GETTING READY FOR CABARET NIGHT

Every year Jim and I host "Cabaret Night." This is mainly a party to celebrate life in the middle of winter, but also a chance for everyone to unleash their creative selves. We turn our studio from an art project room

into a French Cafe.


Getting cleaned up is a challenge every year. For example, in the middle of the floor right now is a HUGE box left over from our last party, "Disturbing Christmas,"


where everyone makes ornaments out of odd parts and puts Barbies together in strange ways.


These decorate our "white pine" tree at Christmas time. Everyone always has so much fun putting Barbie on the bandsaw! A typical comment heard during this party, "has anyone seen the other bat wing?"

In our studio we have the "lily pads," a display piece from the now-defunct Frederick and Nelson department store, where Jim and I used to work (and where we met, but that's another story), which holds our collection of (way too many) hats.

(Note: none of Jim's many Panama Hats from Ecuador are on this hat rack). When I need inspiration for Cabaret Night (or Halloween) I often turn to the hat rack. It helped me this year because I didn't have a clue what my act would be until last weekend when I spied the pirate hat in the foreground with the red feather.

Oh, did I say? The guests all have to perform at Cabaret Night. It can be ANYTHING - reciting a poem, singing a song, skits, jokes, etc. We STRONGLY encourage costuming. Here are some examples from years past.

Mark, Teresa and Emma (not pictured) doing a family skit portraying "My Darling Clementine."

Our lovely friend Mirica doing a great chanteuse number.

On this particular year we were fortunate to have Chuck and Nancy visit us. They really got into it and wrote their own (very entertaining) skit about two students in a writing class.

Steve and Renee are singing and they are blind (mice? Can't remember)

Jim is the Green Man. He distributed rubber duckies.

(You had to be there).

Some of the yummy appetizers - and we always start with champagne.


Emma (she's 15 now!) usually helps us serve our bistro menu. She has a terrific french maid outfit and usually gets good tips.


Pretty much what goes on at Cabaret Night, stays at Cabaret Night.


And you never know what wig you may have on by the end of the night.






Audrey