I went to the annual Chicago Cabaret meeting yesterday and there sitting in a chair was Laura Freeman. I was so excited to see her! How long had it been? She went to shake my hand and I laughed at her and hugged her. “I have been hoping to run into you!” We both started asking same questions, “how long have you been in town... what are you doing?” We sat through the meeting and then went out for coffee to catch up. It had been fifteen freakin' years! How on earth did all THAT time go by?
I knew Laura back in what I will call the golden age of open mic night at The Gentry. For anyone who knows Chicago's Gentry bar(s) this was when there was only one and it was in a beautiful old building and the piano bar was in this elegant back room. Beckie Menzie who hosted the evening would sit regally behind the baby grand and the room filled up with an eclectic mix of talent. What made it so special was that every Sunday, the same group of us, a nice size group of us would be there like clockwork. It was something we all could depend on and it was always fun and family. Specific highlights I will never forget:
Mark Hawbecker, a wonderful character actor used to perform a hysterical song based on the song “Nothing” from “A Chorus Line” in which he portrayed the not so nice teacher, “Carp”. He would also, every fourth of July perform a ridiculous, over-the-top “three cheers for the red white and blue...” What's the name of that song? It escapes me and for good reason.
Bob Mason who is now a prominent casting director in town had/has the most gorgeous voice, one of the best I have ever heard. It didn't matter what he sang. Wistful, wonderful, beautiful. One of his best was Kathy Mattea's “Where've You Been?” One of my favorite things to do was come up with a duet for the two of us to do just for the sheer pleasure of singing with him.
Aurora... a girl named Aurora from the burbs. This girl could sing her ass off. Her big number was “I Have Changed” from Dream Girls. Seriously, you just had no idea how this sound came out of this woman. Why she is not a major superstar baffles me. I have no idea what happened to her. Hopefully she is still singing out there somewhere. I should google her. Although I don't know her last name.
Yeah, just came back from googling... and nothing turned up. I should ask around. Damn, she was good.
Ginger Tam would drop in late in the evening after one of her gigs. Ballsy, funny, brassy, all of those things. She would unwind after work and still be entertaining.
Nan Mason was one of the funniest women I had ever seen perform in my life. Absolutely unpredictable and dead on fu-nny! One of my favorite memories of her is her impeccable Katherine Hepburn imitation. But you see, this wasn't just an impression, this was an actress crafting the character of Ms. Hepburn down to the finest detail until as far as you knew, the legendary actress was there, in the room with you. Once while doing her Hepburn routine, wearing the “On Golden Pond” fishing hat, she spotted me in the audience. “Ro-o-o-ob Do-o-o-rn...” she wobbled. “ I bet you never knew your name had so many syllables!” My stomach ached from laughing.
Laura Freeman belted. I think at the time she would have been about 19 or 20. And she opened her mouth and out came the perfect belt. Wise beyond her years, she'd stub out her smoke, plop herself up on the stool and go into any number of smoky torch songs. Now it's been fifteen years since I have heard her sing and I can only imagine if someone at THAT age could sing like that, the years have only added MORE depth. I can't imagine. I can't wait to hear her again. We'll have to make it happen.
Beckie Menzie, the hostess with the mostess. I loved her arrangements. I loved dueting with her. Our two big numbers where “Rhythm in my Nursery Rhymes” and “Abba Dabba Honeymoon.” Some of my favorite musical moments where with her accompaning me. She was/is expert at the art of accompanying a vocalist. She supports, carries and takes you further than you think you are going to go. Great. Great times... I miss those times. Beckie did a wonderful “Ticket To Ride” and I also loved her “West Side Story” medley. Yes, a medley... I LOVE medleys. There are not enough medleys as far as I'm concerned.
There were many more artists who filled the room. Arts critic, Jeff Rossen and his dear late partner Ben, Charles West, the bizarre and delightful Peter Mohawk, Film director Greg Glienna, a guy named Mark Espinosa who went on to appear in Beverly Hills 90210 would get up and sing. This guy was one of the sexiest people. We all just stared at him as he crooned in the key of gorgeous and we sighed in unison.
So many wonderful memories to take along.
Laura just opened up a treasure trove of memories.
That is the thing about the past, the good thing... you can enjoy the good memories and completely let the yucky ones go. And if you are dwelling in the past in a negative way, all you have to do is start thinking about the good things that happened and start peicing it all together and suddenly you realize that those past times, those “good old days” are still with you. Perhaps buried a little, but always ready to be excavated and enjoyed again and again.