Saturday, May 19, 2012

You never sausage an evening

This evening I stepped into the world of Alice in Wonderland. I guess you could call it Herbert in Sandisfield. My dear friend Ben Luxon called me last week to ask if I would accompany him and Laura White in a romantic duet they were singing tonight in Ani Crofut's Cabaret at the Sandisfield Arts Center.



This seemed like a great idea. Ben is one of the world's great baritones and Laura has a lovely soprano voice. What an elegant evening, I thought.

The piece they sang was by Lionel Monckton, who wrote for British Music Halls in the early 20th century. That, in and of itself, seemed fine.

It turns out the text of the song relates the sex life of Max and Mitzie.

The kicker is that they are sausages.

Yes, sausages.

Ben's wife, the fine painter, Susie Crofut, created Sausage costumes that have to be seen to be believed.



I thought that this will either set me off on a new career in Vaudeville- (except that Vaudeville is dead), or it will end my career as a classical performer.

What the hell? At my age, who cares.

Fortunately, all of us are fairly well-glazed hams, so it came off very well. I would say that in spite of the dramatic demands, they did their wurst. And they stole the show!

Out of the frying pan, onto the stage, as it were.

On a more serious note, Laura sang 'Mi chiamano Mimi' from La Bohème very beautifully earlier in the show, accompanied by Ben



This is the Sandisfield Arts Center
Be there June 10th at 4:00 p.m. for the
Ferris Burtis Music Foundation Benefit Concert

If you carrot all, you will be there.

No sausages allowed!