Betina Hershey is a native New Yorker born to a Broadway musician and a painter. She is Artistic Director of Garden Players Musical Theater Program for Kids in Forest Hills. She has written 6 childrens musicals which have been published by Beat by Beat Press and performed all over the world. She and her husband Nick Russo have two bands with albums that have garnered rave reviews in Downbeat, London Times, Elmore Magazine and more: Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches (Americana and originals), Hot Jazz Jumpers (1920’s jazz). Her performing credits include: Meg in the National Broadway tour of “Phantom of the Opera”, Anybodys in the LaScala (Italy) production of “West Side Story” Fleta in Iolanthe and Isabel in the Pirates of Penzance at City Center, principle dancer in Julia Roberts’ “Mona Lisa Smile” and in Disney’s “Enchanted.” Betina is an alum of the Lehman Engle BMI Musical Theater Workshop. She loves mysteries, novels, poetry, partner dancing, food (especially sautéed greens!), and challenging movement of all kinds. She is enjoying the journey of being a performer, writer, educator, director and Mom of boy/girl twins.
Get Us Out Of Fearland
by Betina Hershey
will be released as a single for Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches on August 1st.
The energy of this piece was inspired by David Pleasant and Gullah Geechee rhythms and groove.
CHORUS
Get us out of fearland
Lead us through the night
Get us out of fear and
Take us to the light
If we don’t talk about how we feel
If we don’t believe the future’s real
The hate we’re hearing’s been ‘round too long
If we’re silent, all we are is wrong
CHORUS
I may prefer the quiet way
But now it’s time to disobey
And though we’d rather sleep or hide
It’s time to stand up at your side
CHORUS
If we don’t stand up, stand up now
If we all falter, say we don’t know how
If we don’t stand up, hand in hand
We’re selling ourselves to the hatred land
CHORUS
Get us out of fearland
Lead us through the night
Get us out of fear and
Take us to the light
Take us to the light
Take us to the light
I’d love to hear from you, and even if it takes me a while to write back, I will be thinking of you! You will be living in me heart. Remember, “We are loved way more by some of the people who have not contacted us in the last twelve or so months than we are loved by some of those who contact us every twelve or so days … or hours.” ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana
