MORE "HERE & THERE" PART II
We've put in our request to the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING to light up the tower with red & white on July 6th to celebrate the 20th Birthday of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE but have not received a response yet. Stay tuned.
Ever wonder what happens when you send in an item for our listings on CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE? First, of course, it is checked for completeness - about 25% of the items are rejected for this reason (no venue address, date/time missing, too short - we like at least a paragraph or two, or its a flier instead of a press release). If there is time we quickly ask the sender for the missing info, but with listings now only appearing in the Monday issue, lots of times there's no time.
Then the item is "tagged" with the month & day of the event. With the new system, I have to fill about 20 to 40 new items each issue to reach the 3-week out coverage we strive for. We also give an initial edit to trim out review quotes, etc. I also change all "smart quotes" to plain quotation marks, remove line breaks, and delete "hard" spaces.
Then each item is sorted into a folder for the week it is scheduled to run - I store 4 weeks out in these folders. They are color coded for priority (advertisers, benefits, organization events, special events, etc.) The night before an issue goes out, I finalize my choices and begin to edit for use in the newsletter, trying to get as much information as possible (date, time, place, etc) into the first 2 or 3 sentences.
Finally, usually around 6:30 am of issue date I place the items in that issues "template", do a read though, a spell check, then write the HERE & THERE sections including any reviews, do another read through and then another final spell check and off it goes - hopefully by 12:30 pm.
Next, the issue is posted on the website (and announced on TWITTER) and then all new items in the issue are posted in the appropriate date on the CABARET EVENT LISTING page. Then photos (if we have them on file) are added the following day, along with additions to our CABARET DISCOUNTS page. Usually, by this time we're started on the next issue.
Finally, each day we move the events for that date from the CABARET EVENT LISTING page to our FRONT (home) page (currently visited between 6,000 and 10,000 times a day) and we place selected ones (our PICKS) on the CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE BLOG. Each time we add to the blog (currently visited 350 times a day) the addition is automatically "tweeted" to our 325 followers onTWITTER.
Did you note something? Right now this is a one-person operation. We have no funds to pay writers and have steadfastly refused to ask folks to write for free (the old saying, you get what you pay for). If we start selling ads above our budget, we hope to pay for reviews and special articles. Currently we have to depend on donations and memberships to cover our shortfall from advertising.
I saw two amazing shows in the past 7 days that I want to tell you about, both on the same night!
On Friday, June 4th, we started at DON'T TELL MAMA at 7:00 pm to catch BOOTH & PAT: TWO GUYS, ONE GUITAR, NO STANDARDS. The title just about says it all! Booth & Pat (Booth Daniels & Patrick Frankfort) are heading to the Hollywood Fringe 2010 (June 21st through 26th) and their 2-show run at MAMA'S was sort of a "dress rehearsal". Those who follow me on TWITTER are already familiar with their unique style and quirky outlook on life - I re-tweet their daily "Little Known Fact" items most every day. The show was a raucous, wild, no-holds-barred hour of original parody songs, off the wall humor, and a lot of subjects one never hears about in cabaret. I love creative, talented, leading-edge performers, and I love what these two guys do! With energy, nonstop action, and total abandon of all inhibitions, this pair kept the room roiled with laughter (and a few catcalls). More intricate and (at times offensive) than a episode of Family Guy the brilliance of the writing, the precise and spot-on timing and up-to-date (sometimes "too soon") commentary was explosively funny. While they did a tribute set at the end of the show to the Smothers Brothers, that comparison is too tame. These two total-talent guys are breaking new ground in both cabaret and comedy. Los Angeles, known for it's earthquakes, is in for the shock of their lives!
"Booth & Pat: Two Guys, One Guitar, No Standards" will be appearing as part ofHOLLYWOOD FRINGE at COMEDYSPORTZ LA (733 Seward Street, Hollywood, CA - TKTS: 866-811-4111 ) on from June 21st through 26th - showtimes vary so see the website - tickets are $20.
The second show of the night was in the Flatiron District at THE METROPOLITAN ROOM at 9:45 pm. I was a bit concerned about getting their on time, so skipped a special surprise birthday for Booth at MAMA'S. I needn't have worried. Because the first show (Wesla Whitfield & Mike Greensill) was sold out, and so many folks stayed after to buy CDs and meet this fantastic couple, the second show didn't go up until well after 10:00 pm - and it was another sold out show.
The show was "Remembering Mel" a musical tribute to Mel Torme, presented by vocalist Warren Schein. Mr. Schein is an awesome entertainer - short in stature, but tall in the technique of pleasing an audience! In a few brief moments at the mike, he was in complete control of the room, and I truly believe if he asked everyone in the room to stand on their heads, they would have tried! With talented musicians to back him up (Musical Director Albee Barr on piano, with David Sciach on bass), Mr. Schein didn't attempt impersonation, instead choosing Mel's most popular songs, giving them his own special spin, interspersed with stories and anecdotes fron the past, especially on those times when there was in intersection between his experiences with Mel's, all done with the deft touch of a true showman.
Now, as you probably know from past writings, I am not a fan of the "how's your steak" lounge-school of performing. But I had another epiphany of sorts: If the audience loves it and if the room is rocking with applause and laughter, what's the point of my complaining as a reviewer? Do I have the audacity to try to impress my taste in cabaret on folks? Is it my destiny to bring everyone into line as to what is good cabaret and what isn't? Sure, if the vocals are off, if the performer appears unprepared, if the audience keeps glancing at their watches and looking for the closest exit, I'm going to try to warn you away. But when it comes to cabaret, there's only one right way to do it: Make it entertaining, exciting, and leave the audience chanting for more!
See a show or two this week! Visit our websites! Run a banner or sidebar ad! Join CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE for 2010-2011. Now - more than ever - cabaret (and CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE) needs your support. Every day, in every way, we're promoting cabaret!Look for more news on the website , on the blog and updates, picks & reminders on TWITTER
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