Interview: Kyle Camay of STRIKING 12: THE NEW GROOVELILY MUSICAL at Minneapolis Musical Theater

On New Year's Eve, an over-worked and under-inspired single guy who's had enough of holiday cheer makes a resolution: to stay home and go to bed early. On another New Year's Eve, a continent away-and more than a century earlier-Hans Christian Andersen's Little Match Girl tries unsuccessfully to sell her matches in the snow.

The two stories are brought together when a young woman selling special "full-spectrum holiday light bulbs" to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder shows up at the grumpy man's door. Though the man (who probably could use the bulbs) seems to enjoy the young woman's company, he sends her away. It's not until he reads "The Little Match Girl" that he is finally pulled out of his funk.

We chat with Kyle Camay about this production.

Do you have a favorite song in the show?

My favorite song is definitely Can't Go Home. Not only do Maddie Kadlec and Nick Manthe sing it extremely well, but it's the kind of song that you can't refuse to bob your head to. Especially when the guitar solo hits.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show?

The BEST moment in the show is when we are all party guests in Nick's imagination and we're essentially taunting him and reminding him why parties aren't really the vibe for the man's New Years' plans. There are many fun tableau's and funny lines that happen in that sequence that will give the audience a lot to experience!

How was working with the cast and the creative team?

Of course, when asked this question, nobody ever wants to say anything bad about their cast/team. And I won't break that trope because I genuinely don't have anything bad to say about anyone in this production! We're all just a bunch of artists wanting to perform some really good music and create art for people that want some cool holiday jams (even though most of the songs aren't necessarily holiday related)!

What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing this production?

I obviously don't want to spoil any plot details or anything like that, but the audience should leave with the reminder that this season is about giving and uplifting. That doesn't necessarily mean you should take all the money in your bank account to give away to random people on the street (as cool as that would be), but it means we should keep an eye out for those who may need help or those aren't super joyous during this festive part of the year.

What are your favorite local spots?

THE MOST UNDERRATED SPOT FOR A SICK VIEW OF MINNEAPOLIS -> Ridgeway Parkway Park in St. Anthony/Northeast. It's a great place to have a picnic, to go see the skyline, go for a little walk, or to bring a first date!

Thank you, Kyle!

For my ticket and show information, click the ticket link button below.

Photo Credit: J Carlson Photography