to add elements to the show and to elevate it and work with professionals has gotten us to where we are about to be headed,” Block said.
Block began performing professionally as a child and was cast at age 12 in producer Ken Davenport’s youth production of “Godspell.” She later trained at the Circle in the Square Theatre Conservatory and performed in productions including “Cabaret” and “Pippin.” She was always front and center for MHS’s annual rock show, “Illusion.”
The idea for “Safe & Sound” was actually inspired by one of Block’s MHS classmates.
“She was with me in high school and passed away in my senior year,” Block explained. “There are definitely parts of her in it. So, it is about the healing journey, including mine. You just hope people will connect to it. It is deeply personal, but some of the best art speaks to the human experience, and this show definitely does that.”
Block said the character Love is a fun part to play, and it has evolved over the years since it was first written.
“Love has many shades, and the character has many personalities,” she said. “There is the soft and nurturing side, and the fearless side, which is fun for an actor to take on. I have never played a role that is ethereal and bigger than the human experience. I have been reading up on a lot of religion and things like Aphrodite and how love has been depicted in art in the past.”
Holly called the play’s long pathway to the New York Theater Festival a “learning experience.”
“I love theater, because unlike movies and TV, you get to do these shows multiple times,” she said. “Sometimes eight times a week, and you have to figure out ways to keep things fresh. I am constantly finding something new. These characters are guided by love, and everyone can relate to that, having experienced it.”
Block, a performer with strong feminist values, discussed what it is like to try to find her way through a male-dominated industry.
“It’s not 1950 anymore, and the difference now is there are more women who I can look to who have broken the barriers and who have given me confidence,” she said. “I once had to walk away from a project that had become a very sexualized situation, and they were trying to pigeonhole me into the role of a sexy dancer. And I was told I was going to direct, but that turned out not to be the case. I was just 23, and my bubbly personality led to people underestimating me. You know, ‘She’s pretty, so she must be dumb.’ But I believe knowledge is power, and I believe in myself.
“It is an industry still led by men — older men — so it is still a huge challenge,” she added. “But I have my own path.”
Block said her teachers and mentors at Mahopac High were inspirational in helping her find that path.
“In Mahopac, I had some teachers who saved me and held my hand and got me through it, and I still go to them for advice and mentorship,” she said. “My parents have had endless support for me, and my fiancé has been extremely supportive, so I have not let these barriers affect me.”
As a result, for Block, the stars are finally within reach.
Those wishing to attend “Safe & Sound” at the New York Theater Festival can buy tickets at safeandsoundmusical.com. Showtimes are Tuesday, June 16, at 6:15 p.m.; Friday, June 19, at 4 p.m.; and Saturday, June 20, at 9 p.m.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here