7pm on Saturday March 18th @ Palm Desert Civic Center Park
By Morgan James
Although each person in this world walks his own path, we are not alone. So many of us share in similar experiences, good and bad, learning and growing into our own, along the way. Kara Aubrey has created an incredible way to showcase this in her upcoming Rock Opera- UNTAMED. “More than a concert, it’s a music-driven live-action drama, expressed through a multimedia synthesis of pop and edgy hard-rock music, sequenced with dynamic dance and drama.” I spoke with Kara Aubrey about her inspiration for the show and how it came about, what kind of talent she has brought on board, and what audiences can expect from this exciting, free, special event.
MJ: What was your inspiration for writing Untamed?
KA: “The readers might find interesting that the whole Rock Opera came from a song I wrote in Nashville in 2007. The goal of that song was sort of a declaration of a generation to be free and truly alive. Not living in someone else’s opinion of who we are, what they say about who we should be. We would be who we were meant to be. The song is called “Untamed.” It’s incredible that 9 years later that song becomes a Rock Opera. I had no idea. That wasn’t planned.”
“My inspiration was that the idea of our generation, myself and others, is that we just want to be known. We want to be understood and for someone to relate to us and because of that we try different relationships, we try different jobs, and there are even addictions that go on because we are trying these things to find ourselves. We get caught between what we want and what we really need just like in the story. So my inspiration has been myself, my friends, and our generation in general. I love that this is the story of us, of our generation. It is relatable to everyone and who we are. I have experienced some of those things and some of my friends have experienced some of those things and so some of these issues really hit close to home. Now seeing the way our culture is going, this idea to be free and recognized is important.”
MJ: Do you feel that in our current generation, social media plays a part in us wanting to be recognized?
KA: “I think it magnifies it for sure. With Facebook profiles, we might be trying to show that we have the best scenario going on when really it might not be that way. We are trying to build these reputations up and so concerned about what people think of me, etc. That worry and concern that has always been there is just magnified now because life has truly become a stage for each and every one of us.”
MJ: What exactly is the storyline of Untamed?
KA: “It is an epic clash of a young man who is caught between what he desires and what his destiny is. He is on this adventure in life, as so many of us are, and he is just trying to find himself. We are all just trying to find out who we are and what we are made of. The young man goes through different relationships and school and different jobs and he is doing life his own way, but he is finding that things are not turning out the way he thought it would. He is caught in this web he created and he is pulled between what he wants and what he really needs. It is really the age old story of the tension between good and evil. Of course he gets to the end of himself and realizes that he needs help, he needs a hero. So there is relationship drama, like any good story, and violent drama, you name it, he has gotten himself into it.”
MJ: You held this show last year for the first time. How has the Rock Opera evolved from last year to the present production?
KA: “The footprint is similar, but it has new music in it and some new drama as well. The whole vibe of it has basically been taken up a notch. If you saw it last year, you will definitely want to see it again this year!”
MJ: What type of talent have you brought on board this year?
KA: “There will be about 30 people on stage involved in the production and they are almost all local talent. We have brought on board actors, singers, dancers, and musicians. One of those guys is Brad Mercer who will be one of our celebrity guests. Pat Henderson is our band manager for Untamed. He has a long history in music. His father was the percussionist for Earth, Wind, and Fire. Also Daniel Harrison will be involved. He is a music artist. Also, Dustin Ingham is a music artist and involved. We have a lot of talent. All of them are listed on the website. We will also be showcasing local artists by having art displays.”
MJ: What are your goals for the future of Untamed?
KA: “We have already had offers for 2018 to take this show out of state. So our goal is to tour for 2018 and bring this all over the country.”
Rock opera trailer: https://youtu.be/JilP8xXijD4
Website: www.ToBeUntamed.com
