The Pace Press interviews the talent behind "2pac: The Musical"

The Pace Press interviews Kevin DeBacker and Evan Greenspoon, the writers behind 2pac: The Musical.

The Pace Press (TPP): Why did you (and/or your co-writer) decide to use Tupac’s music for the show? Is he one of your favorite musicians? Do you think it fit with the show?
Kevin DeBacker and Evan Greenspoon(KD/EG): I (Kevin) grew up listening and loving Tupac. My favorite album was/and still is All Eyez On Me. I used to think I was a gangster and even had a mini-gang back in junior high. Evan loves musicals so we combined our love for the two and decided to write the show. It should be noted that all this was decided while doing a Match.com Internet video shoot.

TPP: Why did you decide to set it in a food court?
KD/EG: In the first draft we set the show in an oil and lube garage, but decided, after brainstorming that it would be funnier if these characters worked in a mall.

TPP: What’s your favorite part of the show?
KD/EG: My (Kevin) favorite part of the show is the opening number. I like how over-the-top and flashy it is. I think the juxtaposition between the actual meaning of the song and our musical interpretation of it is ridiculous and fun.

TPP: Have you ever written/co-written any comedy shows before?
KD/EG: This is our first project together and my first UCB show. I'd written sketches before, but not a whole show. I'd been wanting to write a UCB show for a while, but wasn't inspired until I told Evan about my idea to write a one-man show about Tupac. Evan brilliantly suggested we turn the idea into a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia.

TPP: How long have you been doing comedy/improv? How long have you been at UCB?
KD/EG: I (Kevin) started doing comedy after college. A few of my friends asked me if I'd like to start an independent improv. team with them called Ponystorm. We won a few UCBLA cagematches, and after that I was hooked. I moved to NYC three years ago and have been taking classes ever since.

TPP: Will you continue to perform the show at UCB (or elsewhere)? Or are you going to be working on something else?
KD/EG: We'll continue to perform it at UCB for as long as possible. As far as other NY venues, I'd say no. We wrote it specifically for the UCB stage. However, I wouldn't mind taking it to UCBLA or entering it in to a few comedy festivals.

To read the review click here.