Q&A: David Cale

Who are your earliest influences?

Bette Midler, Joseph Chaikin, Samuel Beckett, Judy Garland, Sam Shepard, Harold Pinter, Ntozake Shange, John Guare, Laurie Anderson, Joni Mitchell.

Seeing Bette perform in London in the late ’ 70s was what really inspired me to do theatre, to try and affect people the way she was affecting me. It was kind of incredible that 10 years later I’d be a guest on her HBO special.

Which musician inspires you?

I love the band The National. Aaron and Bryce Dessner compose the music, and Matt Berninger and his wife Carin Besser write the lyrics. I’m inspired by Taylor Swift’s productivity and growth.

Where is the best place to write?

My house upstate New York.

Do you get writers’ block?

No, I don’t get it. I have periods where I’m more productive than others, but so far, I haven’t ground to a halt. (Tempting fate saying that!)

What gives you comfort or peace?

Poetry. Langston Hughes, Lucille Clifton, Mary Oliver, Rumi, etc. South Park and film noirs oddly relax me. And listening to Billie Holiday.

If you could have any singer perform your songs, who would it be?

Harry Styles.

Where do you find inspiration for a story?

A romance.

What solo performers inform your work?

Laurie Anderson, Karen Finley, John O’Keefe — his show Shimmer, Spalding Gray, Marie Brassard, a Canadian artist. Her piece Jimmy was a big influence on Harry Clarke.

What excites you most about revisiting Harry Clarke with the original team?

Watching Billy and Leigh work together and seeing where Billy’s extraordinary performance will go. It grows and grows and grows. It’s a living thing.

DAVID CALE'S 10-SONG PLAYLIST:

Shirley Horn "Here's to Life"

John Prine "Hello in There"

Joni Mitchell "Amelia"

Marvin Gaye "What's Going On?"

Leonard Cohen "A Thousand Kisses Deep"

Joan Armatrading "Love and Affection"

Aretha Franklin "Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)"

Joni Mitchell "Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig’s Tune) "

Moby "The Sky Is Broken"

Moby "My Weakness"