Under Silber Skies: Alexandra Silber on Brigadoon’s New Book | Does It Sing?In Episode 2 of Does It Sing?, David Goldsmith sits down with Broadway and West End actress, novelist, memoirist, and now musical-theatre bookwriter Alexandra Silber. From The Woman in White and Carousel to Arlington and Fiddler on the Roof, Alexandra has embodied some of the most iconic roles on stage — and now she’s making history as the first writer approved by the Alan Jay Lerner Estate to create a brand-new book for Brigadoon, premiering at Pasadena Playhouse in 2025.🎭 Topics in Part 1:• Alexandra’s path from Detroit to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Broadway• Why regional theatre matters — and how it incubates world premieres• The “actor/writer dual citizenship” that shaped her approach to Brigadoon• How she pitched the Learner Estate and what changed in her adaptation• Life on the road, Dial M for Murder, Alec Silver stories, and moreThis is a masterclass in acting, writing, and serving the piece rather than the ego. If you’ve ever wondered how a beloved but “unrevivable” classic gets a second life, or what it really takes to shepherd a legacy musical into the 21st century, you’ll want to hear every minute.🎧 From Broadway’s Motown the Musical to Disney, David’s mission stays the same: Does it sing? Do I care? Does it have a reason for being?—About Virtual Stage LabVirtual Stage Lab (co-founded by David Goldsmith & Paul Gordon) film-captures original musicals and plays to democratize development, viewing, and licensing. Watch full captures free on the VSL YouTube page.Pitch a segment: Want David to analyze a song or moment? Email virtualstagelab@gmail.com.More: virtualstagelab.comFair Use note: Any audio/video excerpts are for commentary/education. Please support the rights holders by streaming or purchasing the official recordings. ⏱️ Chapter Timestamps (adjust as needed)00:00 Opening parody & welcome back01:02 Three guiding questions of “Does It Sing?”03:15 Introducing Alexandra Silber — career highlights & books08:40 Regional theatre soapbox: why it matters13:30 Dial M for Murder / Maxine Headley casting story18:45 Alec Silver stories & “Hitch a Hitchcock Fest”23:10 Actor-writer dual citizenship: inhabiting characters to write them27:50 Serving the piece vs. serving the ego32:05 How the Brigadoon offer happened36:15 Generating the pitch & approaching the Lerner Estate40:45 Rewriting without permission first — “I just wanted to see”44:30 Philosophy of adaptation: hand-in-hand with Lerner’s legacy49:00 Why Brigadoon still resonates (grief, loss, love)54:20 Tease for Part 2 — nuts and bolts of getting to Pasadena Playhouse56:00 Outro: subscribe & watch on YouTube for Easter eggs 🏷️ Hashtags (comma-separated)#DoesItSing, #AlexandraSilber, #Brigadoon, #AlanJayLerner, #LernerAndLoewe, #MusicalTheatre, #Broadway, #WestEnd, #RegionalTheatre, #BookWriting, #SongwritingPodcast, #TheatrePodcast, #OriginalMusicals, #VirtualStageLab, #DavidGoldsmith, #BehindTheScenes, #StageDevelopment, #BroadwayHistory, #TheatreWriters, #ComposerLife, #LyricistLife, #MusicalAdaptation, #PasadenaPlayhouse, #TheatreTalk 🔑 Keywords / Tags (YouTube field)Alexandra Silber interview, Brigadoon new book, Lerner and Loewe, Brigadoon Pasadena Playhouse, rewriting classic musicals, Broadway actress, novelist memoirist, acting and writing, Virtual Stage Lab, David Goldsmith, Does It Sing podcast, regional theatre importance, Maxine Headley Dial M for Murder, Alec Silver stories 📌 Pinned Comment PromptAlexandra Silber is rewriting Brigadoon with the blessing of the Lerner Estate — a first!👇 What’s YOUR favorite Brigadoon moment or song, and what would you hope to see in a 21st-century revival?Subscribe for Part 2 next week (we get into the nuts & bolts of getting the adaptation across the finish line at Pasadena Playhouse): @DavidGoldsmithLyrics
