Different Drummer: The Journey from Page to Stage

June 12, 2019 by

It started out as a college project and haunted me for more than 20 years. The story of a singing, female drummer in 1979 Brooklyn desperately trying to “make it” is the symphony of every underdog—everyone who was ever told they couldn’t, everyone who was ever told they weren’t good enough.

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Catherine Gigante-Brown/ photo by Vinnie Corbo / Volossal Publishing

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Book setup at Music Matters in Park Slope / photo by Catherine Gigante-Brown

A few years ago, I finally turned Different Drummer into a novel. In it, Cara Funk (née Finklestein), a not-so-nice Jewish girl from the County of Kings, is rapidly approaching 30. This is Cara’s self-imposed last chance and she’s willing to sacrifice almost everything—friendship, love, family, her ideals—to succeed.

This quintessential tale of musical fortitude resonated with people across the country and around the world. Even if they never set foot in a glitzy Emmons Avenue catering hall. Even if they never rehearsed in a dingy Shore Parkway basement or went to Nathan’s at 2 am in the dead of winter, after a gig.

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At A Book Signing Event / Photo by Katy Clements

A few months after Different Drummer came out, a director approached me—“It sounds like your book wants to be a musical.” With Susan Einhorn’s help, I began transforming the novel into a tale for the stage. Hannah Hickok, an amazingly-talented composer, signed on to set Cara’s world to music. Vinnie Corbo, an awesome songwriter, created the hard-edged rock numbers. All we need is a producer to take on the project.

Hamilton took seven years to see the spotlight. The Different Drummer team has been at it for almost four. And we’ve got nothing if not Brooklyn tenacity. Stay tuned…