Happy Holly Daze from Richard Skipper

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:4 mins read

“Yesterday is a cancelled check. Today is cash on the line. Tomorrow is a promissory note.” —Hank Stram

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying the changing of the season. Even though we are in the throes of autumn, it is just now the weather seems to move from crisp to cold. How lucky we are in New York that there are so many welcoming artists and venues to keep us all warm. Speaking of welcoming, I hope that all of you who are seeing this have seen Lynn DiMenna’s video chats with two of the greats of the cabaret world—Marilyn Maye and Mark Nadler. Both epitomize what it is to be working artists. Both have made a healthy living doing what they do best—ENTERTAIN. You can see these on the Cabaret Scenes channel on YouTube.

What sets Mark and Marilyn apart is their dedication to EVERY aspect of the entertainment world and their place in it. The lines are truly blurred between cabaret and theatre in their worlds. I truly believe that if ALL of us made the same commitment, it could elevate not only each other but cabaret to a level of high visibility beyond our community.

online pharmacy no prescription

Obviously, Cabaret Scenes magazine has done that with each and every issue.

My wish for all that read this is that we all make a commitment to being an “ambassador of cabaret.

online pharmacy no prescription

” With Richard Skipper Celebrates, I set out to celebrate ALL the players of cabaret. That includes everyone from the booking managers and club owners to those that are taking reservations. In order for audiences to grow, we ALL have to be committed. With very few exceptions, over the years there has been a disconnect between the venues and those artists they book. Just changing that very paradigm will make a HUGE difference in the emotional well being of both artists AND audiences.

Years ago, Sherry Eaker and Bob Harrington put a book out called The Cabaret Artist’s Handbook. It’s still relevant and highly recommended if you can get your hands on it.  In the book, one thing that stood out for me is a chapter entitled Cabaret Going: A Requirement.

That chapter has become a mantra in my own life. I see, on the average, at least five shows a month. I realize that economics prohibits that happening in most of our lives. It is not just about what happens on the stage. It is the visceral experience we all have sitting in those audiences. The people you are rubbing elbows with today are your audiences tomorrow.

Also, MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) has a series of seminars that are offering great advice for novices and veterans alike.

Think about the last FIVE shows you saw. Whom did you invite to join you? How many of those you attended with are outside of the business? Social media is a major tool for getting the word out about ALL that cabaret offers. I see daily that VERY few are utilizing these tools to the best of our ability.

When you see a fellow entertainer’s post, PLEASE take a moment to respond (especially if you’ve seen the person and/or the show being promoted). It takes very little effort to do this. Just hitting the LIKE button isn’t enough. Leave a comment and share. That also boosts the availability of the post.

Till next time, send comments and/or questions to Richard@RichardSkipper.com.

I’ll see you in the cabarets at YOUR next sold-out show!