February 24, 2006

Variety Show is applauded at its new location

by Dana Aritonovich

Cleveland--The 31st Annual Womyn?s Variety Show went off without a hitch at its new location, Temple-Tifereth Israel in University Circle, on February 18.

The nearly sold-out event, attended by nearly 500 women, featured 50 acts, including comedian Dana Austin, spoken word pieces, and a drag king troupe.

The majority of performances were musical. Peggi Cella?s jazzy rendition of the sultry ?Summertime,? accompanied by Gene Epstein on upright bass, received a standing ovation. Former members of Odd Girl Out also did a song.

?I really enjoyed that there were so many ?virgin? performers,? said Marcia Sindelar, production coordinator for Oven Productions, of the number of performers new to the Variety Show. ?They were so well-received.?

However, she also pointed appreciatively to returning performers like septuagenarian Jane Tobias, on stage at the show for the fifth time. ?It?s a nice variety of talent.?

?It?s such a special event for the community,? she adds. ?It ran smoothly, and everything worked.?

Sindelar acknowledges that experience and dedication are the keys to putting on a successful event. ?The energy of the producers of the show, and their long-term commitment, makes it special.?

The core production team has been with Oven for over 20 years.

The temple was well-received as the new home of the Variety Show. ?Lots of women came up to me after the show to tell me how much they loved the new space,? said Brynna Fish, house manager for the event. ?I love the new location.?

In years past, the Civic, a former temple in Cleveland Heights, and Grays Armory downtown have been used. The spacious Temple-Tifereth Israel allowed for a separate party room, which included the bar, a dance floor, and three DJs who spun throughout the evening.

The 500-seat auditorium showcased the entertainment itself, and there was another area for vendors.

?This place is fabulous,? Sindelar said, pointing out the ample room for the almost 600 women, including performers, production staff and volunteers.

She has already called Temple Tifereth Israel to begin talks about holding the event there next year.

?If they?ll have us, we?ll be there,? she said.

Oven Productions is looking for performers for the 2007 Variety Show, and for a possible event this summer. Interested parties may email Sindelar at imswamp13@aol.com with ideas and suggestions.

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