Hello Dianna Nation! Dianna starts her two-week long Café Carlyle Residency tonight (her third time at the legendary Manhattan nightclub), and for that occasion she did a great new interview with Broadway World. This interview gave us so much new and exciting information! For starters, Dianna will start shooting a new film right after her time at Café Carlyle. According to her, this is a psychological horror film that will began shooting next month in Austin.

Stay tuned for updates this coming week, as we will of course share any photos, videos or interviews related to Café Carlyle!

When Dianna Agron takes the stage at the Cafe Carlyle tomorrow night, it will be her third time to play the legendary Manhattan nightclub. A singing actress for almost as long as she has been a hotel-dweller, the innovative artist takes great pride and much joy in being a part of the re-opening of the nightclub where played such important artists as Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch, and Bobby Short. Always taking great care to curate music for her shows that will create a musical experience for her devoted audiences, Ms. Agron has spent the last month meticulously lining up compositions that will give the people sitting in the seats out front that which she feels is most valuable at this time: joy.

Before taking those exciting first steps onto the stage tomorrow night, Dianna Agron took out a few minutes to take a call today from Broadway World Cabaret to discuss the importance of indie film making, the experience of watching New York City come back to life after the lockdown, and why her choice of music right now is songs that she took no part in creating.

Dianna Agron, welcome to Broadway World! How are you today?

Oh, I’m very happy, I’m in a very good mood. We had a beautiful rehearsal yesterday and I just feel very excited for tomorrow.

How long have you guys been rehearsing for this one?

The past week – yesterday was our second rehearsal.

How exciting is two weeks at the Cafe Carlyle?

I know! I’ve been thinking about it – the last time we played was 2019, and it’s been closed these last two years. I just feel so honored and privileged to be one of the people that is part of the opening. It’s just very exciting for me.

Have you had a chance to get your land legs back yet?

It was interesting yesterday. First rehearsals are always a little bit disjointed, everybody’s getting together for the first time and familiarizing themselves with the material, et cetera, et cetera. And yesterday just felt so good and grounded, and we were able to turn off all the house lights and set the stage as it will be tomorrow evening, and it just felt so good. It definitely feels as if it’s been a few years because it has been but by the end of rehearsal yesterday it was just so tangible and real, and it’s funny how quickly it’s come up. We have had this set for the last months but always, the night before is like first day of school jitters.

I remember the first day of school!

(Laughing) It’s been a long time for me!

So, The Carlyle… that’s your place here in the city. What is it about the Carlyle that resonates with you?

I’ve been going to that hotel since I was in my early twenties… and I grew up living in hotels, which was a very unusual experience. My father worked as a general manager. I was born living in a hotel, I lived in a home for six years just after that, and then the rest of my young adult life was spent living in a hotel. So, I am always very comfortable in a hotel, my job also lends itself to being out of town a lot for work and, again, living in hotels and that is, honestly, my dream hotel. You have the beauty in the history, it’s in New York City and then you have Bemelmans and The Cafe. What more could you want of a space?

Right?

I remember when I was moving to New York, thinking if I could ever play that room, that is just such a dream. And so the fact that I’m about to play for the third time, I just want to pinch myself. I feel truly, truly so lucky.

You have spent some time living in New York City, haven’t you?

I’ve been here for about six years now. This is home for me.

Did you do the quarantine here in the city?

Partially – I started off near the water, in Long Island, and then I returned to the city by the summer. WHAT an interesting experience.

Wasn’t it crazy!

Truly so wild. It was beautiful to see how the city came alive again, slowly but surely, and the community aspect of it. I felt so much joy seeing people that I hadn’t seen, again, and watching businesses adapt and find new ways to involve themselves in the community. It was truly wild. Were you here?

My husband and I went into our apartment and locked the door for six months.

Wow.

You’re right about the community aspect of the city. Unless a person lives here, they don’t know just how much of a community it is here.

Truly one of the great joys of living here is that you get to walk down the street, bump into friends, bump into the person that works at your bookstore, the person that you see at your dry cleaner or wherever, there’s a real familiarity with everyone who is involved in your neighborhood, and then some. I think that’s super beautiful. I can’t understand not wanting that in your environment.

I agree. So you’re a New Yorker now, what do we have to do to get you out of the nightclub and onto Broadway?

HA! It would not be so hard! I think it just has to be the right thing. I have certain list items that would be a big yes – it just has to be one of those things.

So speaking of Broadway, in your work as a singing storyteller, you’ve done everything from Broadway to Top 40. When you’re putting together a nightclub act, where do you find yourself gravitating to create your evening?

This show is really embedded in jazz music. I really wanted to lean in. There’s this Nina Simone Song “I Love to Love” that was the first song that felt right for the set list, and then everything kind of started coming from there… a lot of Blossom Dearie, and Eartha Kitt, and a Bobby Short song because how can we not give him a nod in that room? I wanted it to be fun and playful, and I think that’s a product of what we’ve come out of, and the fact that this is the first month that it’s open, I really wanted to make sure that I was surrounding myself and the people in the room with love and joy. I didn’t want things to be too serious, if that makes sense.

(Read the full article at the source here – and make sure you do, as it’s a great one!)