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As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Claybourne Elder will release a studio recording of his popular one-man show, If the Stars Were Mine. Now, it has been confirmed that the recording will be available beginning April 3 from Center Stage Records. Produced by Elder and Andrew House and co-produced by Bryan Perri, this marks his debut album. Pre-save/pre-order the recording here.
In the live show, which Elder has described as “a cross between standup, a piece of theater, and a cabaret act,” the Company alum performs his favorite music from Stephen Sondheim, the Great American Songbook, Whitney Houston, and beyond, also exploring sex, fatherhood, and religion. Elder has performed the show across stages in New York, Massachusetts, Utah, London and more.
Regarding his inspiration for the album, Elder says, “To me, the songs feel like journal entries. I’ve always lived somewhere between a song and a punchline, and this album holds those contradictions without apology: faith and queerness, humor and longing, Broadway and Whitney Houston. It’s not a playlist—it’s a map of my heart. If someone listens and recognizes a piece of themselves, or feels a little less alone for three minutes at a time—that would be enough for me. I’ve gotten to hide inside some great characters in my career–someone else’s feelings, someone else’s story. Now I’m taking those words and making them my own.”
Throughout his career, Claybourne has received nominations from award bodies including the Grammys, Screen Actors Guild, Drama Desk, and Lucille Lortel. Recently, Elder is known for playing John Adams on HBO’s hit series The Gilded Age and for his turn on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning revival of Company. His stage career also includes Bonnie and Clyde, Sunday in the Park with George, Torch Song, Wild Party and Sondheim on Sondheim, among many others.
Beyond the stage and screen, Elder is the founder of City of Strangers, an initiative that provides free Broadway tickets to people who might not otherwise have access. The program has given away more than 3,500 tickets and has received national attention from This American Life, CBS This Morning, and The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Of the album, Elder continues, “If the Stars Were Mine’ started as a song I sing to my son at bedtime—something I’ve done almost every night of his life. I had gotten so used to singing in front of people that sitting in the quiet dark with him and singing reminded me of how lovely and intimate a song can be. When I set out to make this album, I wanted to make music that had that intimacy and felt more like me than a character.”
To celebrate the release of the album, Elder will perform a series of album release concerts at New York’s cabaret venue 54 Below. He will perform selections from If The Stars Were Mine with live shows at 54 Below on April 3, 4 and 15. Tickets are available now here.
Photo Credit: Sam Pickart
