Well my friends, hold on to your seats because we’re bringing in the heat with Can Can’s latest production, NOIR! This sultry show is guaranteed to leave you breathless with its seductive dance numbers and theatrical flair. And, of course, no Can Can production is complete without Pink and Pezzner’s entrancing soundscape mesmerizing the room with every beat.

But, how does one create the perfect soundtrack for a show as steamy as this? I suggest you buckle up because we're about to take you on a wild ride behind the scenes and uncover the secrets behind the music that makes NOIR so darn irresistible.

THECANCAN.COM: Can you tell us about the creative process of producing the music for NOIR compared to shows Can Can has done in the past?

Chris Pink: The difference between NOIR and the processes we use in other productions is the foundational material was quite a bit different than where we normally begin. Would I be correct in saying that, Dave?

Dave Pezzner: Yes, absolutely. Stylistically, it’s different from any other show we’ve done in the past. When we began the process of putting together NOIR, we knew it wouldn’t be as theatrical or narrative based, and we’d rely on a lot of the music to help drive the story.

So right off the bat, we’re leaning into this musical storytelling vibe, and that leads into some different ideas on how we can make that work. For example, we thought of maybe using some sort of cinematic style interludes. We’re not just making music that is going to be performed in the show, but we’re also making the music that underlies the show and brings you to the next part.

I initially started looking at film scores from artists like Bernard Herman, who wrote the original Twilight Zone scores and tried to also pull ideas from modern, dark jazz influences. That was our initial inspiration, but, of course, things are changing all the time. We had to start dialing it all together and figure out a way to move it all from beginning to end while being cohesive.

Chris Prink: There are some foundational creative concepts, interestingly enough, that were also based more on “vintage” Can Can. Our inspiration playlist revolved around either music or artists we worked with literally 15 years ago. The idea of us going “Back to Black” was us harkening back to Can Can’s roots. Coming off of shows that are so dialogue heavy like House of Hearts, Wonderland, and Hitchcock Hotel, I wanted NOIR to showcase the darker side of what we do.

We thought, “Okay, we’re going to do old school, mixed with this sort of film noir thing.” Then, The Kinks, Amy Winehouse, ended up somewhere in the mix of things, plus this idea of focusing heavily on music and visual content as the guides for the show as opposed to dialogue.

Dave Pezzner: Right, and don’t forget the circus road show vibes.

Chris Pink: Ah yes, can’t forget the circus road show. So all of these ideas blended together, and then it all really came full circle. A lot of it was subconsciously based on the idea that we were celebrating our 18th anniversary while the music-making was happening for NOIR.

THECANCAN.COM: How do you think the music enhances the format of the show since NOIR doesn't have a linear narrative compared to previous productions?

Dave Pezzner: We put together probably 25-30 percent more music and sound design for this show compared to others. Those additional pieces, interludes, and all kinds of little things help keep the soundtrack going straight through.

Chris Pink: After knowing what we had musically, that covered a certain amount of area. Then, we’re filling in the gaps with visual content where we might have little drops in momentum. We liked the idea of having the audience decide what the narrative is.

We wanted to have this basic shell and set the parameters of what this idea might be, and then let everyone make the decision as to what it means to them personally. Like Dave was saying, all the sound designing elements fill in the gaps with these little bells and whistles. Then, we filled the rest in with visual content to wrap it all up.

THECANCAN.COM: Can you walk us through the process of working with the lighting and choreography to ensure the music fits the overall aesthetic and feel of the show?

Dave Pezzner: It’s so interesting, the way we work, because the choreography is often planned out before the songs are complete, or even before they are written. Sometimes, Fae will plan it out with a placeholder song. Sometimes, it’s an older piece, and she’ll bring it to me and say, “I made this dance to this song. Can you write something that is perfectly the same timing?”

Chris and I will work together to figure out how that song becomes on-brand for the show, and it’s always a completely different song. One great example is the “Bulgarian Rhapsody.” It’s this very circusy, upbeat, crazy tune. It has all kinds of horns, it slows down, it speeds up, and it’s based on another project we’ve done in the past. As Chris and I start working out other pieces for NOIR, we decided to bring it in and keep the timing framework together. All the bells and whistles are happening at the same time as the previous project, but it is a completely different song altogether.

Another thing that’s been incredibly helpful is the rehearsal videos folder we make, which is a shared folder of all the dances. As the dances are being worked on, they get uploaded. When we finally have a video of the choreography and I’m working on that tune, I can bring that video into my project and score the music according to what they’re doing at the theatre. So, if somebody does a really cool move, but there’s really no sound for it, I can make it happen. It feels very collaborative with the choreography.

Throughout the process, we’re also working with Robbie to dial in on lighting. Especially during tech rehearsal time, we’re all in very close contact with each other, making sure everyone's on top of what needs to happen in that department, as well. Robbie will send me notes about things that need to happen in the music at certain times because there’s some kind of lighting nuance, for example.

Chris Pink: It goes the other way too. We might have the up-to-date song with whatever bells and whistles, and then we’ll find that there might be a choreographical moment that would be wonderful at a certain point, or there might be some hit movement. Then we’ll go back in and get those elements built into the song. Because all those things are constant evolutions, we’re literally editing, updating, and changing past show day. Dave is still pounding s!@# out as of yesterday.

Dave Pezzner: It’s true, some of my favorite changes are the most random things. I often don’t even question it. Chris will message me something like, “Hey, at two minutes and 30 seconds, I want you to stop the music for one measure. And I just want a sad trumpet, you know?” I learned to just say, “Okay.” Pezzner laughs. Later I’ll see it during a rehearsal and completely understand why he asked for the sad trumpet.

THECANCAN.COM: Were there any particular challenges you faced when creating the music for NOIR?

Dave Pezzner: Well, roadshow circus music is obviously hella fun, but it’s not exactly the music I listen to in my day-to-day. I have to really absorb as much as I can and really delve deep into what makes this style what it is. It’s inherently a bit of a challenge to figure out how to pull off the sound in a meaningful and convincing way. Same for dark jazz. I come from an electronic music background, but I didn’t study music theory or anything like that. That’s my first challenge. Then, we have to homogenize what needs to happen throughout the show, which can often be tricky. Once the choreography comes together, that’s when we really take a closer look at how these songs gel together stylistically.

One example would be when we were working on “You Really Got Me.” Initially, we’re trying to do more of an upbeat version of it while staying true to its original. We had a guitarist put stuff in at the end, and Fae worked out the choreography. Once we got closer to the show, though, we started to see it was not really fitting in. We’re relatively close to the show date at this point, and we need to figure out if it’s even going to be in the show anymore. I went back and revised the entire thing. We took out some of the guitars and put in woodwinds, and it completely turned into a new song while still keeping the exact timing and the same tempo so we’re not messing with anything Fae had already put together.

Chris Pink: In addition to trying to understand the genre and all of the aesthetic elements that go along with the instruments, the biggest thing is always feeling. You can put every f@&king instrument that every circus band has ever used, and it still may not feel like a circus song. Getting the actual feeling of it and the internal aesthetic that people will resonate with is always the most important thing for me.

Timing is always a huge factor, too. As Dave mentioned, we’ll be two days out from a show and basically handing in a brand-new song. The guitar’s gone, the bass is gone, and now we need f%&king clarinets on this end. It gets crazy. But we’re all so closely connected and in constant communication with each other. We’re sending notes by the minute and will have Dave in the studio making stuff happen in real-time; it's this round-robin of things happening. The other tricky part is that no one ever likes the second version of a song more than the original because it’s already in their brain, and they’re used to it. There’s always a minute of acclimation needed for everyone to get on board.

THECANCAN.COM: Are there any musical moments in NOIR that you feel are especially impactful or meaningful?

Chris Pink: I’ve got a couple of those. “You Really Got Me” ended up really separating itself from the show, aesthetically speaking. In a way, it steps up the power of the show. At first, we weren't sure if it fit. Now, we see that it really represents exactly what we were trying to go for. It has this rawness, almost dirty, guttural element that we were trying to get into the show but struggled with the periphery and shell aesthetics to work. That number is a definite win. Then, if we go into the emotional side of things, “Golden Slumbers” ends up being the yin to the yang of “You Really Got Me.” Then, of course, the first carousel number is the moment I consider the moment in NOIR.

Dave Pezzner: I love the juxtaposition between that number following “Back to Black.” It ends, and then this waltz tune comes in. It's very orchestral, and there are a lot of violins; it’s very bombastic and just really hits you.

My favorite number is “Back to Black.” It was the first song I produced for NOIR, and I liked finding the balance between remaining true to the original and also making it our version. We started really changing everything, slowing down the beginning and having this long classic piano number that is sung over, and then the accordions kick in and really catch you by surprise. It sets up where we’re taking this, you know? It's really cool.

Chris Pink: When we had the initial conversation about that particular song, it seemed almost blasphemous because, to me, it’s literally one of the best songs to ever exist. It’s just so good on so many levels. It’s Amy Winehouse, and everything about it is perfect. The lyrics, the music, everything. When you f@&k with a song like that, you have to do it justice. So, trying to make it work in a circus was tricky. After we hashed out a couple of versions, we really got it. It’s my favorite show opening we’ve ever done.

Dave Pezzner: It builds up this amazing musical tension right at the beginning of the show. You've got this long, slow piano, and if you don't really know the song, it takes a second to sink in. It doesn't start in the same place as the original song does. But, when it all clicks together…wow. I love that resolve in the song.

Chris Pink: I feel proud of it.

THECANCAN.COM: What do you hope the audience takes away from the all-new production NOIR?

Chris Pink: Normally, we tend to spoon-feed our message to the audience. We have some sort of cabaret for a cause message at the end of most shows that comes out pretty clearly. For this one, I wanted people to question what this show is about and maybe even walk away with more questions than answers. Maybe they’re wondering, “What was that about, and how does it affect me? Where does that fit into my life, or does that message relate to me or someone I know?” We’ve had a lot of people come and go, have their share of ups and downs, and deal with various forms of addictions and vices. I didn’t want to have a message of, “Here’s what's right, here’s what's wrong.” I wanted to show that there’s beauty in someone hitting their lowest low when they can understand how they got there and try to get out of it. I think everyone’s been there, to some degree.

Dave Pezzner: When it comes to the audience’s takeaways, that vision or goal is really Chris’s domain. I’m working under his direction and trying to materialize his vision, message, and his vibe for the show. The goal is really to make Chris’s vision come to life.

Chris Pink: Dave and I have worked together for so long. I have to thank him for not only being able to read my mind but also being able to fully, authentically understand what I’m trying to say. Without Dave, I could never convey any idea that I wanted to because he understands me and all of my nuances so well. It's crazy trying to put together this giant beast of a puzzle and make it into a viable, sellable product that people enjoy seeing.

It’s been a slow progression, coming out of the pandemic and entering, really, a whole new world of what we do. It really feels like this is just the beginning of where we’re going, especially musically.

Dave Pezzner: I've grown so much since we first started. I was just writing my own albums before I came and started working with Can Can. As a musician, I feel like I'm starting to come into my own with every show we put out and all of the music that goes into it. I just couldn't be more proud of all the work we’re doing here.

Ready to hear it for yourself? Don't miss out on experiencing the sultry sounds of Noir brought to life by Pink and Pezzner. Reserve tickets here.

Making the Music of Noir with Pink and Pezzner

The Art of Illuminating Shadows: An interview with Robbie Matos

The Pike Place Market Foundation: An Interview with Patricia Gray