Acclaimed New Zealand performer Deb Filler brings the solo show COHEN, BERNSTEIN, JONI & ME to Upstairs at The Gatehouse this month.
The production is a witty and heartfelt musical journey through encounters with Leonard Cohen, Leonard Bernstein, and Joni Mitchell, alongside stories of identity and self-discovery.
Performances run from 2o January to 1 February 2026 at Upstairs at The Gatehouse. Tickets are available here.
You’re bringing COHEN, BERNSTEIN, JONI & ME to Upstairs at The Gatehouse – what can you tell us about the show?
My show is a solo, 37-character story with music, about an aspiring young singer from New Zealand (purely coincidentally called Deb!) whose very musical European family would like to mould her in their idea of what she should be.
In her search to find her own voice, she miraculously finds herself woven into the worlds of some of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century: Leonard Cohen, Leonard Bernstein, Joni Mitchell, Peter, Paul and Mary, and a few others.
Expect big laughs, the odd tear, heartwarming true stories brought to life onstage, and music!
What inspired you to create this deeply personal and musical journey?
The show grew out of a desire to share where my voice—both musical and personal—came from, and why, despite everything, I remain stubbornly optimistic.
As a young singer from New Zealand, music from certain musicians found its way directly to my heart and often felt like a lifeline, guiding me across oceans and into unexpected places.
The extraordinary characters I have met along the way kept popping up, deserving to be heard. I had 42 jobs in New York (none of them glamorous), and looking back, under all the difficulties and towering influences, was my father.
Despite being an Auschwitz survivor, he emanated joy, contradictions and quiet courage, and that shaped me profoundly. Making the show became a way to weave all of that together, laugh at the improbability of it, and tell a true story about art, resilience and love.
The show features stories about Leonard Cohen, Leonard Bernstein, and Joni Mitchell – how did those encounters shape your life and career?
Chance encounters—sometimes brief, sometimes life-altering—gave me permission to be braver and far more truthful as an artist.
Cohen’s humour and inquiring mind, Bernstein’s explosive generosity, huge heart and joy, and Mitchell’s fierce independence and refusal to be slotted all left their mark.
Being in their worlds showed me that artistry isn’t about polish or fame, but about generosity, open-heartedness and commitment to truth.
Those encounters didn’t just influence my singing; they helped me shape how I tell stories, inhabit characters, and trust my own voice. They ultimately gave me the confidence to create work that is personal, musical and, I hope, unapologetically my own.
How do you balance humour and honesty when sharing such intimate experiences on stage?
You know, if an audience is laughing, they’re open—completely open. No walls, no armour. That’s when the more tender moments can land without becoming sentimental.
For me, humour is a kind of door that allows true honesty in, no censoring, no agenda. When you’re telling very personal stories, laughter creates a real bond with the audience, a beautiful trust—it says to them, we’re in this together!
I lean into the absurdity and contradictions of real life, because that’s where the truth for me often lives, and comedy gives me enough distance to be fearless without being self-protective.
What has been the most surprising reaction from audiences so far?
How universal it feels. People—especially younger audience members—often tell me they recognise the hunger to emulate someone great, to find reassurance, to work out who they’re allowed to be.
I’m also struck by how personal the responses are: people convinced the show is somehow about their family, their mum, their dad, or their own moment of finding their voice.
Audiences laugh all the way through, then tell me they were completely undone by one quiet detail they didn’t see coming.
What surprises me every time is how the specificity of these improbable, very personal stories seems to unlock something universal, leaving audiences feeling both exhilarated and unexpectedly moved.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see COHEN, BERNSTEIN, JONI & ME?
Come expecting a rollicking evening of humour, music and sharp storytelling, but be ready for something more intimate and surprising.
My show isn’t just a celebration of the most incredible iconic artists and music—it’s a funny, heartfelt journey that I think people will really be uplifted by.
You’ll meet dozens of characters, laugh out loud, maybe shed a tear, and—if I may—leave feeling filled up! Connected and hopeful. It’s a reminder of how powerfully stories and songs can shape our lives.
