The set for "As the Rhythm Changes" featuring our instrument "nations."

As I mentioned last Monday, I spent the week in rehearsals for “As the Rhythm Changes” – a workshop performance created by Mankwe Ndosi. This weekend, we presented three performances.

Each show started with Mankwe talking about the genesis of the project. The roots of the show began in discussions about sustainability and involved Mankwe conducting 20 interviews to talk to people about how we come to change our routines. How do we make changes when they’re voluntary and when they’re thrust upon us? What happens when we struggle? And how can we as communities examine our routines and our efforts to change them?

With each show, we invited more audience involvement; all of us believing that art should be something in which the artists and the witnesses participate together.

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The "ski-ra," two instruments from Crutchland and a rain stick.

After her introduction, Mankwe called us to the stage one by one and each of us spent a brief time in improvisation with her and the audience. After each of our duets, we created group pieces incorporating motifs from the three pieces we chose not to develop for this debut. On Friday and Saturday, Mankwe selected the groups; on Sunday, we volunteered.

(Note: We realized shortly into our week of rehearsals that the material Mankwe created was extremely rich and dense, so we spent our time developing one of her stories – Soil, Root, Devotion, Seed.)

Interspersed and accompanying the songs were parts we played on instruments invented and constructed by Douglas R. Eiwart and improvised dances stemming from seed movements Mankwe created with the help of cast member Kenna Sarge and others.

We organized our set into five instrument nations (photo above shows 3 of the 5) allowing us to move from individual spaces to come together in communities to create pieces.

My nation of dream chimes

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Because such a large part of each show was improvised, it felt like I was in three shows this weekend. Friday night’s performance was energetic and quick-paced as we claimed the space and revealed Mankwe’s “seeds” to our audience for the first time. Saturday night was more open and reflective with longer pieces and stories, including a sing-along with audience. Sunday, we dubbed family day and included more guest appearances (thanks to those who danced and sang!) and high spirits for wrapping up our successful first “run.”

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As the Rythm Changes Cast: Kenna Sarge, Sarah M. Greer, Aimee K. Bryant, Libby Turner-Opanga and creator Mankwe Ndosi

All in all, I was thrilled to work on such interesting material with such fabulous collaborators, including Aimee K. Bryant, Kenna Sarge, Libby Turner-Opanga. The collaboration seemed effortless; we all just “clicked.” As Aimee stated, there were no diva moments — everyone just jumped in with both feet and enjoyed the ideas, skills and talent each of us had to offer.

Mankwe wants to further develop the concept which hopefully means more changes to come.

Last night, my a cappella ensemble, Spices, sang with OVation in our first — and we all agreed not our last — joint concert. It was great fun to spend the evening with other a cappella afficionados.

Each group sang some of our favorites for the other and fellow director Randi and I both found music to  … er … borrow from the other’s group. We ended the concert with a rollicking version of Higher & Higher featuring soloists from each group. Our enthusiastic audience — full of current and new fans (and some former Spices!) — gave us rave reviews.

After the concert, we headed to the church basement for a reception (where a kind soul snapped this photo of the majority of both our groups).

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Tonight, it’s back to the Artists’ Quarter with singer friends Judi Donaghy and Michele Denise Michaels to perform with Jay Young and the Lyric Factory for another run at the works of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. If you missed this show, they say the third time’s the charm. If you’ve seen it before, we’ve added some tunes I know you’ll recognize! *wink*

(*Sorry, I couldn’t resist the title. *wink*)

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop hosted by Erv Raible. Erv is the executive and artistic director of the Cabaret Conference at Yale and he was kind enough to schedule a half-day workshop with TCCAN (Twin Cities Cabaret Artists Network) while in town auditioning singers for this summer’s program.

Six of us arrived after lunch to take part in the workshop. We had stage actors, theater folks, club singers and band front people. Songs ranged from ballads to showtunes to … well story songs for lack of a better descriptor. My friend Matt Curney (a fellow McNally alum) was our pianist and the range of singers and songs was diverse. We took turns singing songs for Erv and then got to hear his feedback and insights about our performances.

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I was a little apprehensive because I hadn’t had as much time to prepare as I would have liked. I was also apprehensive about working in the cabaret genre. See, I have to admit that I didn’t really understand what cabaret is.

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Erv was brilliant and kind. While he readily admits to having no desire to perform, he knows a lot about what he wants to see on stage. He encouraged us to strip away anything that was distracting or extraneous. Introductions, gestures and melodic phrases should be there only if they help you connect with the audience — to better tell the story. Erv expected connection, intimacy and vulnerability.

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Even though I struggled at times during our four-hour session, I was grateful for the opportunity to get inside my songs and think about what I want to say with the songs I sing. The group was supportive and the practice was invaluable.

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Sunday’s workshop dovetailed nicely with a conversation Bruce Henry and I had on Friday. Bruce and I talked about how to find and choose songs. He challenged me to be more purposeful in choosing my repertoire. Over the course of this weekend’s instruction, I realized I need to find a way to connect what I know and love about singing from improv and my a cappella group to my individual performances. To incorporate connecting and community building into ALL the music I sing, not just Songtaneous.

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At the end of our time together, Erv asked us to share what we had learned. I was reminded that communicating a song is different from just singing it. I learned that I want to be more intentional about the songs I sing and how I prepare to sing them.

I learned that cabaret is about taking risks by being open and vulnerable. It’s about telling stories and sharing experiences. It’s about being present and connected and available.

And I’m all about that.