Local woman follows dreams to New York

Renee’ Riner McCurry had big plans for her future when she graduated from Russellville High School in 1978.

McCurry had been exposed to music at an early age and developed a love for music that became the root of her budding career plans to work in a recording studio in Muscle Shoals, which was the hit recording capital at that time.

“There was always music in my house as far back as I can remember,” McCurry said. “I started playing piano in the second grade and played for the First Baptist Church when I was in high school. Music was just something I really had a passion for so it just made sense for me to make a career out of music.”

After graduating from RHS, McCurry set out for Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., where she studied professional music and audio recording engineering.

“Moving to Boston and attending Berklee was definitely a culture shock for a girl who grew up in Russellville, Ala.,” she said. “Berklee is an international school so there are people there from all over the world and I was fascinated to learn about different cultures and beliefs that were different from my own. In fact, that still fascinates me.”

At the prestigious school, McCurry was able to gain knowledge and experience that would land her her dream job: working at Wishbone Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals.

“At that point in my life, that was the most amazing experience to get to actually do the thing I had been working towards,” she said. “I just couldn’t get enough of it. When you find something you love to do, it’s not work. It’s just you passion.”

McCurry spent two years at the studio soaking up all the aspects that go into recording music before Wishbone Studios closed its doors. Not wanting to move again after being away from home when she attended Berklee, McCurry decided to focus on a different career path for a time.

“I had gotten so homesick when I was in Boston,” she said. “The recording jobs were moving to big cities like New York and Los Angeles, but I wasn’t ready to move so far away again, so I took a job as a flight attendant with Atlantic Southeast and that job kept me close to home.”

After several years as a flight attendant, McCurry opened an aerial equipment business that she operated for several years. Once she sold the business in 1999, she took some time to do something she still loves to do: travel.

“I did some extensive traveling for several years after I sold my business,” she said. “I’ve been to China, Germany, Scotland, Thailand, Italy and so many other places. I just want to see the world and do all there is to do.”

In the midst of her traveling, McCurry was inspired by her good friend, Stephen Tyler Davis, to get back to her artistic roots through producing, and in 2010, she decided to make the move to New York City to follow her passion.

McCurry said she decided early on that there were things in her life she wanted to accomplish and she wasted no time once she got to the Big Apple in making those big plans turn into big accomplishments.

Since moving to NYC, McCurry has become co-founder of While We Wait Productions, LLC, which has been involved in new and original Broadway productions like “The Pee Wee Herman Show,” “Godspell,” and most recently “Huckleberry Haywood: A Spunk Rock Musical;” general partner of the theater investment company YankeeBelle Productions, LLC; and president of Red Carpet Productions, LLC. She also served as the associate producer of the 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards, which salutes achievements in Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions.

“In January 2010, there were artists from New York sitting in my home writing the beginnings of ‘Huckleberry Haywood’ and I knew I really wanted to be involved in helping these people make it on Broadway and realize their dreams,” McCurry said. “Huckleberry Haywood’ was accepted by the New York Music Festival and the show will actually be performed Friday at the 47th Street Theater in New York City.

“This production went from pieces of paper strewed around my living room to the being performed on the stage and that’s what it’s all about – furthering someone’s dreams. I have never had a more exciting time that I am having now.”

And even though McCurry is living right smack in the middle of the bustling entertainment world in America’s largest city, she hasn’t forgotten her roots back in Alabama.

Through While We Wait Productions, McCurry has helped put on a young artists workshop in Huntsville for the past two summers that culminates in a musical revue called “Blue Plate Broadway.” Young Alabama artists who have entertainment aspirations, just like McCurry did, are able to participate in workshops on tap dance, ballet, musical theater, opera, vocal coaching, percussion, creative writing, poetry and team building.

“Growing up in Franklin County taught me so much like how to treat people the way you want to be treated and how to give back to people,” McCurry said. “Coming from a town like Russellville gives you a good foundation to build on and I am so thankful for that.

“My mother, Pat Underwood, taught me morals and values I still hold dear to this day. She was the hardest worker I have ever met and I looked up to her so much and to my grandmother, Irene Riner.

“And I can’t forget the woman who was my mentor from the time I started taking piano lessons in the second grade – Willodean Davis. That woman gave me confidence in myself and made me realize I could do whatever I wanted to do and go wherever I wanted to go, and that’s what I’m doing now.”

In addition to her other accomplishments and jobs, McCurry is also a graduate of the Commercial Theater Institute and a member of The National Arts Club, The Dutch Treat Club, The Noel Coward Society, The Huntsville Arts Council and the Gala Committee for the New York Music Festival 2011.

In her spare time – when she has any – she loves to hike, golf, cook entertain, visit her family in Alabama and spend time with her two dogs.