On July 13, Rachel Bloom, Adam Schlesinger, and Jack Dolgen earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Musical and Lyrics. Take a look at 半岛体育鈥檚 2016 interview with Bloom:
Vulture named Crazy Ex-Girlfriend the Best Television Show of 2016鈥攁nd it鈥檚 hard to argue with the choice. A full-out musical comedy, created by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) with songs by Bloom, Jack Dolgen and EGOT nominee Adam Schlesinger, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend follows Rebecca Bunch, a depressed New York attorney who impulsively moves to California after bumping into her So-Cal summer camp ex-boyfriend, Josh Chan. As Rebecca and Josh (played by Anything Goes alum Vincent Rodriguez III) carry on a blurry friendship built on lies, she finds complications in Josh鈥檚 sardonic best friend Greg (Tony nominee Santino Fontana) and invaluable friendship (and a co-conspirator) in new co-worker Paula (Drama Desk winner Donna Lynne Champlin).
While the honest writing, spot-on performances, and original musical numbers have captured critical acclaim, most distinctive, however, is the show鈥檚 unprecedented tone.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to present a nuanced portrayal of people and what it takes to be happy,鈥� says Bloom. The show and its songs ease between blunt social commentary, oddball cynicism, situational comedy, and emotional vulnerability without conforming to any one box. The score oscillates from hip-hop and R&B (鈥淭he Sexy Getting Ready Song鈥�) to MGM dance musicals (鈥淪ettle for Me鈥�), from grunge rock (鈥淭extmergency鈥�) to show tune (鈥淎fter Everything I Have Done For You鈥�). Still, Bloom describes the musical genre of her show as more classical musical theatre. 鈥淲hen we write the songs, we look at the emotional high and low points of the episode鈥攖he same as writing a musical,鈥� she says.
Every episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is its own mini-musical. In Bloom鈥檚 writing, the old-school Sondheim philosophy (when the emotion is too strong to speak, you sing) meets the audacity of new-school Parker and Stone.
Bloom likes to find 鈥渙ur twist on musicals,鈥� and that is reflected in the references she sprinkles in for her audience. Her 鈥淔looded with Justice鈥� anthem, when the plaintiffs in a country water dispute case gather on the steps of the courthouse, distinctly nods to 鈥淒o You Hear the People Sing鈥�; and the aforementioned 鈥淎fter Everything I Have Done for You鈥� could be named 鈥淧aula鈥檚 Turn.鈥�
But what Bloom and company create with references remains specific to Rebecca and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
鈥淭here are very few songs we do on the show where it鈥檚 like, 鈥榃ell, this is going to be a musical theatre song,鈥� [but] we usually have to have some sort of target, right?鈥� Bloom explains. 鈥淩ather than 鈥楻ebecca鈥檚 going to sing some sort of musical theatre song to rally the troops,鈥� it鈥檚, 鈥榃ell, it鈥檚 The Music Man, and what鈥檚 our take on The Music Man?鈥欌赌�
The hybrid feel of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend reflects the convergence of these ideas, Bloom and McKenna鈥檚 improvisational and collaborative writing process, and Bloom鈥檚 mixed bag of influences.
When it comes to her performance icons, musical theatre broads rule the roost. 鈥淚 only listened to show tunes until I was 20- or 21-years-old, so Carol Burnett, Ethel Merman, Vivian Blaine, Faith Prince, Mary Testa鈥︹€� she rattles off, 鈥淧atti LuPone, Bernadette Peters. Each of these women approach performance [in a way that] is so unique to them. The way that Bernadette Peters attacks a song is completely different from Audra McDonald鈥攂ut they鈥檙e both amazing. Looking at these extremely talented women and how there are so many ways to approach performing and so many ways to express your talent [is inspiring].鈥�
Bloom鈥檚 appreciation of theatre icons shines through her portrayal (a Golden Globe-winning one at that) of Rebecca. But when asked about her writing influences, the list quickly veers from musical comedy. While Mel Brooks makes the list, Weird Al Yankovic, Flight of the Conchords, and The Lonely Island are at the top.
鈥淎s a comedy songwriter, most of my influences up until recently were men because that seemed like that was what was available,鈥� says Bloom.
That is, until Bloom discovered Julie Brown (鈥淐ause I鈥檓 a Blonde,鈥� 鈥淭he Homecoming Queen鈥檚 Got a Gun鈥�). 鈥淭hat was the first time I saw a woman doing comedy music videos,鈥� she says.
Bloom has joined a small, but important, club. When it comes to cable television, Bloom, who earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, is one of the first of her kind.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is not just another example of musical theatre at its apex in popular culture. Bloom, in particular, marks the forward movement in building a legacy of comedic women songwriters.
But she鈥檚 not done flipping tables yet. That theme song she was nominated for? It鈥檚 getting the axe for Season 2. 鈥淭he first theme song doesn鈥檛 apply,鈥� says Bloom. 鈥淲e like each season having a different overall emotional thesis statement.鈥�
In its premiere season, Rebecca was in denial over her motivations for moving to California, while yo-yoing between feelings for Josh and Greg. But [SPOILER ALERT] in the final moments of the season finale, Rebecca confesses her love to Josh, telling him that she moved to West Covina for him. This season, 鈥淩ebecca鈥檚 more outwardly in love, and she is more outwardly pursuing her goals, and there is less subtext to her interactions,鈥� explains Bloom. So Bloom and her co-writers have written a theme to match.
Come the October 21 premiere, it鈥檚 a whole new song, a whole new Rebecca, and, hopefully, a whole new world for musical comedy and its female writers.
This article was originally published October 19, 2016 prior to the Season 2 premiere. Season 3 will premiere October 13 on The CW.
