Lora Workman

Artist/producer Lora Workman has a passion: the art of cabaret. She has spearheaded an impressive new project, The Cleveland Cabaret Series, which opens at Kennedy’s Down Under at Playhouse Square beginning Fri 4/1 at Kennedy Cabaret in Playhouse Square. Bringing together short cabaret sets by 14 local singers over 4 weeks, Workman is a dynamo, an enthusiast who will twist anyone’s arm to make them fall in love with the world of cabaret as much as she is. Cool Cleveland theater correspondent Linda Eisenstein talked with her about music, producing, and the world of a nascent arts entrepreneur. http://clevelandcabaret.com/index.htm

What made you decide to become a cabaret producer?
Cabaret is something both Charles Eversole, my music director, and I have in common. We share a passion for the form. Chuck was a music director for 8 years in New York City, and I’ve performed cabaret in New York at Don’t Tell Mama’s. We were looking for a way to find some way to showcase local performers who are exceptional in their own right – professionals like Tina Stump, Tony Sias -- or people coming out of the community theatre world who are big talents but who have never put a cabaret set together.

Many artists don’t understand what it takes to produce a show. They don’t realize that all cabaret is self-produced – usually you pay for the rehearsals, you find the venue, you pay the pianist. But when you’re trying to get something going, to encourage others to try the form, we didn’t want to throw it all on the performers. It’s customary for producers to ask performers to kick in on the costs, but I had huge issues with that. “Linda! Be in my show, oh by the way, it’ll cost you $50.” So I’ve put my own money in this. And we wanted it to be classy, so we’re going with more than just piano, Chuck has put a wonderful combo together.

That’s an incredible opportunity you’re giving folks.
It’s huge. Chuck is doing 1 ½ hour coaching sessions, for 14 people! It’s not the same as performing a song in a musical. In cabaret, you’re exposed – the role is stripped away, and you’re there as yourself, with a direct connection to the audience. You’re very exposed. In cabaret, you need to have a theme. You can’t just have what I call “vocal masturbation”. Even in a 5 minute set, there’s a big, middle, and end. We’re doing back-to-back performances for four weeks, all different material. This is the first week we’ve rehearsed. I just saw 4 people’s opening shows. There will be 5-6 performers per night, doing 15 minute sets. Everyone’s excited about it. It may put me in the Betty Ford Clinic, though.

When you’re doing original work, the only way you get quality is to start with quantity.
That’s so true! After this there will be people who will never want to do it again, and folks who will love it as much as I do and want to put together whole acts. What Charles and I are hoping is that a couple of these folks will eventually develop a 90-minute cabaret performance, and we can go on to producing more. We’d like to see a “Cleveland Cabaret Series” that continues.

What kinds of sets are people are presenting?
Lynette Gutmann was going to do French cabaret, but now her show is all about growing up in the '60s, with '60s music. She opens with theme from Valley of the Dolls – then does a “girl” medley – Georgy Girl, Girl from Ipanema, The Theme from That Girl. It’s a hoot. Dana Snyder is doing songs that are reflections on getting older, and she’s incorporating work by Dorothy Parker between songs

Is anybody doing the German style of cabaret, political satire and such?
I hear that Eric van Baars’ set is on the political side. But most people are exploring the personal side. Tina Stump, who is so dynamic, is doing “songs I sing well, but I’ll never get cast in the role.” Rob Gibb is doing a set about a middle-life crisis – he says, “Some folks buy a convertible, I’m doing a cabaret show instead.” Paul Hoffman is doing songs of Kander and Ebb – but from The Act and other shows people wouldn’t know. Ralph Ludovico has a set about competing in California when he was trying a singing career – he does a piece where he’s competing against himself, it’s very funny. Beth Yeager’s set is about relationships.

I sent around a lot of articles to everybody about the art of cabaret – especially French cabaret. What I’ve told everybody is, "here’s your chance to sing something you would never get to sing in a show, and to look everywhere from material, not just musical theater." Maybe there are people in the audience who don’t like musical theater, so make sure there’s something for them, too. I know it’s going to be great. Chuck is such a brilliant arranger; he’s good at getting people to sound good, making a particular sound. There’s nobody better.

Is anyone doing original songs? I’m a member of Chicago Musical Theatre Works, and every year we musical writers do joint events with Chicago Cabaret Professionals so that singers can find fresh material.
I’d love to have that happen. We tried to encourage new work. Chuck is so good at arranging, he’s written material himself, has worked in the ASCAP workshop. But this time it’s more performer oriented. Lynnette Guttman took the Going Solo writing performance class from Sarah Morton at CPT – I saw it last week. A lot could happen that next time around.

And you’re going to perform in the final one.
I didn’t anticipate doing that. But I found myself being sad that I wasn’t going to get a chance to sing. It sounded like a good idea about 6 months ago, now that I’m so crazed with the producing I’m not sure, it’s a bit overwhelming. And of course, I worry that folks will think, “Why did she put herself in it?” But I like the challenge. And it’s my local coming out party. Most people don’t know that I was trained as a singer, that I was a finalist at a San Francisco Cabaret Competition, that I’ve played the Herbst Theatre to a sold-out audience of 1500. So getting ready to do this has been fun, too.

How did you get started in cabaret?
I was introduced to cabaret by a good friend, Steven Sterlekar. We were both working at Educators’ Music, and he was a huge lover of the form. I went to a cabaret convention to help him. People were performing mini-sets, there were there to promote their CDs – some I liked, some I thought needed a director in a major way. Steven passed away at the age 32 – it was a very traumatic time for me. I went to Italy to live for a while – while I was there, I started to sing again, in cabarets. It’s great when people have a gathering place to present new material, have a few drinks, and work in a supportive environment.

Then last year, I went into producing – a run of Miss Gulch Returns at Kennedy’s. For years I was obsessed with wanting to produce that show. I eventually talked Nick Vanello into performing it. When he said yes, I went to New York, talked with Fred Barton, its creator, and we had the contract within the week.

How did you do with Gulch?
I broke even, which I was happy about. You tell that to an engineer, that might sound crazy, but you don’t produce any kind of theater unless you love the form. Part of this is about empowering Cleveland performers. I don’t have backers to enrich, it’s my own money.

I may be fairly new to producing, but I’ve been in the arts for 20 years. I have a Bachelor of Music from Baldwin Wallace, and I did graduate work at the University of Akron in arts management -- I didn’t finish it because I wanted to be a working artist. I sang at Cedar Point for a summer, which I got a little flack for – “you’re going to wreck your voice!” -- but I wanted to sing. You learn a lot doing 6 shows a day, 600 shows in a summer, that’s a Broadway year! When Kenley Players had their ill-fated attempt to bring shows here, I was in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Barbara Eden. I kept thinking, “I’m on stage with ‘I Dream of Jeannie’.” She came in, knew her lines, knew her songs – that’s how you put up a show in 10 days. I’ve always been an observer of the left-brain stuff, especially how people successfully sell their shows – or don’t. The biggest challenge is finding a spin on something that makes people want to come.

You’re great at promotion. Your materials are so slick, I’d never know this was only your 2nd producing endeavor.
I do what I need to do. When you’re passionate about the project, you find a way to promote it. It’s about making connections in the community. I want the performers to succeed, to feel that they’re in a quality show. I can’t scrimp on postcards, mailing, a well-written press release. Those are the wrong things to do poorly. I never understood why you’d go to all the work of mounting a show and not do everything to get audience in the seats! I’m very lucky to have people in my life who can execute my ideas – my web designer is Nick Vanello, who did Miss Gulch – my poster and postcard guy lives in Connecticut – we did it all by email.

We’re at Kennedy’s, from April 1st to April 23, Fri.-Sat., starting at 8:30PM, a 90 minute show with a cash bar. You can’t have a cabaret without a cash bar.

I saw how you set up Kennedy’s for Miss Gulch Returns. You figured out how to configure that space so it’s relaxed and inviting.
I drag out the tables. You need the connection with the audience. Otherwise you’ve defeated the purpose. If you’re in traditional theater seats, you’re afraid to get up and buy a drink. It’s not like I’m a brilliant person, but I don’t get why people think the room works the other way.

How do you make a living?
For my day job, I work at Playhouse Square. I started out as assistant director of sales, but now I’m in the Education Department. I bring in 60,000 kids a year in to see shows, and I go out to the schools. I’ve worked here for 6 years. Before that I did a lot of freelance choreography. I still choreograph for the North Coast Men’s Chorus. It’s been great watching them grow. They started with 25 guys, now they’re up to 110. They’ve made phenomenal progress. When I first got there, I said “That myth that all gay men can dance, you’ve completely wiped that away, boys.” But it’s been a blast, working with the guys who are willing to subject themselves to my torture. We’ve got another show coming up in April – like I don’t have enough to do in April! I taught them original choreography to “My Favorite Son” from Will Rogers’ Follies. I get to work with a real diversity of material. A while ago, I choregraphed a gay Nutcracker for them, for boys who had no ballet training. They’ve come to trust me, that my job is to make them look good. We do a lot that’s not typical to most gay men’s choruses, but neither is a female choreographer.

You’ve lived other places. What does you think Cleveland needs?
We all try to focus on the positives. We’re lucky that Playhouse Square is here, bringing in a million people a year. This could have been parking lots! There’s the beginning of a renaissance downtown – but it’s a long haul. It took forever just to get Starbucks down here. You have East 4th and Playhouse Square and not a lot in between. But it’s sad – you need a place to do breakfast. We need normal things, basic retail. They’re building townhouses, but where do you get groceries? Even something as basic as a Walgreen’s – you need a couple of those retail business back.

We had guest artists from Amsterdam in a while back. They came in on Sunday, and there was nothing open! Nothing! These Amsterdam people woke up on Monday and were excited to see cars! They couldn’t figure out what’s wrong down here. Everything seems to be dying in Tower City, and there’s nothing in the Galleria. The restaurants struggle, even with shows down here.

My mother and I tried to get something to eat before a show one Sunday – there was so little open, we ended up getting back in the car and going to Chinatown.
Sunday! Forget it! I’m down here a lot and I’m always hearing “Can you suggest where to eat?” I just did this with Menopause the Musical – somebody looking for a Saturday afternoon lunch. Everything is closed! The only thing I could suggest was the Wyndham hotel, or to hop in the car and go to Tremont or Chinatown. It’s a vicious circle, there’s not enough business for the restaurants to stay open, and without open restaurants people won’t bring their business. I’m hoping it’ll get better with the Education Center opening -- the merger of Ideastream, WCPN, WVIZ studios and the Education Department of Playhouse Square. There’ll be a lot more people in the area every day.

What do you think are Cleveland’s big strengths?
There’s a feeling right now of wanting to make the city stronger. We live in a city where people are trying to combine forces, like with the Education Center, to make the city a stronger. I take people on tours of Playhouse Square – lots of people don’t know that Playhouse Square Center is the 2nd largest performing arts center in the U.S. There is so much here! We’re so lucky! We’ve got the orchestra, and one of the best museums in the world, and the Cleveland Clinic. My friend has a father in upstate New York where the hospitals don’t even have respiratory therapy – we have every kind of treatment here. We take so much for granted, when stuff is readily available. But people travel from different countries to take advantage of our resources.

I had friends in from out of town, they asked how much the museum cost. When I said it was free, they thought I was lying! It’s unimaginable to folks in other places. And the cost of living is still affordable.

I thought about moving to New York, most artists consider it at least once. But I didn’t want to live with 7 people and cockroaches. Here I can still do art and do it well and have a nice life. I was in NY in October for 12 days. It’s exciting but it wears you down. I was watching dogs walking and even they looked worn down. There’s a pulse there, but there can be a pulse here, too, and you’re able to live.

You can even have a back yard.
One of my New York friends stayed with me and said, “I’ve never seen such a big backyard!”

Back to your series: what should somebody expect, who’s never seen a cabaret show before?
You’ll be seeing so many different types of people, genres of music, something that will appeal to everybody. If you don’t like one person, hey, it’s only 15 minutes and only $15. I’ve seen a lot worse, for a lot longer, for a lot more money. I work in the non-profit world, and I believe that increasing ticket prices are driving away audience. At $15 a ticket, you’re paying only $3 per performer. Come on in, audience, or I’ll be washing Chuck’s floor for a year. If you enjoy any kind of singing whatsoever, you’ll find somebody to connect to – lots of different experiences and life choices and presentations. And remember, the more you drink, the better we sound.

Interview by Cool Cleveland theater correspondent Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

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