I’m Okay
project by Pamela Kerr (Zebbug), Cordelia O’Driscoll (London), and The Quarantrio (Toronto)
A composer in London pitched a song to a trio of singers in Toronto, and then shared it with a choreographer in Zebbug. The result is a stunning, emotional marriage of gorgeous harmonies, expressive movement, and painful lyrics, set against a breathtaking Maltese backdrop.
This was our first trio in the Long Distance Art series. Pamela Kerr is a choreographer and dancer in Zebbug, Malta, whose beautiful work caught our eye when she submitted a dance piece in the Spring. Cordelia O’Driscoll is a very exciting musical theatre composer in London, UK, whose reached out after her work, which had been selected for presentation at the prestigious BEAM festival, had been cancelled. And then there’s The Quarantrio, which consists of Toronto artists Georgia Bennett, Joel Cumber, and Kelsey Verzotti. This incredible group of singers and actors (they also happen to be roommates), decided to put their voices together while facing careers that had to go on a sudden hiatus. Their YouTube channel is seriously excellent. Learn more about these amazing artists below.
Some words from composer Cordelia O’Driscoll:
The song the Quarantrio are singing in this collaboration is a song called ‘I’m Okay’ from BURIED, where one of the protagonists, Rose, is shaken by how much her new relationship with fellow psychopathic serial killer Harry has changed and affected her. She is reluctant to accept it, and this song is sung to her reflection, trying to regain control over her emotions. I had a lot of fun creating a new instrumental track for the Quarantrio to sing over, and have hugely enjoyed hearing their interpretation of the song with their truly beautiful voices. To then be able to watch it all come to life through Pamela’s incredible choreography has been so exciting. The whole project has been a really special privilege in such a weird time for all of us, and has really reiterated how important and life-affirming collaboration can be, even if it is as long distance as it can get!
Pamela Kerr
Pamela Kerr started her ballet training at the Tanya Bayona Academy. She spent some time studying at the London Studio Centre, and after returning to Malta resumed her dance training locally under the direction of Theresa Lungaro Mifsud. She also started exploring contemporary dance under the guidance of Francesca Abela Tranter. She participated in various festivals and performances, both locally and abroad. She has also collaborated with various dance artists and companies. In 2012 she became the Artistic Director of DanceWorks. Today Pamela works as a freelance choreographer, dancer and rehearsal director. In 2018 TAG, a performance she codirected and choreographed with Kostas Papamatthaiakis, was nominated for Best performance for young audiences for the 2017/2018 season. She has also been asked to be artistic coordinator of a V18 international project ‘Orfeo and Majnun’. Her work has been presented in various festivals. She teaches classical ballet at The Dance Workshop Malta.
Click here to see Pamela’s work on the Social Distancing Festival!
The Quarantrio
Born at the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Quarantrio is made up of three artists/roommates from Toronto, Ontario with a passion for three-part harmony. Kelsey Verzotti, Georgia Bennett and Joel Cumber are all graduates of Sheridan College's Music Theatre Performance Program, class of 2017, and have all separately worked on numerous stages around Canada.
They were honoured to get to collaborate with Cordelia and Pamela, two artists they never would have gotten the chance to work with if it weren't for the SDF and Long Distance Art, and hope you enjoy watching it as much as they enjoyed putting it together.
Check out their page on the Social Distancing Festival and their Youtube Channel for more of their amazing music!
Cordelia O’Driscoll
Cordelia O’Driscoll is a composer and lyricist who graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2017 after gaining a first-class degree in English Literature and Music, alongside honing her skills as a singer-songwriter. Cordelia’s first musical theatre score, BURIED, has received wide acclaim, from sell-out runs at the 2017 and 2018 Edinburgh Fringe to an Off-Broadway premiere in July 2019 at the New York Musical Festival. She won The Cameron Mackintosh Award at the 2018 National Student Drama Festival for BURIED’s original score, with the The Stage calling the songs ‘some of the best you will possibly hear in Edinburgh’.
Her score for BURIED also won the award for ‘Best Music’ at the 2019 New York Musical Festival, alongside a commendation for ‘Outstanding Lyrics’. Her second show, ‘You And I’, premiered at 2019’s Edinburgh Fringe, where Miro Magazine described her score as ‘by turns hilarious and wonderfully, surprisingly poignant’. It is due for a transfer to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Other Palace in London in June 2021.
Check out Cordelia’s other work on the Social Distancing Festival.
