Cabaret Confessional

Adelaide cabaret performer Nikki Aitken shares her experiences at the International Cabaret Convention.

A cabaretconfessional.com exclusive.

POST TRANSIT AND THE BUSINESS OF SHOW!

Last Saturday was the final night performance of the Conference. Since then, conference attendees have made their way back to their respective homes with the feeling that an amazing experience just occurred. Reflecting on the nine days at Yale, the sheer exhaustion it created compounded with a 24 hours of travel back to Australia, I have to say, I’m glad to be alive and less jetlagged now! These sentiments have been echoed in what feels like an instantly cohesive and supportive group of YALE ALUMNI 2010!

The last few days of the course were FULL ON! After we went into storyboarding the cabaret, it was all systems go. Not only were we in full production mode (did I mention we had 3 days to create this?!) but our days were filled with one on one sessions with the master teachers and personal preparation for the show. It was amazing to see how each individual member of the group committed themselves and contributed to create a show that we were all so proud of.  I’m sure each group felt the same way about their work – as they should! 

A personal highlight for me during the creative process was my one on one session with Mark Burnell where, through our powers combined we composed the finale for our group – in one take! Luckily Jeff Lunden was in the room and recorded the moment otherwise it may have been lost forever. 

On the Friday night, we watched more performances from our Master Teachers – Sally Mayes and Faith Prince. This was just about as much information, joy and brilliance that my brain could handle! Whilst fearful of leaving such an intensively creative environment, I was a little bit glad that the overload would soon be done with. Brains really can get too full!

As Performance Group 3 we named our show ‘In Transit,’ and were second in the running order. I got to hear bits and pieces from show that ran first. Did I mention that the Iseman Theatre was a real proper like theatre with call speakers, dressing rooms with big bathrooms and showers and everything! This little girl from Adelaide was a little struck by the grand scale! When I wasn’t running around like a stunned mullet, I heard some beautiful voices float through the dressing room which made me smile. I can’t wait to see the DVD!

As Tovah Fedshuh said at the end of the performance ‘Win Or Learn,’ So, here’s some of the things I learned that are resonating for me in this moment.

For maximum success; know your boundaries, know what counts. 

Know effective time management skills, learn how to sleep when you are in high pressure environments! 

HONOUR YOUR SHOW TEAM. This Business of Show is an adrenaline filled wonder and one that I can say I am proud to be a part of. There are no people like show people, and I hope to continue to meet and play with many more through the course of my life! 

It was an absolute honour to be a part of Performance Group 3 -

Perry ‘Bette’ Balin, Julie Cascioppo, Ted Davis, Nancy Gair, Nicky Gainer, Moshe Mintz, Judy Ann Moulton, Michael ‘La Zonga’ Pacas, Willie Pizarro, Harold Sanditen and my roomie Calia Vandyk.

And to learn and work with our incredibly supportive Faculty Advisers -

Tex Arnold, Mark Burnell, Jason Graee, Sally Mayes and Tovah Feldshuh. 

The wonderful Student Performance Group 1 consisted of -

Gary Bartlett, Piero Bonamico, Mark Cummings, Wayne Fritsche, Terry Gallagher, Jaqueline Harding, Barbara Jones, Meredith Long, Sara Lee Michaels, Katie Nelson, Catherine Thompson, Jazmine Thompson and Rich White

Student Performance Group 2 consisted of -

Sydney Baldwin, Michelle Bertin, Lindsay Sutherland Boal, Sam Broverman, Peter Fox, Keri Heidecker, Jerry Hill, Matt Howe, Anita Kallen, Duncan Moore, Megan Owen, Myrlen Tagam and Willian Baldwin Young

YALE RECIPE: Erv Raible, Course God, Producer, Director, all round fabulous human, along with Pam Tate, Course Goddess Organiser, amazing performer and all round fabulous human bring between 35 – 40 unexpecting students to the Yale dorms every year and blow their minds with information and joyful immersion in cabaret craft!

Follow this link for more information on The International Cabaret Convention At Yale.

Jeff Lunden’s NPR Report on the Conference.

Look out for Adelaide’s own Ben Finn who is set to attend the conference in 2011!

And thank you to Catherine Campbell who paved the way in 2006!

Also, thanks so much to Arts SA for providing funding towards the course, Frank Ford, Catherine Campbell and Matthew Carey, all of the audience members that attended ‘Destination Broadway’ and my wonderful friends and family. 

Related links:

Australians Study Cabaret at Yale University

International Cabaret Conference at Yale - Report Pt 1

International Cabaret Conference at Yale - Report Pt 2

International Cabaret Conference at Yale - Report Pt 3

Interview: Cabaret + Diva + Comedy = Nikki Aitken

Full Faculty Adviser Details Below for 2010 International Cabaret Convention– All I can say is check out their work the minute you can!!

ERV RAIBLE / Executive Artistic Director / Master Teacher

PAM TATE / Associate Director

TEX ARNOLD / Master Teacher / Pianist

MARK BURNELL / Master Teacher / Pianist

TOVAH FELDSHUH / Master Teacher

JASON GRAAE / Master Teacher

CAROL HALL / Master Teacher

GEORGE HALL / Master Teacher

MICHAEL JOVIALA / Master Teacher / Pianist

SHELLY MARKHAM / Master Teacher / Pianist

LAUREL MASSÉ / Master Teacher

SALLY MAYES / Master Teacher

SHARON McNIGHT / Master Teacher

ALEX RYBECK / Master Teacher / Pianist

JULIE WILSON / Master Teacher

DAVID FINKLE / Journalist 

FRED VOELPEL / Image Consultant

Adelaide cabaret performer shares her experiences at the International Cabaret Convention.

A cabaretconfessional.com exclusive.

Day 2 of the International Cabaret Convention and I'm definitely at Yale! With 35 other cabaret performers from as far away as the UK and Jerusalem. I have travelled the furthest to come here, although a couple of hours behind me is a guy from Luera, NSW. Another Australian accent! The university campus is just as imagined - old architecture built in an English style. I feel like I am in Cambridge or Oxford - the dorms are modern though. This is a good thing as it is hot and about 90% humidity right now!

After check in yesterday and many "Hello, how are you? What is your name? Where are you from? You look like fun!' exchanges, we were taken on a group tour of the area. The people doing the course are from varied backgrounds - one guy here croons like Sinatra but is a Neuro-Psychologist by day. I am rooming with Martha Stewarts' TV series production manager and the guy I rode up with is PA to Marylin Rodgers (daughter of Richard Rodgers) and David Zippel. The other girl I'm rooming with performed on Oprah last week...as you do!

Last night, after dinner, it was off to rehearse for the two days worth of masterclasses ahead. We met the Musical Director we would work with, my group has Tex Arnold for this first series of Performance Technique masterclasses.

Today, each singer had 30 minutes to work on their song, and 19 teachers would have to negotiate how they would comment on each of the pieces. There was some great stuff! It seemed the theme of the day was '"Put more sex in it!" This ended with a student's rendition of "Taylor The Latte Boy" as sung from the perspective of a Couger. It was questionable and turned the whole day back around to exploring innocence.

We had an initial consult for IMAGE. We were handed out sheets which showed the 'Western Image Standard' for face and body and were told to observe ourselves in every mirror at every opportunity - and not to feel vain. 'Vanity is the performers best asset' apparently. Thank you, I think....!

The concert at the end of the evening was given by Julie Wilson and Tovah Feldshuh (www.tovahfeldshuh.com) - Julie was amazing, if any of you saw her in Adelaide last year, you will understand! I LOVE Tovah! She is the funniest thing I have ever seen in cabaret. She performed for an hour and a half in a 'Catherine Tate' style cabaret; playing a different character in every bit. An Italian retiree from the Bronx, her Jewish father, grandmother, mother and many more. Tovah had the longest running one woman cabaret on Broadway in 2004 and understandably is my new idol!

Tomorrow, it's my turn to sing in front of the group. I'm singing my new favourite, 'Ready To Be Loved,' the faculty staff have been very direct to all the other students - no bullshit and straight to the point so I'm excited about being on the receiving end of it!

Nikki Aitken
www.nikkiaitken.com
Yale University, New Haven CT

Nikki Aitken will perform 'Cabaret Alive And Kicking' at The Sydney Fringe Festival 16-22 September at The Seymour Centre Sound Lounge.