Cabaret 2002 Saturday, October 26th

Saturday evening, October 26, was the time for us to set back our clocks to Standard time. St. Joan of Arc's Saturday evening Cabaret set the calendar back to the 60's with its "Magical Mystery" theme. The hippies in spirit among us at SJA had their chance to shine and dress the part in celebration of the music and the spirit of a time which forever touched and impacted our world.

Much like a Bill Gaither Homecoming concert, Saturday's show went on just about as long (wrapping up around 12:15 a.m.) and featured a "family" of regular performers known and loved at SJA and in the Twin Cities musical community.

The 60's were a time of idealism and being a voice for the voiceless. A man lost to us this week who so strongly embodied those principles in our present times remained very much on everyone's minds. Many performers shared reflections and personal stories on the effect Senator Paul Wellstone had on their lives and hearts:

• Prudence Johnson and Gary Rue led the ensemble in the 1996 Wellstone campaign song (co-written by Gary) "We Can Do Better".
• Peter Ostroushko, who has played at many a Wellstone benefit, brought many audience members to tears with a moving rendition of "Heart of the Heartland”, dedicated to Paul.
• Mark Stillman recalled how only a week before that Wellstone was transformed into a "dancing Tevye" to some "Fiddler on the Roof" music Mark was playing, and that Wellstone hugged him and told him how much he loved him and his playing.
• Ever authentic 60s troubadour Steve Kremer(right) dedicated "The Boxer" to Wellstone.

• Dan Chouinard opened the evening by trying to get the audience to hum along with him (unsuccessfully until recruiting someone at each table!).
• Gwen Matthews spread her usual magic with "Higher and Higher" and "Natural Woman."
• Mary Jane Alm(right), claiming to still be wearing exactly what she did in the 60s, sang one of the era's saddest love songs "End of the World"
• Pat Frederick, setting a high standard for lounge singers with "This Guy's In Love With You"
• Fred and Anna Vagle dressed the parts (Anna in red fringe, Fred in bowler garb), giving us "Ode to Billie Joe".
• Proving that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Carin Vagle, backed by her parents, gave us a beautiful version of "Scarborough Fair".
• Bruce "Creeper" Kurnow" lent his harmonica magic on "Whiter Shade of Pale" and cut loose on the FM progressive radio classic, John Mayall's "Room To Move".
• Gary Rue led us in the Country Joe standard "Fixin To Die Rag"
• Prudence Johnson described her best 60s outfit (jeans with flowery material, pink shirt with billowy sleeves, leather fringe vest, mocassins and beads), and touched us with the song she said ‘turned her around’ , "Society's Child".
• Neal and Leandra, claiming to be ‘behind the times’ folksingers, offered the Everly Brothers' "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and Hank Snow's "I've Been Everywhere".
• Cabaret favorite Sima Shumilovsky gave us two songs from her heritage expressing the song always in us, and that when a great love comes into your life, don't let it go.
• Deb Harley and Carin Vagle did a beautiful duet of "Across the Universe", making the song's mysterious lyrics sparkle.
• It wouldn't be Cabaret without Rachel Kroog(above right) giving us something fun and outrageous. This year, it was "These Boots Are Made For Walking", complete with go-go boots and choreography by Rachel and Deb Harley's daughter Laura.
• Designated Elvis impersonator Lee Vague gave us "Burning Love"; designated Rastaman Cyril Paul did "Buffalo Soldiers".
• Mime Michael Hennesey shared the antics of a trained flea...and the antics of a first date.
• In a Cabaret tradition, Jim ten Bensel shared memories of Louis Armstrong and led us into his signature tune "What A Wonderful World".
• Bob Hanson(right) portrayed an authentic stoned hippie, launching into "Wild Thing".
• Nancy Stockhaus handled the Burt Bacharach portion of the show with "I Say A Little Prayer"
• Billy McLaughlin stepped away from his guitar virtuoso role a bit this time and mostly sang instead, offering a song from cult classic "Harold and Maude" and a Motown classic "Ain't Too Proud To Beg".
• Boyd Lee and Joe Cruz offered some top notch singing and picking on the Beatles tune "Things We Said Today" and Jonathan Edwards' "Sunshine".
• Some great debuts this year: Drummer Shane Speltz made his singing debut this year, dueting with his sweetheart, powerhouse singer Cathy Perkins, on "When A Man Loves A Woman."
• Also new to Cabaret was T. Mychael Rambo, reminiscing about his first Stevie Wonder concert (which his brother dragged him to) and singing "For Once In My Life" in honor of that. He also gave us the Leon Russell classic "A Song For You".

Writer, speaker, consultant, administrative professional, Wendy Vickers, has been an active supporter and encourager of local musicians in the Twin Cities music community for several years. Her online newsletter on local coffeehouse performers and other music-related activities can be found on her website at www.wendyv.com .

The music of the 60's spoke to our hearts and souls at a time when we needed it and words alone just couldn't do the job. 40 years later, it still continues to do the same...

Rick Spaulding is a photographer specializing in digital photography for the theater and works for National Camera Exchange. He is also an antique dealer and eBay afficianado who enjoys collecting marbles but his true joys in life are his two boys and his beautiful wife, Tinia.		Peg LaSota comes from a photography background. She now works in the digital world, computer instruction, and with "videography" and the restoration of family films. She is enthusiastic about capturing family memories and preserving them digitally. Along with that, her time is spent with her family and her love for learning Spanish, piano, recorder.....and of course singing with the choir!