INTERVIEW: The doctors in this musical are having an ‘Emergency’
Photo: Emergency features the writing talents of Jacob Foy and Jeff Foy. Photo courtesy of the artists / Provided by Off Off PR with permission.
In the new musical Emergency, playing through Aug. 25 at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York City, two doctors vie for the last emergency medicine spot in the country. The show, which is part of New York Theater Festival’s Summerfest, is a medical-centered laughfest that takes full advantage of its unique setting in an emergency room.
Jeff Foy and Jacob Foy are not only the creators of the show, but they are also father and son. They have gathered an impressive cast to bring Emergency to life in New York City: Maddie Shea Baldwin, Owen Beans, Emily Cramer, Amy Griffin, Wes Hart and Nick Kohn, among others.
The main character in the show is Dr. Justin Marks, who aced his exams in the classroom but struggles with his bedside manner. He is pitted against his nemesis, Kyle, in getting that last emergency medicine spot. Dr. Sharp, such a clever name, will be the one who decides the ultimate fate of these two characters.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Jeff, the father in the duo and an actual ER physician, and Jacob, the son in the duo and a student, about the new musical. They both took care of the show’s book and lyrics, while Jacob composed the music. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can audience members expect from Emergency?
Jeff: Emergency is a show with a lot of heart, as it explores life, love and human connection; however, as one might expect, the ER can also be a funny, strange and exciting place. Emergency was written to embody all of these elements, which I experience on a daily basis as an ER physician. To answer in the simplest terms, I think audience members will laugh a lot but also might find themselves with tears in their eyes.
Jacob: Catchy music. When we set out to write Emergency, a goal of mine was to write catchy, memorable music for everyone to enjoy. There really is something for anyone and everyone in this show. Even our creative team says how often different songs from the soundtrack are stuck in their head!
How long have you been writing the show, and what initially inspired this project?
Jeff: We started writing Emergency in late 2015 when Jacob was 16. I have always loved musical theater and watching shows, but had never been involved in the creative aspect. As I spent many nights working in the emergency department, I began to envision that it would be a terrific setting for a musical. I daydreamed about how fun it would be, but because I don’t play any instruments, I just considered it to be a pipe dream.
However, one night, after listening to Jacob play beautiful songs on his piano, I told him about my ‘crazy idea’ and asked if he would like to collaborate with me. He immediately said, ‘Yes,; and that night Emergency was born!
Jacob: We started this project when I was just a junior in high school. To many peoples’ surprise, I actually didn’t grow up as a theater kid, but rather a baseball player! Eventually, right before freshman year, I began to take music more seriously than just playing saxophone in school concert band and decided to quit baseball. I started taking piano and theory more seriously, and then when Dad came into my room that fateful night, I decided to try my hand at writing. And here we are!
What was the collaboration like between the two of you? What would happen if you creatively disagreed on something?
Jeff: Our collaboration has been pretty terrific every step of the way. In our first brainstorming sessions, we talked about all of our ideas and ultimately put them together into a first draft. Because I don’t play any instruments, Jacob was tasked with writing all of the music. Often I would have an idea for a song and would give him some lyrics; however, sometimes he would have an idea for a song, and we would add lyrics afterward.
As we learned more and more about writing, we read through our script, alternating lines, and would make revision after revision. I’m not sure we’ve ever really disagreed about our show. We have a very similar sense of humor and taste in music, and are both willing to defer to the other if we feel they have more knowledge on a specific issue.
Jacob: I’m not sure you’ll find many smoother collaborations out there. Being a father/son duo, we both know pretty well what the other will think is good. We think the same jokes are funny, the same stories are touching, and the same songs are good (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree).
Dad is really great at coming up with creative and funny ideas for songs, and I’m really good at executing them. We don’t really ever disagree in the sense of being on opposite sides of an idea, but rather on what best represents what we want to put on stage. The best part about the collaboration is that we are always willing to try the other person’s idea, step back and objectively make the best decision for the life of the show.
What’s the future for the show beyond this New York engagement?
Jeff: We are hoping to continue improving our show, with our sights set on the biggest stage in NYC: Broadway! From this engagement, we are hoping to attract some industry people who can see the potential in it (and in us) and are interested in pursuing further development.
Jacob: With medical stories having so much success in other forms of media, we are confident that interest will transfer to the Broadway audience and bring people in to experience the ER on stage. The medical community is so excited to have their story told on stage, that we have our sights set on the bright lights and big marquees. We are hoping to get our name out there and get big industry people to take an interest in the show and The Foys as a collaborative team.
How have you been able to manage the time between the demands of this show and your lives as a student and physician?
Jeff: It’s definitely been a challenge. The hardest part for me has been when I’ve had to be away from home, as I have a wife and three small children in Indiana. My wife has been extremely understanding and willing to do all that is necessary to allow me to be in NYC when needed, and my three younger kids have been our biggest fans. They wear their Emergency shirts to school and talk about it with their friends. My youngest son reads the script and goes to sleep listening to the soundtrack, while my daughters like to talk about rehearsals, casting and the creative process with me. They can’t wait for our opening night!
Jacob: Very carefully! Having such a jumpstart on my career is amazing, but it’s incredibly difficult to remain grounded in the present at school and at work, while also trying to plan and work for the future. Thankfully, the experience of balancing my Indiana life and my New York life has prepared me very well for when I do eventually move to New York and pursue my dreams full-time, because I will already have the time management skills necessary to live and work on professional theater while maintaining a steady job.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Emergency, created by Jeff Foy and Jacob Foy, plays through Aug. 25 at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York City. The production is part of New York Theater Festivals’ Summerfest. Click here for more information and tickets.
