Michael Marotta returns to the Playhouse to helm Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, after performing in the 2014 production. In this Q&A, he shares insights about the musical’s themes and storytelling as well as his stage direction and favorite Clooney songs.

What do you feel contributed to Rosemary Clooney's artistry? What made her a singular entertainer?

Rosie embodied the All-American girl next door. She exuded warmth with a genuine smile. Unlike other popular celebrities of the day, she always felt like someone you could be friends with.

Which themes in Tenderly are most special for you?

There are many but the obvious one is that of survival. Fame vs. personal identity would be a close second. Certainly, mental health and recovery. Heartbreak, love and complicated relationships, motherhood under pressure, and ultimately, reinvention and longevity.

What surprised you about Rosemary's life when you first read the script?

Probably the fact that so few people really knew anything about her. Even those closest to her. She did a very good job of hiding the fact that life wasn’t as rosy (pardon the pun) as it seemed.

How have you envisioned the show as director?

The goal for me is communicating to the audience how Rosie circumvented her problems and managed to rise above them. The centrifugal nature of her story, the patterns that repeated themselves, seem circular in nature and I strived to use that convention in the storytelling.

What makes Tenderly unique from other bio-musicals?

Rosie’s humble beginnings in near poverty to her meteoric rise to fame, her All-American girl next door appeal, her struggles to stay in the game while musical tastes changed, her hitting bottom then reemerging and rising to the top again, all encapsulate the classic American Dream. It makes for a very exciting evening.

Do you find Tenderly’s use of flashbacks a great storytelling device?

I have always felt that Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman devised a very clever way to share Rosie’s story by utilizing flashbacks. They are not only entertaining but inform us and help us understand how her path was paved by the people along the way: family, friends, lovers, all of whom contributed to creating Rosemary Clooney. And it’s a tour de force for the actor who gets to play all those characters. That’s always fun for the audience.

What are your favorite songs from Rosemary's catalogue?

Hey There has always been a favorite of mine. Count Your Blessings and Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair are a close second. Being Italian I do love Mambo Italiano. Sway is such a great sensual song of yearning. I’ve used Sisters several times in writing parody lyrics for special occasions. I guess you can say I love them all!

What do you hope audiences take away from Tenderly?

I know they’ll enjoy hearing these wonderful songs both for nostalgic reasons and to know they continue to have an impact. I trust they will embrace the actors we’ve chosen to share this story. I hope they’ll go home feeling that they know Rosie better than before and love her even more.

Michael Marotta and Susan Haefner in the 2014 production of Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical. Photo by Sandy Underwood.