We received an email from Joseph E. Walsh, Managing and Artistic Director of Lakewood Playhouse asking us to attend a cabaret style performance at Lakewood Playhouse. Before being hired to run the shows at LWP, Joeseph had been successful in a number of places from the U.S. to the U.K. and possibly beyond. With theatre people, you never know.
Apparently, what he and a few fellow actors had been doing was to entertain up close and personal. They shared the acting and entertaining stories and steps that brought them to where they are now. It was a cabaret style of entertainment with the entertainers lined up for action: Safin Karim, Cherry Gonzalez, and Joseph C. Walsh (in circles in order).
“The creation of these cabaret performances utilizes a unique process where artists explore why they chose theater, how the theatrical world sees them, and ultimately how they see themselves. The collaborative nature of the process has created space to share stories and insights from each individual’s personal experiences on their theatrical journey. This inaugural cabaret will end with an opportunity to talk with the artists and ask questions about their individual journey.” -Joseph C. Walsh
It turned out to be more than just interesting. Actually, it felt more like “A Chorus Line” than “Cabaret”. These were the stories of actors sharing why they are actors – exploring their pasts, their aspirations, and the challenges they’ve faced.
The show was supposed to start at seven, but the attendance was more than expected. We recognized a number of faces – from Laurie O’Brien and The Niceties at Lakewood Playhouse, to Craig Rock from Tacoma Little Theatre’s The Murder on the Orient Express at (https://thesubtimes.com/2022/10/24/murder-on-the-orient-express-a–tacoma-little-theatre-review/ to Chris Serface, who runs the Tacoma Little Theatre.
I think the production began about seven-thirty to a semi-filled theatre of about sixty-seven people. The audience was not wholly there to be entertained, but it was certainly entertaining for the performers and lovers of live theater.
Walsh introduced the first entertainer – Cherry Gonzalez. Cherry’s humor and reveals about herself as a Porta-Rican, growing up and becoming an entertainer was well received by the audience. She shared her life and explained why she wanted to entertain and then she entertained. Assisting her on piano was Safin Karim. Off to the left of Cherry is the young man who accompanied Safin on piano when Safin performed.
Next up was Safin Karim from New York City. He played the electric piano for most of the evening, but had his own piano player as he stepped forward to entertain. He, too could belt out a song and tell a poignant story.
Last up for closing was Sharry O’Hare, the local actress from Tacoma. Everyone in the audience recognized Sharry, who even sang and danced with her husband Michael near the end of the evening.
What we expected was a performance of perhaps half an hour to an hour, but we got considerably more for our money. Most of the actors/entertainers had thirty to forty minutes of stories each of becoming the artists they are now. Most of the audience were either actors/entertainers themselves or their friends and family. It was a warm hug of an evening. We think Joseph is really going to help fill more seats at Lakewood Playhouse and reach out to more people in the Lakewood and Tacoma area to either act on stage or simply be entertained with lively theater productions.
Driving home, Don’s mind wandered around his acting classes (decades ago) and performances at Clover Park High School, Olympic College and the University of Puget Sound, where he won the heart of his wife, the lovely Peggy. (Sigh.)
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