An Altared Christmas 2008 - Looking Back

This last Friday, December 12, was the 4th Annual "An Altared Christmas" show at the Rio Theatre.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Rio, it is a classic 1940's era movie theatre turned into a performance venue. It seats 700. Compare that with last year's show which was held at the Cayuga Vault, which holds 120. Now realize that I am a new producer - this is only the second time I have ever actually booked a club and put on a real show.

That being said - I now realize at this writing that there is so much to say about this show that I am sure I will barely tap into all that I am wanting to say.

Overall, it went absolutely great! It was a little more than half full, but seemed more than that. The best numbers were great and the worst were still pretty damn good, in my opinion. Some numbers were barely rehearsed: for instance, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" - started out with the band playing and was then interrupted by a video clip "newsbreak" announcing the growing protest outside, which then burst into the theatre. (Click HERE to see the video.) As the mob came down the aisle, it grew to triple its size, and its leader took the stage to make his demands. Singing a parody of "Roxanne" by The Police, he (Mark Edwards) led the protesters through the song and to its gleeful ending.

This was never rehearsed. I gave general instructions to the mob as to how they would join the protesters and where to stand, but I had no idea how perfectly it would unfold before me, as I played on the stage.

Another number earlier in the show, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" was created in the lobby just hours before the show by clarinetist Mark Sowlakis and accordionist The Great Morgani.

It was superb and a joy to watch for the first time.

And though we rehearsed "Angels We Have Heard on High" quite a bit, Grammy nominated singer Tammi Brown took us all to church, up and down the steeple, rang the bell a few times and brought us back home safe and blown away!

Patti Maxine shined on lap steel as always, but it was when she shuffled to the stage, dressed in a white mental hospital issued gown and sang of the time she "Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" that we got see and hear a different side of her.

And the torturous rendition of "Away in A  Manger" sung by Celina Gutierrez dressed as a little girl at a pageant was in stark contrast to the beautiful voice many of us know she possesses.

These are but a few of the outstanding moments that my incredible band created.

But it was the errors and mistakes that I also want to credit. You see, I purposely under-rehearsed many portions of the show. I wanted us all to rely on our professionalism and skill to be "in the moment" and to react accordingly. To make a few mistaken notes here and there was worth it to me to be able to create magic that no one could have predicted. And there were some moments like that. 

Comedian Richard Stockton took over the stage, and almost the entire show, with his rendition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that morphed into a David Byrne-like comedic rant about a "thermal butter dish". No one could have rehearsed the energy that was released during that piece, and I was as entertained and surprised as anyone could have been. We didn't rehearse that much at all.

Asking the lead protester and Santi Klawz (as David Wallis liked to call himself) to improvise a resolution to the demands of P.E.R.V. (Preservation of Endangered Reindeer Values) may have been a little last minute, but I knew the talent I was working with - they had no problem at all making up some very funny and inspired dialogue. 

And perhaps it is the taking of chances that I am most satisfied with. Sure, I run the risk of bombing, and I am sure I will hear about those moments once the compliments die down, but the rewards are staggering. If we live life (or a show) in fear that we may make a mistake, then we will surely limit our choices considerably. I don't want to do this.

I want to live: to experiment, try new things, and to dare to make a fool of myself. What could happen? A bad review? Sneers? How about someone reading this blog and saying to themselves, "Gee, if he can do it, maybe I can, too." 

That would make me happy.

To find out more about this show and its cast, go to: www.altaredchristmas.com

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Thank you.

Be Incredible!