Making a Cabaret Act, Help?

I did one once that was pretty much just a music revue and made up loose connections between songs to have something to say between them. A lot of people do work their songs into a story or themes and write a script to tell anecdotes, give general conversation, and tell jokes around and between them. It can be a one man show (with accompaniment), or you can invite "guests" for a few of the songs. You don't have to talk about your life, unless you want to. Most of the ones I've seen have been kept to an hour. If you feel that's a long time, you can divide it into two parts and take a couple minute break in the middle, or utilize guests to take a bit of the strain off you. Break a leg!

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You obviously want to do songs that show off your range but put everything into context.

Are you in college? Talk about your four years there and your friends, fun stories, etc -- something that the audience can relate to.

I have all of my last show online.

http://www.jerby.com/jerbyvid.html

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wosq--that was an excellent post.

I agree with those who say that cabaret should be treated like any other piece of theatre. There must be a reason these people are sitting in a room listening to what you have to say.

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Thanks everyone. Thanks Jerby, I'll take a look at those.

I think I'd like to focus on my four years of college and the fact that I'm about to graduate with a theatre degree, which in reality, doens't mean a thing. The fact that I'm graduating and I'm going to be standing in a line with people who look like me, have a voice like me, etc. And the fact that all my other friends are already getting real jobs, and a settling down, and stuff.

Thanks, that's what I think too. Not sure what songs to use. I know I'd like to end with "Flight" by Craig Carnellia (sp?), but not sure about any other songs.

Go one step further with your theme.

Yes, you're getting a theatre degree and all that.

Most of the other graduates are also getting degrees that prepare them for not-much. [And if they have a degree in something that makes them automatically job-ready (Computer Science for instance), well you can get the same kind of education from a technical school.]

But you'll be happy.

Find the upside. Celebrate the irony.

Who wants to watch an hour of someone who considers themself a loser right out of the starting gate?

"Some People ain't me..."

Lena Horne gave a legendary show in about 81-82 that ran for 14 months and made her into a Capital L Legend. Early in the evening she sang a song that she was known for. It was a beautifully done "Stormy Weather'. Later in Act II she introduced a song by saying to the effect that she had heard this song years before but it took her a long time to find the song's meaning. With that she launched into "Stormy Weather" again, and she was singing about men, but also every hurt she had ever had for any reason and every piece of racism that had come her way and every career disappointment. This was all sub-text. She didn't mention it. She didn't have to. Because it was true. Electrifying.

Go for it.

Start with "Some People" or something. End with it. Can you find a learning curve difference? This is just a shot in the dark example.

An act has to have shape. Why does this song follow that song? You can get away with "because-it-shows-my-range/what-a-pretty-voice-I-have" once. other than that build, shape, dig deeper, go to those places even your friends don't know about.

Fearless.

And listen dammit, we want a full report. Hit, miss, whatever, we don't care. We want you to fly.

Deal?

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