Only in Manhattan

Since I got back from Lucky Stiff, I've been a busy bee! Not only am I immersed in living life to the fullest, embarking on auditions and working on my craft, but I'm making sure to take in more theatre. After all, it's one of the reasons I'm here! So when my voice coach Carl Danielsen invited me to "Hooked," a showcase at The Zipper Theatre, I had to go!

It was one of the most fascinating experiences I've ever had and reminded me keenly of The New York Musical Theatre Festival, which I performed in and won an award in last year. This event was more of an intimate concert, a mix of musical theatre and performance art, and The Zipper was the perfect place for it! The theatre has fun, stadium-style seats that are like cushy car seats built for two. And the sound system is great! They also have a lighting designer who has an excellent sense of how to enhance the mood of a song.

Speaking of which, the music was certainly intriguing! There was a very funny song about a man becoming First Lady, written by Drew Fornarola and Scott Elmegreen. Carl Danielsen and Selda Sahin had three passionate pieces about love, life, and travel that are still noodling about in my head. Raymond Bokhour did a music hall number about a British transvestite. The outrageous Aussie, Anna Copa Cabanna, accompanied herself on xylophone and grooved along with what looked like a speak-and-spell. Then there was Corn Mo, a former ringmaster who reminded me greatly of a young Meatloaf. He closed the show with a song he had written for Una, an incredible trapezist who hosted "Hooked." Una climbed up a rope onto a trapeze onstage and did this magical routine while Corn Mo sang about flying like an angel. It was WILD. And beautiful!

Only in New York!