The three-year-old Taipei Players is putting on their second musical cabaret evening tomorrow night at Loops in Taipei, bringing some early Christmas cheer to fans and friends — and all those who asked when they were going to do another music review.
Technically, however, the show is called Taipei Players and Friends present A Cabaret Christmas, because friends from other performing groups — like the burlesque troupe Rock in Hose, reggae band High Tide and others — have pitched in, so altogether there will be about 15 performers.
Taipei Players cofounder Mandy Roveda said they wanted to have a story line, so a few people got together a several weeks ago, including Brandon Thompson, Katie Partlow, Robert Iacoboni and herself, to devise the ins and outs for the skits and songs.
Courtesy of Digital Canvas Films
“The show is set in a Taipei apartment building on Christmas Eve, when Santa Claus comes to visit,” she told the Taipei Times in a telephone interview on Monday. “Santa pays a visit to each apartment. What you see is what Santa sees in each unit, so there are some traditional carols, some nontraditional ones and some traditional ones being used in unusual or different ways.”
The show starts at 8pm and runs about one-and-a-half hours, and is timed not to conflict with the skate party Attack of the Crease at the Polar Bear Ice Skating World, in Ximen, which starts at 10:30pm. [See The Vinyl Word.] Those who go to the cabaret and get their hand stamped will get NT$50 off the entrance fee to the skate party.
The doors open at 6pm and each admission ticket comes with two drinks. However, in the spirit of Christmas, all the proceeds are going to charities and cabaret-goers will be able to choose from among four, all of which those performing in the show have personal connections with: The Garden of Hope, Spark Circus, Bookhouse and the YMCA.
The Garden of Hope helps disadvantaged girls and young women in Taiwan, especially victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence; Spark Circus helps disadvantaged children in refugee camps, migrant schools, and orphanages along the Thai-Myanmar border; Bookhouse tutors poor children in Taiwan, mostly Aborigines; and the YMCA is a worldwide organization helping young boys and men.
“It’s one night only,” Roveda said. “It’s going to be even better than last year.”
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