Magic, madness, MANNA: Asheville Vaudeville revives show for nonprofit
Posted 02/26/10
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010302260005
February 26, 2010
Magic, madness, MANNA: Asheville Vaudeville revives show for nonprofit
By Casey Blake
So why are a group of performers bent on reviving the old theater style known as vaudeville?
“Ultimately, we want to instigate a new artistic movement in Asheville,” said Brian Sneeden, artistic director of the new Asheville Vaudeville shows. And judging by recent turnout at their monthly productions, it looks like they’re well on their way.
Asheville Vaudeville, founded by Sneeden and co-producer Thomas Butler, has been performing in its most recent incarnation since last November.
Derived from the annual Pritchard Park street festival by Asheville’s Scapegoat Theatre Collective, Sneeden and Butler’s decision to make vaudeville a regular Ashevillian habit has been a rousing success.
“We wanted to create a venue where these very talented people could not only perform every month but cultivate new material as well,” Sneeden said.
The show includes everything from jugglers and contortionists to short plays and burlesque, with one important rule for the material; it must always be new.
The show highlights some of Asheville’s most eclectic performance fixtures including Cookie LaRue, Tom the Magician, Vendetta Crème, Forty Fingers and the Missing Tooth, Sophie the Amazing Dog and Bretian the Hungarian Accordionist.
Asheville Vaudeville shares the love with its community through more than its onstage craft. One third of the show’s proceeds go to MANNA FoodBank. Every $10 the troupe raises feeds 25 people, which means more than 600 meals for every sold-out performance.
Asheville’s Craggie Brewing also donates two kegs to performances; those proceeds also go to MANNA.
Butler and Sneeden point out that Asheville has a special atmosphere that nurtures off-beat, unconventional performances.
“I think there’s a real appreciation for eclectic arts, one that doesn’t necessarily extend other places,” Sneeden said. “We just have so much happening in this city. That’s a vital symptom of artistic evolution and the community feels that and responds to it.”
Butler and Sneeden have high hopes for the show and are quick to credit the individual performers with Asheville Vaudeville’s success.
“We get standing ovations every night and I attribute that to the fact that our acts are all so uniquely talented,” Sneeden said. “We really want to promote them as performers and help them cultivate their talent.”
Casey Blake writes about entertainment for take5.
Additional Facts
IF YOU GO
Who:
Asheville Vaudeville.
When:
7:30 and 10 p.m. Thursday.
Where:
BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St.
Tickets:
$12 advance (at Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café), $15 at the door 254-2621. www.asheville
vaudeville.com.
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