Interview: CATCHING UP! with Tyler Tafolla

Jan 20

Written By

Musical Theatre composer and performer Tyler Tafolla was very busy in 2023, having performed in his own shows like "Seasons" A New Musical Song-Cycle", premiered a new show "Danceland" in the fall, and performed as riff in Teatro San Diego's "West Side Story."

He isn’t wasting any of that momentum built last year, as he kicks off 2024 with his new show CATCHING UP!, an evening of music and original stories from Tyler and other San Diego performers on Saturday, January 27th @ 8pm at the City Heights Performance Annex in San Diego.

Tyler says being a part of so many theatrical projects with so many other artists last year helped inspire his passion for creating new and original pieces.

"2023 was a very packed year of my life. I feel incredibly honored and lucky to have been a part of so much theatre-making last year. I feel very blessed to have had a chance to share what I’ve been working on and what I have a great passion for with a bigger broader audience."

"I love creating new and original pieces and I so desperately want to have a life and career as a musical theatre writer and to do it on a grand scale where so many amazing people can be a part of it! I hope that this show will shine a light on the 10+ years of unseen hard work, dedication, and passion I’ve put into my writing and I hope this show can attract a whole new audience of people who might have never seen anything I’ve done yet."

CATCHING UP! is his newest show that spans his over a decade-long career in the industry, and showcases music from the three shows that he has written, SCOTT ROBBINS AND THE TRAVELING SHOW, SEASONS: A NEW MUSICAL SONG - CYCLE, and DANCELAND, as well as new pieces he has been writing. The show’s name comes from the feeling artists often have of always having to play catch up to get to where they need to be and what he has learned along the way.

"The show will span 10+ years of writing I have done and will culminate with something that I have been reminded of these last couple of years. That at the forefront of why we create should be for the love of creating new worlds and stories and doing it with people we love. I wanted to create a night of theatre that would give me the chance to speak about all the things I’ve been learning about myself, about the musical theatre industry, and what it means to devote one’s life to creating art."

"I will also be sharing stories about those early moments in my career and life when I felt like I had a lot of catching up to do. That’s why this new show is called 'Catching Up!'”

CATCHING UP! also features performances from other San Diego performers, including Janaya Mahealani Jones, Mikaela Macias & Megan Tafolla, and an amazing band featuring Taylor Peckham, Michael Oakley, and Ryan Tafolla. Tyler is thrilled to be able to work with them on this show and also showcase their talents as well.

"The people who are a part of this show are some of my dearest friends and some of them I have known for 20+ years! There is a shorthand we all have and a work ethic we have all curated over the years. Most importantly, it is just so much fun to work with them."

"I think the key to creating something when it comes to creating musical theatre or any new art, is to do it with people who are genuinely great, kind, and caring people at their core. Everyone who is part of this new piece, I consider them family. Some of them are my literal family! I grabbed the brass when it came to the incredibly talented, selfless, and caring people I have been surrounded by over the years."

This show also showcases a perspective shift in thinking about art, inspirations, and chasing your dreams that Tyler has had, thanks in no small part to his most important role of being a father.

"I have been trying to “make it big” as a musical theatre writer for many years now. Though my goals have stayed the same, my perspective has changed over the years. I am a father to an incredible seven-year-old now and more than anything, I want to make sure she is happy. If I can fill her life with magic and wonder through what I do or make, then that would have been just as fulfilling."

"If I can touch anyone else’s life through what I do as a writer or performer, then I will have done my job. I hope this new show can inspire people to chase after their dreams, but more than that, I hope it inspires people to chase after a happy life and a happy community."

How To Get Tickets

CATCHING UP! Is playing one night only on Saturday, January 27th @ 8pm at the City Heights Performance Annex in San Diego: 3795 Fairmount Ave. San Diego, CA 92105

You can find more details by visiting tylertafolla.com or you can RSVP by clicking the button below before Jan 27th to confirm a seat for the evening’s event.