Robert Bannon is Jersey all the way. He grew up in Ridgefield Park and remembers those days with “Rewind,” recorded live at Greenroom 42 in New York City. “Rewind” is a live album about growing up in the 80s in Bergen County, NJ, with the music and stories that have shaped him. The album, produced by Director Robbie Rozelle, Music Director Yashuiko Fukuoka, and Robert, has classics that are known but never performed with the backstory “Rewind” provides.
Musical theater classics like What You Own from Rent are done as a solo piece instead of the classic duet. The song is coupled with Robert’s story about auditioning for Rent on Broadway and how that changed his life. You hear his tales of a first date to I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and his love of Liza in World Goes Round. The ultimate tribute is to his role model, Barry Manilow, with a Mega Manilow Medley that lets the inner Fanilow out! Bannon smiled and told us, “I was 12 years old and got a karaoke machine for my birthday. It was destiny that the sample cassette tape had Mandy on it. I heard the first few bars and was hooked.”
FUN & NOSTALGIA
While the music, fun, and nostalgia are a huge part of the album and stage show, Bannon made heart and connection the album’s focal point. From reminiscing about the music his parents loved to thinking back about watching The Muppets, the heartbeat is love and acceptance. “In a time where so many are judged, feel anxious, and long for connection, I intended to show that we all have more in common than apart. Even if you are from Minnesota in the 1930s, I promise you will relate,” says Bannon
The music includes Dolly Parton, Harry Chapin, Peter Allen, and Robert’s classic Pride anthem, I Think He Knew, written by Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews. It expresses the sides of Robert that many have come to know: a 5th grade schoolteacher, queer advocate, talk show host, and actor. He has become a staple on red carpets around NYC speaking to the stars at premieres of Broadway shows, galas, and film festivals, but this is the most intimate portrayal of his life yet. He says the courage to tell his story comes from the team around him. Rozelle, who directed the piece and Fukuoka, who plays piano and arranged this concert/album, have been vital. “They are why I get to have fun, get lost, and tell this story. I come to them with wild ideas and always ready for the challenge,” says Bannon. “I hope that someone is listening to this album and realizes that the best is yet to come for them, and that life’s twists and turns usually lead you where you need to be.”
HITTING A MILESTONE
When Bannon is not singing or performing, he hosts The Roundtable virtual talk show which The Broadway Podcast Network recently picked up. Speaking to artists about their lives and journeys, how they turned lemons into lemonade, allowed Bannon to think about his life and times. “I turned 40 on Halloween. I am not a birthday person, but this one is funny. It seems like a milestone, a chance for reflection. I still have so much to do and am so grateful for the ride.”
One thing is sure: Robert is ready to press fast forward and on to whatever is next.
For more information on Robert Bannon,
visit roberbannon.com