When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” how many kids say, “I want to play the cello in a major orchestra with a famous conductor and travel the world”? But that’s what happened to National Symphony Orchestra cellist Yvonne Caruthers, originally from Spokane, WA. “I didn’t grow up in a family of musicians, I grew up in a family that went backpacking in the North Cascade mountains. We skinny-dipped in icy cold lakes, caught fish for breakfast, and watched baby mountain goats frolic in snowfields. No wonder my peers in music school thought I was a bit…..different.”
In Search of the Perfect G-String is based on Yvonne’s life experiences. And what a life it’s been—from student days at Tanglewood to great concert halls around the world, interspersed, of course, with countless hours in lonely practice rooms….which also gave her time to speculate on….’personal’ items.
“At first I thought I’d assemble my stories into a book, but the publishing world has gotten increasingly complicated in the past few years, so I put the project on hold. One day it occurred to me that these stories could come to life onstage, which is, after all, where I spend a good deal of time.”
Working with Theresa Gambacorta, a NYC-based actress and performance coach, Yvonne spent several weeks in 2012 writing the script for G-String. “Theresa’s objectivity was invaluable. She was patient but tough when it came to cutting out scenes that didn’t move the story along. And she was the one who suggested I should perform the music associated with each scene.”
At first Yvonne was hesitant about playing her cello during a theatrical performance. “Yet I knew Theresa was right: I associate important events with the music I heard or played at that time, so playing my cello during the show makes it more authentic. It takes practice, but practicing is second nature to me.”
“You’ll have to see the show to understand the suggestive title, but I’m hoping this show is really going to ‘take off’.”
The show is appropriate for mature teens and older.
In Search of the Perfect G-String
