The First Annual Midwest Cabaret Convention was this weekend. Taught by Lina Koutrakos, Sally Mayes, Rick Jensen and Beckie Menzie, it was an intense week! 8 students came from DC, St. Louis and NYC to join the 8 Chicago locals for workshops, performances and fellowship.
What was great to see was how far the participants came.
There were all levels of performers at the conference and even those jaded
performers, like me, got great feedback and new tasks to make us better actors
and musicians. I love opportunities like that. I love honing my skills. Truth
be told, one of the things I miss most about being on the theatrical stage are
the rehearsals! I love trying new things, having an outside eye give me
direction, working with others on the creative process.
Cabaret can be a very lonely art form. It’s just you up there. Unless, you are blessed to have more than a jobber back you up…which I am. I have one the premier musical directors in the city sit at the piano, almost every time I perform. I’m even lucky enough to have 2 or 3 pianists that I also work with, who are more than just there for a paycheck. We make music.
But, often you have very little contact with anyone else.
So, if I got nothing else out of the conference, the opportunity to perform
with others, to learn with others…was just so great. I needed the interaction.
I can’t recommend this conference enough!
