Cabaret

Very late post today. Too much to do, too much to do...

The last event I photographed at the Theatre Crawl was sort of a randomized performance of cabaret songs. There were quite a few singers. Each was assigned a number. Audience members drew numbered slips from a jar and that determined who sang. Some didn't get a chance, some got more than one.

The voices were beautiful and passionate.      

Actors' Studio

The St. Louis Actors' Studio, led by the indefatigable Peter Mayer, above, put on a strange but intriguing little performance at the Theatre Crawl.. The premise was a support group meeting of the gods - Jesus, Zeus and maybe also Jupiter (I was confused), Buddha, Brahma. Hard to keep track. There was whining and backbiting and kvetching, which I suppose is common to such gatherings. (Can't say myself - never been to one. Which is not to say I shouldn't have.)

Everyone in STL has been hunkering down. It's been 100 F / 38 C here the last couple of days. Need to find something to shoot this weekend that's cooler. Our version of the World Naked Bike Ride is Saturday night. That's well ventilated.

Snow White, Again

ERA Theatre, one of the companies at the Theatre Crawl, was working on a variation of the Snow White tale. The finished version is to be presented at the St. Louis Fringe Festival next month. It had something to do with apples and cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. I didn't completely get it. It should be more fully formed if I shoot it again in a few weeks.         

Audience

My main assignment at the Grand Center Theatre Crawl was to record the performances. However, while I was at it, another objective was to have a look at the people, the patrons of live theater in St. Louis. There was record attendance and plenty to choose from.     

Grand Center Theatre Crawl

Back home. I've been doing some volunteer shooting for small arts organizations. The night before we left for New York was the first of two days of the Grand Center Theatre Crawl, now in its fifth year. Twenty four local theater (c'mon, American spelling, please) music and dance companies put on short performances. The audience rotates every half hour to see whatever calls out to them. The companies get publicity.

The Crawl assigned me to a group of venues east of Grand Boulevard. First up was Fat Dancer, produced by the St. Louis Fringe, which I also shoot for. Themes of body image, shaming and self-acceptance. (The Fringe main festival is coming soon in August. Go. GO. And go to the warm-up event, Act Your Pants Off, on July 25! It's a hoot! Not that warm-up events are really necessary in St. Louis in July.)

More to come.