BLACK VOICES IN CABARET
"Healing through song" -- A concert in three parts
A new network to present and promote Black entertainers who have not traditionally been highlighted in the world of Cabaret.
Each event begins at 3:00 PM Central Time.
March 14 (daylight time begins!) -- "I Know Where I've Been"
March 21 --"I'm Here, See Me As I Am"
March 28 -- "Dream On"
The virtual Room opens at 2:30. Stay for the "glow" after each concert.
A donation is requested.
Our three-part concert is emceed by magician and singer David Stephens and vocalist Arlene Armstrong and was recorded at PianoForte Studio and Epiphany Center for the Arts.
The premiere concert brings together two dozen artists including opera contralto Gwendolyn Brown, classical soprano Dr. Ollie Watts Davis, cabaret notables Lynne Jordan and Cynthia Clarey, Natalie Douglas (“Princess of Birdland” in Manhattan), Chicagoan of the Year actress E. Faye Butler, jazz singers Bobbi Wilsyn, Margaret Murphy-Webb and Ava Logan, drag queen Coco Sho-Nell, rap artists Che Rhymefest and Seany-Doo, and many more.
According to singer Natalie Douglas, “We’ve always been here, and we’ve always been making music in the cabaret world. But those weren’t the pictures we saw in the movies or on television. It is only through us making a fuss and saying ‘I need to be represented there, too’ that people will be open to the idea that an evening of cabaret isn’t just pretty white ladies in sparkling gowns.”
David Stephens, the Managing Director of BVIC, explains, “Our mission is to showcase Black performers, educate new audiences about the history of Chicago cabaret as seen through Black eyes, and uplift its repertoire beyond the standard American Songbook.”
“We are exploring the rich variety of performing styles, and highlighting both new and established performers from Chicago and beyond. We invite new audiences to get exposed to the art of cabaret and experience the intimacy of live performance.”
You're invited to the online Black Voices in History Conversations. A set of short videos has been posted by cabaret artists to recount tales and personal testimonials of African-American performers who led the way before them.
We invite African-American performers to join the roster by writing to bvic@workinginconcert.org. Or call 773-509-9360. |