Interview: Sarah Anne Fernandez Brings DON'T FORGET ME Back to The Green Room 42

What do you have to do to have your story told? Throughout Broadway’s lush and varied repertoire, we’ve seen the stories of real women who have existed in history come to life on stage. But why them, and why musicals? Following a sold-out run last spring, Sarah Anne Fernandez brings Don’t Forget Me to The Green Room 42 on January 13, 2025at 7 pm.-The show explores women in history whose stories have made it to the bright lights of Broadway. From The Sound of Music to SIX and everything else in between, Fernandez takes us on a musical journey through the stories and legacies of some of history’s most beloved, controversial, and iconic women. With vocals that leave reviewers “mesmerized and thunderstruck,” Don’t Forget Me ponders the question - have these musicals handled these women’s legacies with care, or have they instead perpetuated false narratives that tell a different tale?

We spoke to Fernandez about the encore performance of the show and what will be different this time around.

What are you most looking forward to about bringing Don't Forget Me back to DTM?

I think what I’m most looking forward to is seeing how this version of the show resonates with an audience. There have been a few changes made since I last did it in March, and they feel really timely and poignant, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing how people feel about them. I’m also just excited to get to do it again - Don’t Forget Me is sort of my passion project, and I’m really lucky that it’s resonated with a lot of people because it means I never stop working on it. I sincerely enjoy the historical research side of it and, of course, performing these beautiful songs... I’m looking forward to doing both in January!

What have you changed or revised since you did the show in 2024?

I think it’s hard not to make revisions if you’re given the chance to, and mine felt two-fold for this encore. I knew I wanted to make a few technical changes (sometimes you think of the perfect joke for your between-song dialogue after the show is already over), and I also knew that this show had to grow with the times we are living in. A show that celebrates women and their history couldn’t stay the same as it was in March of 2024 after I, as an artist and woman, experienced November of that same year. We’re at a point in time where women’s rights (and the rights of many others) are frighteningly in flux in our country. As an artist, my response to that kind of fear will always be to take action. Telling women’s stories and examining how we handle their legacies felt important - maybe we can learn something from them? Maybe they’re our escape for an hour and a half? Or maybe we just need to remember that they’ve been where we are and overcame it… so maybe we can, too. The show, at large, remains the same, but the intention behind it all has shifted for me significantly. I’m looking forward to sharing this version with an audience and seeing what they think.

What kind of feedback did you get on the first performance?

The first performance got wonderful feedback, and it really blew me away. I was lucky to get wonderful written reviews and even luckier that I was asked back to do an encore. I’m so glad that people have resonated with Don’t Forget Me and want to hear and know more about it, especially because it truly is such a passion project for me. I’ve always loved history and musical theatre, and always wanted to find a way to marry the two for myself. The idea for Don’t Forget Me began more as a musing when I was in college. I was obsessed with my theatre studies classes and learning the history of musicals. Once we began studying historical musicals, I became fascinated with the idea that a lot of these musicals written about women’s real lives didn’t actually match their lives at all. I knew there was an idea of a show in that, but I didn’t quite know what it was. Years and years later, I realized it was a concert, and eventually Don’t Forget Me was born. The fact that other people also think that my historical and musical theater nerdiness is cool is kind of nuts to me, but I’m loving every second of it. 

Have you come across any interesting historical tidbits doing research for this? Can you share one with us?

There has been SO much interesting history that I have learned. While building this show, I created a list of every woman who has ever had a musical written about her life - basically making a list of every musical and woman that was eligible to be used in Don’t Forget Me. Then I went in and did a lot of research about their lives. I wanted to know more than what you could read on a Wikipedia page; wanted to know why someone picked them to write a musical about, of all things? I really ended up narrowing down my setlist based on the stories that fascinated me. I think a lot of the women featured in Don’t Forget Me are ones that people already know a bit about, but I love the fact that this show digs a little deeper and makes sure we know more about these women than just their pop culture personas.

My favorite interesting historical tidbit is probably all of the research I’ve done on Hedda Hopper. She’s featured in the 2012 musical Chaplin, and in Don’t Forget Me, and was a wildly fascinating lady, though not really a household name. She was one of America’s first gossip columnists and was the driving force behind the creation of the Hollywood blacklist. She was also well known for wearing extravagant hats, so much so that the IRS allowed her a $5,000 annual tax deduction on them as a work expense. Even wilder - during World War II, the Nazis used photos of her in her extravagant hats as propaganda, using her as a symbol for “American decadence.” This is all just the tip of the iceberg - she hated Charlie Chaplin for no apparent reason and made it her life’s mission to take him down, was cursed out by Elizabeth Taylor at a movie premiere, had multiple publicized feuds with other gossip columnists, and so much more. Her life was WILD. She deserves a musical all her own, and I’m ready for the day it happens.

What have you been listening to lately?

I mean, the honest answer is the new setlist to this show! I’ve been learning new lyrics and building up stamina. But when I’m not working on the show, I’ve been listening a lot to The Tortured Poets Department - Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album. She’s jokingly called it “Female Rage: The Musical” and it really does have that vibe. It’s been a great companion to building this show, and I think it’s lyrically some of her best work.

What are your next plans for yourself, and for this show?

My hope is that this show continues to grow! I’d like to take it on tour eventually or do it regionally… I think it’s important for these women’s stories to be told and I’d love to share them with as many people as I can! As for me, I’m having a wonderful time building this show and seeing its potential alongside being a working actor. I’m not sure exactly what’s next yet but I’m looking forward to seeing what that is.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you for taking the time to read this! If anything interested you - come see the show! I think it has something for everyone and I’m really looking forward to sharing it once again. Maybe even with you!

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Tickets to Don’t Forget Me are available on the Green Room 42’s website

Read Sharon Ellman's review of last year's performance of Don't Forget Me.

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