Zoe Sarnak: The Rock-Infused Composer Behind ‘Empire Records: The Musical’
As a teenager in New Jersey, Zoe Sarnak was a star soccer player, earning her place in the Princeton High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Her position? "Center mid," she said in a recent interview. "The one who runs the most." Little did she know that this endurance would serve her well in her future endeavors as a composer and lyricist.
Sarnak’s sound is a fusion of 1990s alt-rock and modern pop, with a penchant for catchy hooks and memorable melodies. Her music has been praised for its anthemic quality, with critics noting that her songs are designed to get stuck in your head.
In May, Berkeley Repertory Theater premiered "Galileo," a musical with a score by Sarnak and composer Michael Weiner, in which science and religion duke it out. A few days later, a retooled version of "The Lonely Few," a heated love story between two rockers, opened at MCC in New York. Now, Sarnak is back in her hometown, Princeton, with "Empire Records: The Musical," an adaptation of the 1995 grunge-adjacent teen film that begins previews at the McCarter theater on September 6.
A Conversation with Zoe Sarnak
I had the opportunity to speak with Sarnak three times over the summer, each conversation taking place at a different location attached to a different project. In one of our conversations, she reflected on her childhood, where music was always present. "I started playing the guitar at 7, and I started composing in childhood," she said. "It took me a while to see music as a passion to be taken seriously. Music was my secret single behavior."
When Harvard introduced secondary concentrations in her junior year, Sarnak chose music, a first step toward making the relationship official. For her thesis, she wrote a musical, "The Quad," that was performed at the university’s experimental theater. Producers saw it and told Sarnak she could do that music thing, so she decided to give it a go.
A Dance-Theater Project
Sarnak has also been working on a dance-theater project called "Bodies of Work," an anthology of her songs set to dance, created with director and choreographer Jennifer Jancuska. The project is a way to take stock of her body of work, and to explore what it means to look at a body of work while it’s still in formation.
Upcoming Projects
In addition to "Empire Records," Sarnak has at least three more projects in progress, including one about Eleanor Roosevelt that is in early stages. The first to get a public viewing is "Split," about a former Los Alamos scientist on a road trip with her daughter in the 1950s. A developmental production at the New London Barn Playhouse in New Hampshire runs September 5-8, in collaboration with the Off Broadway company Transport Group.
The other, "Particle Fever," which had its first reading in June, is about a very un-rock subject: physics. The book is by playwright David Henry Hwang, and Sarnak is writing the songs with Bear McCreary, the popular composer behind many scores for the screen and for video games.
Conclusion
Zoe Sarnak’s music is a testament to the power of rock-infused pop to connect with audiences. Her sound is a fusion of 1990s alt-rock and modern pop, with a penchant for catchy hooks and memorable melodies. With multiple projects in the works, Sarnak is sure to continue making waves in the music and theater worlds.
FAQs
Q: What inspired your sound?
A: I grew up listening to Green Day, Salt-N-Pepa, No Doubt, TLC, and Nirvana. I wanted to create music that reflected those influences.
Q: How do you approach writing songs?
A: Every single chorus must do something different, and if it doesn’t, then we’re theatrically arrested. I want to create music that is both catchy and meaningful.
Q: What do you hope audiences take away from your music?
A: I hope they feel like they know the song by the end, not to distance them from music. Music, to me, is communal in its best form.
Q: What’s your process like when working on a new project?
A: I try to immerse myself in the material and get a sense of the world and characters. I also draw from my own experiences and emotions to create authentic lyrics and melodies.
Q: How do you balance your creative pursuits with your personal life?
A: It can be challenging, but I prioritize my relationships and make sure to take time for myself. I’m also learning to say no to projects that don’t align with my values or goals.
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