Celebrating Countless Musical Icons - With Charity Farrell of Divas Three

Charity Farrell has been in the entertainment industry since she was five years old, and has done everything from performing Off-Broadway to appearing in a psychological thriller film.

For the past year or so, Farrell has toured the country with Divas Three, an exciting tribute to the artists whose musical impact has earned them the coveted title of “Diva.” Divas Three is now playing at FST, where Farrell has charmed audiences with her delivery of such songs as “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “The Way We Were.”

We sat down with Farrell to talk about her favorite song to perform in Divas Three, what got her started in the entertainment industry so young, and what she loves most about performing for Sarasota audiences.

Divas Three features more than two dozen hits from the most influential female artists from the 1960s through the ‘90s. Who are some of your favorite divas whose music is covered in the show?

Oh my goodness, how can I choose? I think Whitney Houston is way up there for me, as is Celine Dion. Truthfully though, I feel like I won the lottery getting to sing Barbra Streisand every night. Who isn't obsessed with her?!

You’ve been touring the country performing in Divas Three for over a year. What has been your favorite part of bringing the music of these iconic divas to life in so many places?

For me, it's been the overall interactions with audiences. We get comments all the time about how special each of the songs are to individual people. It's really an amazing privilege to connect with all these different audiences with unique stories and distinct lives, all coming together for a single performance. That human connection is a gift that we don't always have the time to appreciate every day. 

Do you have a personal connection to any of the songs in the show?

Oh yes, to so many of them! If I am completely honest, it changes for me, depending on what's going on in my life at the time. Recently, I've been connecting with "The Way We Were." The song talks about a simple concept: appreciating the memories you have with someone and the time they give you for that season of your life. The song is a good reminder to appreciate the journey of life. 

What is your favorite song in Divas Three to perform and why?

Hands down, it is "You've Got a Friend." I love the song by itself, of course, but singing it with Samantha and Crystal on stage every night is such a joy. I adore them both with my whole heart and soul. The longer we travel together doing this show, the more I fall in love with moments in the show like this one. 

I read that you started in the entertainment industry when you were just 5 years old. What got you into performing initially, and what keeps you going?

I started performing in film because my dad was a Steadicam operator. There was a role for a little girl in a music video he was directing, and I got the bug from there. Once I realized I could sing as a profession, it was a game changer. I got quite competitive for a while, really trying to make a name for myself, but there came a point where it started to feel like a job. So, I took a giant leap away from the industry to reassess my goals for a few years. That's when Divas Three fell into my lap, and for that, I am forever grateful. I can honestly say, this is the happiest I've been performing in a very long time.

Divas Three is now playing in FST’s Court Cabaret, which seats about 100 people and is smaller than a lot of other venues where you've performed. How does the intimacy of the Court Cabaret impact the show?

It's a totally different ball game when you're close enough to see the audience’s faces and hear their comments. I have literally stopped the show here at FST to thank a couple in the audience who were clearly incredibly touched by the music. You don't get those kinds of moments when you're in a bigger house, because you just can't see or hear them from the stage.

Due to popular demand, Divas Three has been held over and is now playing through September 17. For tickets and more information, click here.

Header Image: Samantha Duval, Charity Farrell, and Crystal Alicia Garrett. Photo by John Jones.