Christiane Noll - A Broadway Love Story

Did Christiane Noll ever perform this live? If yes, how did she do it? With dialogues between the songs to explain the story?

I love the cd, and I was just wonderin how it would be as a cabaret act

I conceived and produced the album. Glad you like it! She did do a few concerts - no dialogue, just the songs. We labored for eight months to make sure they really told the story without having to cheat or change lyrics or anything. It worked really well live.

Gorgeous voice...She's scratches her nose on stage too much, though.

Hi, Clarky. She didn't do the concert in a cabaret setting, so it worked fine. And I may be mis-remembering, but I think she also did a "second-half" of the show - you know, A Broadway Love Story as act one, as a theater piece, and then her singing various songs in act two. I think I'm remembering correctly.

I don't think you could do the show without talking in a cabaret setting because, yes, the audience likes to feel some personal connection to the performer.

thanks bk..I thought that would be the case.

So I guess the Cabaret Acts are done more like personality shows, where one sings their favorites.

but isn't it kinda boring to say: so my next song will be...

Hi PB: How much talking is too much in a cabaret act? you said, you have seen a lot of those shows. What does the audience like the most or what did you like the most?

I've been directing a few one-person shows - not really cabaret, per se, designed for bigger venues and the shows are in two acts. I've done them for Linda Purl and Kevin Spirtas, and am in the midst of doing three more back to back. For these types of shows, the patter is not only important, it's imperative. Audiences, at least the ones these shows are designed for, want to feel they get to know a little something about the performer. I stress comedy, and I never let anyone get maudlin so that it becomes uncomfortable for the audience. And the patter all has to have a point, seem natural (even though it's scripted), and move the show forward. Sometimes it's one line, sometimes it's a page - it depends on what the function is - to set up a song, to propel us forward to the next section of the show - it always differs. You'd be surprised how often people just get up and sing with no patter, no context for the songs, and who don't let the audience know the point. The point is everything, IMO. If I see a singer singing fifteen songs and they never let me know the point or the context or their connection, then I'm basically done by song three.

It's different, I suppose, if you're a legend, but even the best of them automatically have context just based on who they are.

My two centavos, anyway.

very nice comments Bruce. Cabaret is like an invitation to someone's personal art gallery. You get to see what's in their heart only with words and song. It's definetly a two way communication with the audience on a intimate level. It's just you, a piano, a spotlight and a small room full of people.

When a performer can make you think, smile, laugh, cringe, sigh or cry and feel that he/she is on stage talking with you, then it's mission accomplished, imo, and cabaret is one of the best ways to do so.

Regardless of the material, if the crowd walks away feeling they got to enjoy a taste of the artist's personal work then it works....at least for me.

---

Just chiming in...I love Noll's cd, and her "Marry Me A Little" is among my favorite versions of the song.