Friday, March 10, 2006
Chicago Cabaret Convention
I'll be honest. I wasn't sure what to expect at the Chicago Cabaret Convention. I kept thinking of my visit to The Baton a few years back and the bawdy imitations of Liza Minelli. I would not have been terribly upset if that's what the performances had been like: it was a black-tie event and how often, really, does a girl get to wear an evening gown, pile her hair on top of her head and load on scads of makeup?
The first thing I noticed on our arrival at the Palmer House is that my friend Jennifer Lane and I were the youngest people there. By far. In fact, that became an invitation to introductions later. Many thought we were performers because women in their 30's generally don't attend Cabaret shows unless they're part of the act.
Well, now I know what the official definition of Cabaret is:
1. A restaurant or nightclub providing short programs of live entertainment.
2. The floor show presented by such a restaurant or nightclub.
That's precisely what the evening was. We were seated at tables of ten, and on stage flowed a procession of singers and pianists. The songs came from "The Great American Songbook." Think performers like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Al Jolson and composers like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter (a favorite of the evening).
And they didn't just sing - they performed. Each song was a little musical. Some were comedies, some were tragedies. Many times throughout the evening I got chills from the emotions evoked or the sheer beauty of the voices.
Granted, some of it was cheesy. OK, a lot of it was cheesy. But that's part of what made it so fun. There was a sister act, a man/woman act who alternated between undying love and what-was-I-thinking, and an entrance that brought one performer through the audience. Susan Werner, a local songwriter, sang a crowd-pleasing Chicago revamp of "I'll Take Manhattan." The last performer of the evening, Steve Ross, has been in Cabaret for 40+ years. After his very warm introduction he proceeded to tell a joke that began with "injecting sheep glands" and ended with "I've got ewe under my skin."
No wonder I had fun.
Whether you're 30 or 60, 20 or 80, I recommend going. It's fun, it's entertaining, and it's different from the same ol' same ol'. (Which is the point - they'd like to make this art form part of the popular vernacular again.) The convention continues tonight and tomorrow at Park West. All of the performers will be different so you can go both nights! These performances are not black-tie.
Chicago Cabaret Convention
Fri & Sat, Doors open at 7, Performance at 8
Park West
322 W Armitage
(773)929-5959
The first thing I noticed on our arrival at the Palmer House is that my friend Jennifer Lane and I were the youngest people there. By far. In fact, that became an invitation to introductions later. Many thought we were performers because women in their 30's generally don't attend Cabaret shows unless they're part of the act.Well, now I know what the official definition of Cabaret is:
1. A restaurant or nightclub providing short programs of live entertainment.
2. The floor show presented by such a restaurant or nightclub.
That's precisely what the evening was. We were seated at tables of ten, and on stage flowed a procession of singers and pianists. The songs came from "The Great American Songbook." Think performers like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Al Jolson and composers like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter (a favorite of the evening).
And they didn't just sing - they performed. Each song was a little musical. Some were comedies, some were tragedies. Many times throughout the evening I got chills from the emotions evoked or the sheer beauty of the voices.
Granted, some of it was cheesy. OK, a lot of it was cheesy. But that's part of what made it so fun. There was a sister act, a man/woman act who alternated between undying love and what-was-I-thinking, and an entrance that brought one performer through the audience. Susan Werner, a local songwriter, sang a crowd-pleasing Chicago revamp of "I'll Take Manhattan." The last performer of the evening, Steve Ross, has been in Cabaret for 40+ years. After his very warm introduction he proceeded to tell a joke that began with "injecting sheep glands" and ended with "I've got ewe under my skin."No wonder I had fun.
Whether you're 30 or 60, 20 or 80, I recommend going. It's fun, it's entertaining, and it's different from the same ol' same ol'. (Which is the point - they'd like to make this art form part of the popular vernacular again.) The convention continues tonight and tomorrow at Park West. All of the performers will be different so you can go both nights! These performances are not black-tie.
Chicago Cabaret Convention
Fri & Sat, Doors open at 7, Performance at 8
Park West
322 W Armitage
(773)929-5959
