An aficionado of live performance knows it is only a half-right perception to think of vaudeville in terms of the early decades of the 20th century, the “born in a trunk” dark ages pre-dating TV. Vaudeville, as in a revue or variety show setting, becomes more popular yearly — especially with the burgeoning groups of street performers, as well as solo acts — some even working the subway stations of New York. Cellist Sean Grissom is just such an individual, as audiences will learn on Sunday and Monday at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage offering of Holiday Vaudeville.
If you go
| Holiday Vaudeville |
| » Where: Millennium Stage, The Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW |
| » When: Sunday-Monday, 6 p.m. |
| » Info: Free, 800-444-1324, kennedy-center.org |
In true revue style (a little bit of this, and a little bit of that), Grissom will act as the show’s MC, welcoming the audience while performing on his stripped-down, homemade electric cello. His personal repertoire changes with each show, running the gamut from folk, Cajun, classical — he also owns a standard cello — and rock music, all sprinkled in with tidbits of vaudeville humor and sight gags.
But this act, an annual Holiday Vaudeville he brings to Kennedy, is hardly all about him.
“I write the framework of the hour show, knowing I have to hit certain time-points,” he said. “I’ll show off and go about 12 minutes in, then I segue in my role as host, to bring the other acts on and off.”
The featured acts include people he loves to work with when in town. Mark Hayward spins tops, yo-yos and jokes while backed by Grissom’s interpretation of a Miles Davis piece. Hayward, after about 12 to 15 minutes, will then exit the stage as the MC welcomes the Alexandria Kleztet, a most interesting assortment of musicians as one would ever expect to see. Playing together for over ten years, the group concocts a revue of traditional Eastern European/Jewish music blended with a jazz, classical and rock. Sing Out! magazine has noted that “they may not be international stars yet, but … they will definitely get there.”
There is, naturally, a smash finish to the show, one that involves the audience, one that only Grissom could have thought up. No fair telling, but it includes paper bags, starlight mints and kazoos for every audience member.
After the shows, Grissom will return to New York City where, one week later, he will be conducting seminars for string professionals and teaching in the public schools. Oh, and was it mentioned that this Master musician from Hunter College will return to his favorite gig twice a week? That would be on his stage below ground — the New York subway system!
