Life is a Cabaret

Look!  My Debut show was reviewed by Sandi Durell from Cabaret Scenes magazine - this is on their website:

http://www.cabaretscenes.org/cabaret_reviews/2009/sep09/gregson_jennifer_9-09.html

Thanks Ms. Durrell for a wonderful review!

More to come from me about how I thought my debut went - as I have one more show (This Sunday, September 20th at 6pm - Don’t Tell Mama — tell your friends! Have them read my review!)….but it’s been going very well and I’ve been having a total blast performing

Now that I have dates for my show, my next question was:  What will I call it and how will I let all my fans (again, read family members and friends) know about it?   This led me to my friend Dezur Kenna, a talented singer, who just had her own show at Don’t Tell Mama.  I loved her postcard - it was quirky, whimsical, colorful, and really told the viewer of the card exactly what the show was about without saying much of anything.  Perfect!   So, I emailed her the day after her last show to ask her for some help, and she agreed.

We met this past Wednesday to start discussions about titles, themes, ideas for the postcard itself, and various other things regarding my show.   I had sent her a song list (which isn’t quite finished, as I think I have a few too many songs listed - not all of them will be making the final cut, I’m sure), a link to my website and blog, and some general ideas about theme.

We grabbed Starbucks and headed to a small park near my office where she showed me a few preliminary ideas and we started chatting about my songs, my TV theme song medley, and my ideas for titles.  There was one title that both of us really liked, but I haven’t yet discussed it with my director yet.  After Sunday’s rehearsal I will let you in on more of my secret plans (mwah-haha).    Anyways, the forerunner for a title led to a really great tag-line or theme which led us to a postcard design idea (actually two).  We were off and running!

We spent about an hour brainstorming, talking, and discussing everything from what I liked and didn’t like about other postcards (which I had been collecting over the past few days before the meeting), what I really wanted my card to say about me and my show, and my show in general.

Dezur is easy to talk to you and wonderful to work with.  I need to ask her if she has a website of her own, if so, I will link to it.  She’s also bringing her show back this fall, so I will let you guys know - it was really fantastic!   I feel so fortunate to have found such wonderful friends in the Cabaret Community; friends that are willing to share information, help out, and give advice.  It’s really something special.

Well,  here I am internet — getting ready to start my journey to my own solo Cabaret show.  Scary!

I start my first of two classes for the fall - Vocal Technique with Patrick DeGenarro.  It’s an 8-week class on Tuesday nights with my fabulous voice teacher and we end with a small performance at Don’t Tell Mama!  Nice.  I’m assuming we’ll each get to sing two or three songs at the performance.  I will find out more tonight.

Wednesday nights are my Shut Up and Sing class with Lennie Watts - who also happens to be my director - and Steven Ray Watkins - my musical director.   Shut Up and Sing will also be an 8-week class, but it will continue on a more rotating type basis and will not have a performance at the end.     In this class I will be starting the work of getting my show together - song selection, ideas for my show, titles, etc.

Once I’m really cooking, then I’ll start one-on-one rehearsals with Lennie and Steven to work on arrangements and the order of the show, etc. and so forth.   I only say etc. and so forth because I have no idea what comes next.

Here’s what I do know - I’m nervous, but excited!  Tonight I’ll be working on “Good Morning Baltimore” from the musical Hairspray.   Tomorrow I think I’ll start with “There’s a Fine, Fine Line” from the musical Avenue Q.

I will keep you posted on how classes are going, and basically what I learn while putting together my show.