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Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and producer, *NSYNC’s JC Chasez, and Golden Globe winning songwriter, producer and composer Jimmy Harry have today (25 Oct) released their groundbreaking new musical theatre concept album, Playing With Fire. The release by Center Stage Records can be purchased on Amazon here and on various streaming platforms here.
Inspired by Mary Shelley’s timeless novel Frankenstein, Playing with Fire marks Chasez’s first major musical theatre recording project. Chasez is also featured as a vocalist alongside singers Cardamon Rozzi and Lily Elise.
The project comes on the heels of an exciting year for both Chasez and Harry respectively, following the highly anticipated *NSYNC reunion on the Trolls Band Together soundtrack where Chasez lent his vocals on the group’s first song in two decades, “Better Place,” and Harry’s recent work writing and producing “Take Me Back To The Party,” the latest single from B-52’s founding member Kate Pierson. Harry has previously worked with legends such as Madonna, Pink, Britney Spears, Diplo, Kelly Clarkson, Weezer and more.
Featuring a collection of 16 original new tracks, Playing With Fire first came to fruition when Harry presented Chasez the script of his late mother’s (Barbara Field) theatrical adaptation of Shelley’s prescient sci-fi story. Chasez was immediately intrigued with the play, and work on it immediately began, creating a heartfelt story of timely technological issues, love, responsibility, revenge, loss, and the human condition.
This reimagining of the classic tale constructs a conversation between Frankenstein and his creation, The Creature, at the grave of Frankenstein’s wife, Elizabeth, ten years after her death. Through dynamic interplay of dialogue and shared flashbacks of key events in both their lives, the concept album plunges into the heart of their intertwined destinies. As they confront their past actions and the devastating impact they’ve had on one another, Frankenstein and The Creature gradually find understanding, sympathy, and forgiveness.
Chasez and Harry were drawn not only to the thought-provoking technological themes in Shelley’s novel, but also to the emotional depth that Field’s adaptation brought to the story. It was as if they discovered an untapped perspective on a literary classic that they could illustrate with music. This gripping story is accompanied by dark brooding songs that blend Electronic pop juxtaposed against classical music from the romantic era, forming a captivating symphony of contrasts that reflect the characters own internal conflicts.
“When we first discussed creating a musical inspired by Frankenstein, obvious topics such as technology, A.G.I., monsters, immortality and death came up. However, when we began the process of writing the songs, we couldn’t help but lean into topics dealing with familial relationships, love, deceit, and denial. In the end, we flipped the technological beast on its side to reveal that, in spite of all its benefits and horrors it creates, it changes nothing about our basic humanity.”
