Venice Theatre Cabaret Festival: That Thing Called Love

The Venice Theatre Cabaret Festival starts this weekend. A dozen different acts (including yours truly) will be performing in the 90-seat theatre from July 19 to Aug. 25. The cabaret will feature some of the most talented singers in the area in an entertaining variety of songs and styles. This is a first for Venice Theatre. Producing Director Alan Kollar has long wanted to provide an opportunity for singers to perform in an intimate cabaret-manner, which is more infrequent in this area then one might expect.

The festival will kick off this Friday with “That Thing Called Love” featuring Robin Fernandez and the festival’s music director, Bobby Brader, at the piano. Robin and I performed onstage together several years ago and she is a very talented artist!

We can certainly all connect with that thing called love and Robin will be sharing some of her own experiences through songs and stories. You can catch her show at 8 p.m. Friday, July 19 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21.

KP: Tell me about your cabaret – what is the concept behind it?

RF: Everyone can relate to the joy and angst of love and relationships! So I started out by gathering all kinds of music about love; wrote monologues from my perspective in between, and then I shifted the songs around to create a flow. It was amazing how the lyrics in the music from the beginning of the show tied in with the lyrics at the end - in completely different songs/composers. I have performed shorter versions of this show, and this time I had to add an Internet dating section!

Tell us about your performance background:

I am originally from Rome, NY, and lived in NYC for over 16 years. I have performed extensively as a professional singer, dancer, and actress in NYC, European tours, and in regional theatres across the U.S. under my AEA stage name Robbi Marchion. I was happy to sing the National Anthem at a Pirates/Rays game in this season’s spring training at McKechnie Field.

What do you think is unique to your show?

I think the monologues in the show help make the songs much more personal and intimate. The format invites the audience to join in with laughing (and perhaps crying) at the foibles in the quest for love and the ultimate in sharing an experience being part of a small cabaret audience.

What are you most excited about sharing with an audience?

By profession, I work with leaders and teams as an ontological coach. Okay, I know most people don’t know that word. Ontology is the study of the nature of being. Through entertaining, I have the great pleasure to provoke the audience into an emotional experience and observing their own nature with humor, curiosity, and compassion. I really want them to have fun and enjoy themselves!

What does it mean for you to have Venice Theatre providing this platform?

It’s an incredible gift to the performers and the community because the intimacy of cabaret is very different from the “fourth wall” experience of most theatrical productions. Through interaction with the performer(s), the audience becomes part of the cabaret show. Their presence and energy are key to the unique magic that will be created during a brief moment in time.

Which cabarets (other then your own) are you most excited to attend?

As a performer, I most enjoy seeing people I have performed with. I become like a proud mother or sister watching them!  So Kim and Bobbi, and of course I am excited to see your performance! As you know, you and I performed in Sweet Charity at the Golden Apple quite a few years ago. You were a young girl to me then, so it will be like seeing my little sister grown up, and I get the opportunity to hear your voice from the audience!

Any advice for audience-goers?

Have fun attending the shows. There is nothing like live theatre where anything (good and not so good) can happen, and being part of a cabaret audience, you often get clued in on whatever goes on since the performer really connects with the audience. Let the shows help you to dream, create, and enjoy the feelings of being alive!

For more information and tickets to “That Thing Called Love” visit the Venice Theatre website.