by Michael McCarthy
There are plenty of tribute shows that attempt to recreate legendary artists right down to their clothes, mannerisms and stage movements. The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration is taking a different approach. When vocalist Christina Hélène Braa takes to the stage this fall to sing classics like “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “Goodbye to Love” and “I Need to Be in Love,” she isn’t trying to become Karen Carpenter.
Rather, Braa hopes to capture the warmth and emotion that made Carpenter’s voice one of the most distinctive in pop music while still performing the songs as herself. Joined by Kevin Lausche in the Richard Carpenter role and a full band, Braa will take audiences through the Carpenters’ catalog in a multimedia production that also tells the story behind the music.
Love is Pop recently spoke with Braa about stepping into Karen Carpenter’s musical world, discovering the Carpenters’ catalog, the challenges of honoring such a beloved singer, and why you probably shouldn’t expect to hear “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.”
MM: Okay, first of all, the ads for the show you’re doing read The Carpenters Songbook: A Live Celebration. Is The Carpenters Songbook what you’re calling yourselves or just a description of the show?
CHB: Yes, it’s the Carpenters Songbook Live.
MM: Will this be your first time doing a Carpenters Tribute Show?
CHB: Yes.
MM: Have you done any other tribute shows before?
CHB: No, not a tribute show, just musicals.
MM: How does doing a tribute show feel different from that?
CHB: There’s a lot of expectation with it because the Carpenters are so well known and loved. I think it’s closer to people’s hearts. The people that are going to see it, it means a lot to them, I think.
MM: The Carpenters’ music occupies a really unique space because some people listen to it and think that it’s overly joyful or cheesy, whereas other people like me listen to it and pick up on all of the melancholy. Do you tend to relate more so to the Carpenter’s songs that are upbeat or the sadder side?
CHB: Definitely the sadder ones. I think they really get me. It’s hard not to be emotional when I think of Karen’s story and the words really speak to me in those songs.
MM: What are your personal favorite Carpenters’ songs?
CHB: My favorites are “Goodbye to Love,” “I Need to Be in Love,” “Close to You,” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You.”
MM: Ah, I love that one. Is there a Carpenter’s song that gives you chills or makes you feel kind of eerie when you sing it?
CHB: Probably “I Need to Be in Love.” I know that was her favorite and I feel like it really is kind of like the crux of her life, of Karen’s life. It just feels like her. It feels like her words even though Richard wrote it.
MM: Sure. Now, they have a pretty extensive discography. Do you do the same set every night or do you rotate or otherwise switch it up at all?
CHB: I believe it’s going to be one whole set. I know we have a couple Christmas songs in there that I’m not sure if we’re going to be doing them only during Christmas, but yes, it will just be one set.
MM: “Merry Christmas, Darling,” in particular, was very, very popular and it’s even on some of their greatest hits collections in between non-Christmas songs. So, I was curious if you did that.
CHB: Yes, we will be doing “Merry Christmas, Darling” and then “Ave Maria” for our Christmas set.
MM: What makes this production different from a traditional tribute concert?
CHB: Probably the multimedia aspect of it. We’re going to be using a cinematic multimedia with some narration from Kevin Lausche playing Richard and then myself kind of outlining their story. We’re also trying to make this not that we’re playing Richard and Karen or trying to be them, but that we’re just singing their songs and bringing them back to life.
MM: Sure. I was curious if you studied any of Karen’s performances or try to mimic any of her mannerisms or anything like that during the show?
CHB: I’ve definitely been watching a lot of her performance clips, definitely trying to mimic the way she pronounces things and the little vocalizations that she does that create variation in the songs. But I’m trying to just evoke that warmth that she has without really replicating exactly what she’s doing.
MM: Right.
CHB: I’m trying to avoid playing a character and just honoring her.
MM: I was just curious about that because I saw that you have an acting background.
CHB: Yeah, I won’t really be acting. I think that the acting experience is going to help with stage presence and just the narration aspect of the show and evoking the emotions that come along with those lyrics and those songs. But I won’t be playing a character in this one.
MM: One of my favorite songs by the Carpenters is actually an outtake that only appeared on later compilations, and that is their cover of “The Rainbow Connection” by The Muppets. Do you do that one at all?
CHB: Oh, no, we won’t be doing that one. But I actually haven’t heard of that. I’ll have to give it a listen.
MM: It’s on the compilation The Carpenters: Gold. And, interestingly, the vocal on it was just supposed be a rough demo vocal, and they abandoned the track because Karen didn’t like singing it. But Richard finished it around 1999 after fans kept asking him to.
CHB: Oh, wow. Okay, I’ll have to check that one out.
MM: Do you do any of the other songs The Carpenters covered, like “California Dreamin’”, or “Ticket to Ride,” or “Please Mr. Postman”?
CHB: We’ll be doing “Ticket to Ride,” “Please Mr. Postman,” and “Help.”
MM: With Ticket to Ride, when they put out a compilation called The Singles: 1969 to 1973, they went back and substantially re-recorded it with Karen laying down a new lead vocal and new drums, and someone named Tony Peluso added new guitar. Do you have a favorite version?
CHB: Oh, man. You are by far more knowledgeable about The Carpenters than I am. So I honestly don’t know. I only know the version that we’ve been using for practice.
MM: Sure. Let’s see. Did you ever see The Carpenters live?
CHB: No, no.
MM: Do you remember where you were when Karen Carpenter died or anything like that?
CHB: I wasn’t even alive yet.
MM: Ah, what year were you born?
CHB: ‘97.
MM: I believe you share a birthday with Karen Carpenter, March 2nd. Did you know that? CHB: Yes, I do. Actually, when I was auditioning for the part and I was looking up Karen Carpenter, like trying to get a feel for her, I saw that. And she also happens to be born in Connecticut. I was also born in Connecticut, so I thought that was kind of wild.
MM: I saw that you performed on the Norwegian Cruise Line in Beetlejuice and Icons. Can you tell us about that?
CHB: Yes. So I was on Norwegian Cruise Line for six months playing Miss Argentina and an ensemble character in Beetlejuice. And then alongside that, we had this pop review show called Icons, where we sing hits like by Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. We had some Dolly Parton in there.
MM: Oh, nice.
CHB: I feel that it was kind of a foray into this Carpenters gig because we had to sing these great hits that people know and love. And we were in a similar situation, trying to evoke these songs – these emotions – and remind people of these great, great songs that are really well known and well loved, but without playing characters. And we were using handheld mics, which was a completely new experience for me. That’s what we’ll be using in the show. And it kind of gives you the ability to create that Karen Carpenter sound that’s really warm and close to the mic and intimate.
MM: Sure. I saw that Kevin, who plays Richard, also worked on Norwegian Cruise Line. Did you know each other from that?
CHB: No, no. We were on completely different cruise schedules and shows. So I’d never met him before.
MM: Wow. That’s an interesting coincidence then.
CHB: I know. It is.
MM: Did you and Kevin get any input into which songs appear on the set list?
CHB: No, we just got the set list from the director. And to be honest, I hadn’t really listened to the Carpenters until I got this gig. I knew a couple of their songs. But now I know a lot more of it. So I wouldn’t necessarily have been the best person to give input on it.
MM: Have you ever seen the made-for-TV movie, The Karen Carpenter Story?
CHB: No, I haven’t.
MM: It’s hard to find because it aired on TV in 1989, and I believe it was never released on video.
CHB: Oh, wow.
MM: But when the actress Cynthia Gibb played Karen in The Karen Carpenter Story, Richard Carpenter actually provided Karen’s real clothes for the production. And Cynthia Gibb said she was expected to lose weight so that she could fit into them.
CHB: Oh, my goodness.
MM: Given Karen’s history with anorexia and how much public attention was paid to her appearance, have you ever felt any pressure to maintain a certain appearance in order to portray her?
CHB: No. We’re doing our best to really focus on just the music. And so that hasn’t been a conversation. It hasn’t been an aspect of the creation of this.
MM: Have you ever thought about the Karen Carpenter who might have existed after 1983? CHB: Yeah, I do think about that sometimes. It hurts me to think about it because from what I’ve read, I know that she was on an upswing trying to get healthier when she died. And so it breaks my heart a bit to think that that could have been avoided and maybe she would have had kids… Just to think of all the music that she may have created in all that time.
MM: Do you think that the Carpenters would have remained popular consistently if they had continued releasing and putting out music? Or do you think that their time might have kind of passed like the way that people got tired of disco after a while?
CHB: I think that they would have remained popular if they continued in the way that they made their music. I like that they didn’t change their style with the times. They stuck with what they were best at. And what they were best at was very timeless and genuine, very sincere lyrics, and this simple but beautifully crafted music.
MM: Karen Carpenter, in addition to being a singer, was a drummer. Do you play drums at all? CHB: I don’t. My fiancé is actually a percussionist. So he gave me a little crash course in percussion for my audition. And it was actually really fun. It’s something that I might want to pursue after this. But we decided that it made more sense for me to solely be the singer so that I wouldn’t have to focus on learning a whole new skill.
MM: Did you actually have to play drums at the audition?
CHB: I wasn’t required to. I just wanted to show that I could do it if they needed it. And they had a drum kit in the room, so I played a little bit along with the song “Close to You.” So it was a pretty simple beat, but it was a lot of fun.
MM: Is your stage design or wardrobe modeled after the Carpenters?
CHB: Yes. We will be doing 70s-style clothing. We haven’t yet decided exactly what I’ll be wearing, but definitely 70s-inspired. Trying not to actually replicate what she wore, but just something evocative of it. And I believe the set is going to be kind of a 70s living room feel. So that should be cozy and intimate and very cool.
MM: Are you going to reproduce the famous Carpenters logo on the stage?
CHB: I’m not sure. I haven’t been told what exactly we’ll be doing for the set design, but we will see.
MM: Will there be a piano at all?
CHB: Yes, there will be a piano. Richard will be playing.
MM: Tell me about the rest of the band for the shows.
CHB: We’ve got a bassist. We’ve got a guitarist, who also is doing auxiliary keys. And then we have a drummer and Richard on keys, as well as a harmony vocalist who will be covering me.
MM: I found clips of a Carpenters Songbook production featuring a Tonie Lee on YouTube.
I know that’s not you, but is there any connection between the productions?
CHB: I don’t believe so. When I was auditioning, I also discovered that because I was like, what is this I’m auditioning for? And I found that, but I don’t think it’s associated at all.
MM: You’re doing a pretty extensive tour. From when to when does the tour run?
CHB: The tour launches September 23rd, and then our final show is December 6th.
MM: At what point do you think you’ll bring out the Christmas songs?
CHB: I’m not sure. I think it’s possible we’ll be including them in the set the entire time. But if not, I’m not sure when we would introduce them.
MM: It almost feels like you have to do “Merry Christmas, Darling” every night even though it’s a Christmas song. The thing I find interesting is how they put it on compilations, and it might be track five in between “Close To You” and “Touch Me When You’re Dancing” or something.
CHB: Yes. I mean, it’s an essential. I loved that song, and I didn’t make the connection that that was the Carpenters until this show, but it’s a classic. So I feel like we have to have it in there, even if it’s not anywhere near Christmas.
MM: Sure. Do you think you’ll save it for late in the show with the encore or something?
CHB: I believe it’s in the first act. I’m trying to remember. I’m still trying to memorize the order of the set, but I believe it’s in the first act.
MM: How long is the set?
CHB: It’s going to be around two hours with an intermission. I think it’s a 15 or 20 minute intermission in between.
MM: I was wondering about that because I’ve noticed recently that a lot of tribute shows include an intermission.
CHB: Yes. I think if it were under two hours, we probably wouldn’t have one, but because there’s just so many hits, we want to get to them all. And we want to give people a chance to go to the bathroom to take a rest before listening to all of them.
MM: I have to ask because it’s such an unusual song for them, but it was a modest hit. Do you do “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft”?
CHB: We discussed potentially having that song in there and I listened to it and I really liked it. I was like, this is the strangest song. It’s just so unexpected for them. But we ended up taking it out of the set, I think, because it’s so unusual. It didn’t quite fit with everything and there were just too many other good ones that we decided to go with instead.
MM: That makes sense.
CHB: It is an interesting song, though.
MM: Did you hear the version with the skit at the beginning where the alien talks to the DJ? CHB: Yes. I don’t even know how we would have replicated that.
MM: Well, there was a single version of the song that didn’t contain that, which was slightly shorter.
CHB: I’ve only heard the one that has the alien part at the beginning.
MM: The Carpenters’ last single prior to Karen’s death was a cover of the Marvelette’s 1962 song, “Beechwood 4-5789.” Do you ever do that one?
CHB: No, we won’t be performing that one.
MM: Well, I think we’ve covered all of my questions.
CHB: I had a great time and thank you for taking the time to chat.
MM: Absolutely. I’m really looking forward to the show.
CHB: Thank you.
For tickets and more info, please visit: www.carpenterssongbooklive.com
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