“Welcome. We’re glad you’re here. We hope you have a great time. We’re taking you on a journey.”
Samantha Duval is one of three …. Songbirds of the Seventies. And the journey she’s talking about is a trip back to a time when female singer-songwriters transformed the music industry from spectacle to introspective storytelling that addressed love, heartbreak, independence and empowerment from a personal, feminist perspective.
Songbird Madalyn McHugh tells audiences what they can expect.
“We hope that they relive the music with us – they don’t just hear the music – but they remember the car they were driving when they first heard this on the radio or they remember who they were dating at the time,” said McHugh. “It’s our job to bring them on a journey with us and we feel that energy every night.”
“We are creating an environment where people feel like they can … feel comfortable to relive those songs and think about where they first heard those songs,” agreed Duval.
For example, do you remember what you were driving, who you were with and what was happening in your life the first time you heard Stevie Nicks sing “Landslide”?
The songbirds are not just singing nostalgic songs from a bygone era. What distinguishes cabaret from a jukebox musical or revue, says Victoria Boland, is the honest, heartfelt emotion they bring to the stage each show.
“It's truly us as human beings who are feeling the music so deeply that it allows us to be choked up on stage, and the audience is right there to experience that with you,” noted Boland. “And it really, really transcends into their experience. So, I love that about the cabaret experience, because it is so intimate. I feel like I can make connections with every person in the room, and the lyric that I'm singing might mean something different to this person, to this person, to this person. And for them to walk away feeling like they're leaving with a piece of me personally as Victoria, but then also the full experience of 'Songbirds of the Seventies,' it's really, really special.”
As when McHugh sings Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee.”
“Madeline just embodies ‘Me and Bobby McGee,’” said Boland. “Nobody else can do. It's an incredible moment.”
“That one specifically is where I have to go to a very specific place because it's just such a range of emotion in that song. It's hope. It's excitement. It's devastation,” said McHugh. “It's a lot of emotions at once to sing Bobby McGee, and it's just me with a guitar, which is where I started as a kid.”
Boland has been based in Nashville for the past 11 years. She channels that same quantum of emotion when she performs “Barracuda,” which Ann Wilson wrote after Heart’s record label, to create buzz, circulated a story that she and her sister were involved in an incestuous lesbian relationship.
“I have been in those positions before in the music industry, as a songwriter and as a solo artist, where the record industry has not been kind to me,” Boland disclosed. “And I can put myself in those shoes and perform that song from a place of absolute truth because I truly feel and embody the lyrics … just step into this moment of complete female grit and power and there's a rage in it, but it's a controlled rage. And for me it feels especially empowering as a woman to play that out and see the audience response.”
The ‘70s were also a transitional decade for the James Bond franchise, so the show contains a Bond segment at the beginning of act two.
“It is fun because it's a change of pace, and I don't think anybody really expects us to do it,” said McHugh, playing a few bars of “Nobody Does It Better.”
“Carly Simon did this, but it’s a Bond segment of our show,” she added. “So we each do a different Bond song and this one’s mine."
While McHugh sings the theme from “The Spy Who Loved Me,” Duval performs the theme song for Sean Connery’s final 007 film.
“I am a bit of a goofball, and I feel like I get to show that a little bit in ‘Diamonds Are Forever.’ It's just a big dramatic number, and I'm actually laying on the couch for the entire number, and I'm wearing this insanely gorgeous diamond-covered dress, and I just love getting to play that character and the drama and excitement of it.”
You can’t pay homage to the ‘70s without mentioning “Tapestry,” Carole King’s breakout album. It spent 15 weeks at No. 1, sold over 30 million copies and won four Grammy awards.
“You'll guess this one,” said McHugh playing the piano again. “Carole King, which is my favorite. And we all three sing this one. So, Sam's here and Victoria's here and it's a nice moment that we connect … Carole King wrote that song because she was at a James Taylor show and he was singing ‘Fire and Rain.’ And in ‘Fire and Rain,’ there's a lyric that says, ‘lonely times when I could not find a friend.’ And that sparked her to go write ‘You've Got a Friend.’”
“I like that it's about the music and the lyrics, and we're here to tell a story,” Duval observed. “And I like that you can break the fourth wall. I love that. I love being able to talk to the audience and engage with them.”
That’s the journey.
And your guides, Samantha Duval, Victoria Boland and Madalyn McHugh, are as engaged and charming as they are talented.
The magic happens in the intimacy of their living room in Court Cabaret at Florida Studio Theatre.
“Songbirds of the Seventies” plays through Sept. 13.
For tickets, visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org or telephone 941-366-9000.
MORE INFORMATION:
“Songbirds of the Seventies: From Woodstock to Soft Rock” is a tribute to the women who wrote their own rules – and songs. This uplifting cabaret captures the spirit of the trailblazing women who changed the sound of popular music as singer-songwriters. It spans everything from Woodstock-era folk to chart-topping soft rock.
The creative force behind “Songbirds of the Seventies” is Nancy Allen. Her previous Florida Studio Theatre hits were “Rhinestone Cowgirls” in 2024 and “Divas Three” in 2023.
Allen has more than two decades of experience in the theatre industry. She brings her signature blend of storytelling, nostalgia, and musical celebration to this tribute honoring some of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Featuring hits from Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Helen Reddy, Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks, “Songbirds of the Seventies” celebrates a musical era in which authenticity mattered more than spectacle.
“These women were sharing experiences that audiences recognized in their own lives,” says Allen. “That’s why this music has lasted for generations.”
The creative team for “Songbirds of the Seventies” includes Catherine Randazzo (line producer), Kate Landry (lighting design), Nicholas Christensen (sound design), and Leigh Womack (sound and lightboard operator).
“Songbirds of the Seventies” is part of FST’s three-show Summer Cabaret subscription package that also includes “Leaving on a Jet Plane: A Folk Journey,” a rich and resonant exploration of the folk movement, and “Legacy: Motown & More!,” a dynamic tribute spanning the greatest classics from the 1960s through today.
The Songbirds cabaret experience
With “Songbirds of the Seventies,” Allen has created a unique cabaret experience that has audiences singing along with the performers.
“They're always singing along,” Duval acknowledged. “I love that. I think it's so special.”
Duval enjoys everything about the cabaret experience that Allen has crafted, but she especially likes performing in the cozy confines of the Hegner Wing of the Court Cabaret where the audience is so close that she can hear what they’re saying to each other as she performs.
“We’re really under a magnifying glass,” Boland interjected. “In some ways, it puts a bit of an extra pressure on you as a performer to always be on.”
But Boland, Duval and McHugh don’t mind. They really appreciate the high musical IQ and innate inquisitiveness of the audiences who come to see their show.
“FST audiences know their stuff,” Duval observed. “They know the material. They come in with a lot of knowledge about what they're going to be watching. They're not just wandering off the street thinking, ‘Oh, I think I'll see your show today.’ They're very educated audiences, and that is such a joy to perform for people who know the music and have certain expectations.”
Not surprisingly, audiences revel in the musicians’ backstory and song trivia that Duval, Boland and McHugh share throughout the course of the show.
“We're sharing this music that they know so well, and the human being behind the music,” McHugh observed. “It's a special thing to be able to deliver specifically '70s music to this crowd. It's a joy, I think on both sides. My side, for sure.”
Much of that discourse is scripted, but the performers have the latitude to go rogue.
“We do tend to go off script quite a bit,” Duval acknowledged. “We see where the moment takes us and if it's a very chatty audience, we might talk with them a bit and talk about other things. That said, it’s important for us to stay on track and make sure the show doesn't go over 70 minutes.”
According to the Songbirds, FST cabaret audiences also appreciate the authenticity they bring to each song they perform.
“One of the reasons why I was so excited to do songbirds was because I got to be Victoria,” explained Boland. “I am a songwriter, so putting myself into the lyrics of these songs and the moments of these songs, I feel I can relate to greatly as a songwriter.”
The authenticity the Songbirds bring to their renditions of each song included in the show coincides with the authenticity for which singer-songwriters like Carole King, Carly Simon, Helen Reddy and Stevie Nicks were known.
“These songs were written by women who went through real life, real experiences,” Boland remarked. “They wrote exactly what they were going through at the time, and I think as a woman, as women on the stage and in the profession of music and performance, there's a lot that we can relate to.”
The importance of these songs in music history and to the memories they evoke in each audience member places an onus on Duval, Boland and McHugh in staying true to how they were written and originally recorded.
“With this music that we're performing, I'm always very careful when I'm first learning a song that somebody else wrote,” McHugh explained. “I want to know, for example, what was Janis Joplin going through when she wrote ‘Bobby McGee’? What, what was Carole King doing when she wrote ‘You've Got a Friend’? I want to know what the writer was thinking, because if somebody else is going to sing a song I’ve written, I really hope that they do some research on why I wrote the song and then apply it to their own life or their own situation. Only in that way can you can really do the song justice and share the meaning and the hope, the excitement, the joy, the, the range of emotion that goes with the song. It's my favorite thing to do though. I loved dissecting the lyrics in this music and that's what it was about for all of these women, Janis Joplin, Carly Simon, Carole King. It [is] all about the lyrics.”
The setting helps the Songbirds achieve these objectives throughout the course of the 70-minute show, which includes four or more costume changes for each of them.
“They're in our living room,” Boland pointed out. “This is our home for 10 weeks, our comfort space. It's not a stage to us. This is a room, and we're all in that room, we’re all at this party together and we want [our audiences] to feel as comfortable as we do.”
That proximity really enables the audience to see the Songbirds, imperfections (not that they have any) and all.
“That’s OK,” said Boland. “They want to see our imperfections. They want to see our vulnerability.
"And they want to be moved by the emotion woven into the fabric of the music and lyrics of each song."
“[For that], I go to a specific place,” said McHugh, who is performing in her eighth cabaret at Florida Studio Theatre. “I don't tell them specifically where I'm going. But I go there in order to be vulnerable and share that emotion with the audience because in cabaret, if you don't go there, they don't believe you. It's a whole different thing than musical theater. When you do go there, it's rewarding because they feel it and I know that they're there with me. You have to be human. You have to be real. You have to be able to show your heart. You have to be able to allow them to come in. I wouldn't necessarily do that in real life. I wouldn't be that vulnerable necessarily. So, it's a gift to be able to do that with this audience.”
In addition to an exciting, enthralling 70 minutes of entertainment, Duval, Boland and McHugh hope to convey to their audiences the scope and magnitude of the legacy created by King, Simon, Nicks and company.
“So, not only do I get to perform my favorite songs, but I get to feel the empowerment that began 50-something years ago,” said McHugh. “It's still relevant today and it's the best feeling ever.”
Because King, Simon, Nicks and company paved the way for today’s recording artists from Pink, Halsey and Billie Eilish to Chappell Roan, Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said McHugh. “Carole King, specifically, was 16 when she marched down to Times Square and knocked on the door of the Brill Building. She had a passion and she couldn't be stopped. So, to be able to bring her music to life is a big responsibility and a big honor.”
About Samantha Duval
Samantha Duval previously appeared at Florida Studio Theatre as Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors” and the productions of “Divas3” and “Rhinestone Cowgirls.” Her theatre credits include Constance in “Rock of Ages,” Bella Rose in “Desperate Measures,” Pattie in “Smokey Joe’s Café” (The REV Theatre), “Kinky Boots” (Gateway Playhouse), and “Accomplice” at La Jolla Playhouse. Duval also starred as Elsa in “Frozen” with Disney Cruise Line and Shanghai Disney and tours with Rhinestone Cowgirls and DIVAS3.
“I grew up listening to a lot of this music,” said Duval. “My mom loved Olivia Newton-John, and so that was always playing in the house. My dad was a big Stevie Nicks fan, so I very much remember this music just being a part of my life as I was growing up. But aside from that, it's just good music and I'm happy to be able to sing it and bring it back to life.”
About Madalyn McHugh
Madalyn McHugh is a New York-based actor, musician and singer-songwriter based in New York City. McHugh recently appeared at Florida Studio Theatre on the Goldstein stage in "Three Pianos.” McHugh’s repertoire spans musical theatre, classical, pop, country and folk. McHugh co-created the pop band McHugh Girl Music with her sister, McKenzie. Their original music streams on all platforms. For music updates follow @maddie_mcq and @mchughgirlmusic on Instagram.
McHugh is enjoying the Songbird experience for many reasons: the setting, the camaraderie and the audiences. But she also has a strong connection to the music of the 1970s, including Janis Joplin.
“Her story, her tragic death. How young she was, and the battle that she had,” said McHugh shaking her head ruefully.
Joplin was bullied and relentlessly ridiculed by her high school classmates. The experience had a lasting impact. Joplin stated in a June 25, 1970, interview on "The Dick Cavett Show" that her classmates had "laughed me out of class, out of town, and out of the state." Her fame and fortune did little to change that equation. Her former classmates virtually ignored her when she came back for their 10th annual high school reunion.
Outside of her hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, she was and remains one of music’s most legendary and lasting influences.
Although it's been 56 years since her death at the age of 27, Joplin’s powerful personality and undeniable talent live on in music, inspiring artists like Pink, Florence Welch, St. Vincent, Hozier and Billie Eilish (who echoes Joplin’s spirt of social consciousness through her work). She paved the way for future icons such as Stevie Nicks and Alanis Morissette. Countless female singer/songwriters have been inspired by her unapologetic authenticity and charismatic stage presence, including McHugh.
“It's a big honor and job responsibility for me to deliver that song. I don't take it lightly, and I have really dissected the lyrics of that song. You know, I've tried to put myself in her position. It's heartbreaking, but it’s also exciting to sing that song.”
About Victoria Boland
Victoria Boland is a Canadian-born, dual-national Australian award-winning vocalist and songwriter. She began her musical journey at a young age in Australia and has enjoyed a successful international career spanning more than 30 years. Now based in Nashville, she has performed on major stages around the world, including for Queen Elizabeth II at her golden jubilee and an audience of over 17,000 people. Since 2024, Boland has been the lead female vocalist and performer with the international touring production Sixtiesmania of Las Vegas, a vocalist with Nancy Allen Productions, as well as an in-demand session vocalist when she’s home in Nashville.
Boland also had a personal connection to several of the songs included in the show.
“I grew up in Canada and Anne Murray was always playing in my house,” Boland shared. “My mom, to this day, adores Anne Murray, and one of the songs I grew up with was ‘You Needed Me,’ and I sing ‘You Needed Me’ in the show, and I always think of Mom when I sing that song.”
Murray recorded the song, written by veteran Nashville songwriter Randy Goodrum, in 1978. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spent a then-record 36 weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart and earned Murray a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, revitalizing her career after several years of declining popularity. “You Needed Me” showcased Murray’s vocal range as well as the multiple layers and dimensions of her voice.
Boland’s performance in “Songbirds” is enhanced by her own songwriting. She writes both alone and with other Nashville songwriters not only for other recording artists, but for film, television and commercials as well.
“Writing a song about selling tires in a short little 15-second or 30-second clip is a completely different experience than writing a song about an incredible heartbreak that you turned into the greatest joy of your life, but it’s always about putting myself in the moment and writing from a place of truth,” Boland shared. “And if I'm not familiar with the experience that a co-writer maybe wants to write from, then I will usually ask them what their experience was like so I can try and find the relatability for me to be able to contribute in whatever way I can to the songwriting session.”
As in theater, where female playwrights and directors are still underrepresented, Boland said that country music also remains very male-dominated.
“It's still a day-to-day struggle. There's always going to be eight or nine men to one or two women in Nashville in that genre of music,” Boland observed. “I will say, though, in the last couple years, with the likes of Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert, it’s starting to change. Miranda has really put her foot to the gas, and we've been able to see this rise in, this stronger presence in the female country realm. It is so not easy trying to make it in the music industry … not at all … but there is at least more female presence in pop music than country music.”
By the same token, there’s not a strong country influence in the repertoire performed in “Songbirds of the Seventies.” There’s Anne Murray, of course, as well as Olivia Newton-John and Linda Ronstadt.
“Olivia was never country, but she could kind of fall into that lane, and Linda Ronstadt also is kind of that crossover into country,” said Boland.
But songwriting crosses the genre divide and informs Boland’s rendition of each of the songs she performs during the show as it is more about her emotional connection to the lyrics than the song’s musical genre.
“Like ‘Barracuda.’ Until this show, I've never performed ‘Barracuda,’ but I've always wanted to. I've always wanted to perform that song. So, when Nancy [Allen] said I'm singing ‘Barracuda,’ I mean, I did a little happy dance.”
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
