MARCH 1981 HIGH GEAR Page 13

Oven's yearly vaudeville

Hello, show. Goodbye, snow.

By M.F. CASTLE

Along with more traditional signs of winter's demise, there has been another sign for the past six years in the Cleveland

area..

At the beginning of January members of the Women's Community begin to disappear from public view. They are busy auditioning for the annual Women's Variety Show, and are soon hard at work writing acts and rehearsing.

This variety show is produced, promoted, and presented by Oven Productions, the women's production company in Cleveland.

The 1981 edition of the Women's Variety Show has entered the herstory of this annual event as another success.

This year's edition consisted of 14 separate acts and explored the full range of Women's Community talent.

The Variety Show for 1981 took place on Valentine's Day.

Musical numbers included three original songs done by Sandi G., including a delightfully whimsical number called "I Don't Think You Love Me Anymore."

The Average Amazon Band made the audience high-spirited with a second act opener consisting of "Please Don't Let Me Be Understood" and three other Sixties songs.

Fishman & Elaine contributed a professionally done medley of

songs about the joys (?) of friendship. The medley included "Where Would You Be Without Me" and "Busom Buddies."

The Variety Show's closing number consisted of three songs from the Cleveland Women's Choir, whose members once again proved their versatility. The presentation ranged from "Wait Til the Sun Shines, Nellie" to contemporary Women's Music.

Also acquiting themselves with honor were The Moral Chorale, madrigal singers who gave a tongue-in-cheek warning about "Feminists." Dressed as five "Moral Majority" matrons, they had the amused audience eager for more.

Comedy acts ranged from WDYK-TV News to the Joys of Depression.

WDYK-TV gave some news not usually seen on television and ended with a singing weather woman's report.

Also from TV was a somewhat modified version of The Dating Game, a skit entitled The Ventriloquist, with Tish and Peggy offering a surprise twist concerning which member of the act was the dummy. Another laughgetter was an interview with the author of The Joys of Depression.

Two skits deserve special mention. 1 plus 1, performed by K. and A.M touched a responsive chord in the audience, depicting some of those awkward feelings

of getting together. Slumber Party, a depiction of a prepuberty discussion of where babies come from, delighted the audience with this exchange: "I heard he took her into the bushes and she had a baby." "How?” “I dunno, I think he just yelled, "Have a baby RIGHT NOW!"

A more serious offering was the recital of an original poem by Jan H. And We Marched. Well written and presented, the piece covered the feelings of the women who marched in Cincinnati two years ago.

The Pie Auction with Col. Evelyn as auctioneer featured home baked pies to raise money for Oven Productions sponsorship of a place setting in the Judy Chicago Dinner Party.

The Women's Variety Show would not be complete without the annual presentation of 10 queens from the Queen of May. the Night, The Amazon, The Fairy right through the Queen of Hearts. With ballroom and cancan dancers added, the show cpening extravaganza set the tone for the evening.

Weaving all of the acts together and entertaining the audience during set changes. Oven's MCs did an outstanding job. The show was generally well paced, the overall staging was well done, and the sound left little to be desired.

Since the show is produced once a year the next Variety show I will be held early in 1982. Any women interested in further information on the show can contact Oven Productions at P.O. Box 18175 Cleve. Hts., Oh. 44118.

For women this yearly show is a must.

DIANNE F. "WOWS" 'EM

Right Out Of History

the film journey into the making of

JUDY CHICAGO'S DINNER PARTY SATURDAY MARCH 28 5:30p.m. GCC donations requested

Proceeds for sponsorship

of a plate for the Judy Chicago Show

Information

or Directions Call 621-3380

*Sponsored by the women of LIGHT of the GEAR Foundation

SLUMBER PARTY

GAMES NIGHT

At the COMMUNITY CENTER -2641 W 14 th

MARCH 22, 6:30TILL

RUMMY PINOCHLE

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SUPPO

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MONOPOLY

2402 Club

2402 St. Clair Cleveland, Ohio (216) 694-9823

Mar 8 From Columbus, Ohio-at 11 PM

Wayne Morris & Company

Mar 15 Richard's Second Anniversary with Entertainers from 2402 ClubTM-

Open at 6 Showtimes 6:00 & 10:00 Mar 22 Fourth Annual Miss T Awards

Starring Claudette Knight at 10:30 Mar 28 Breakfast Show at 3:00 $3.00 Mar 29 5th Annual Miss 2402 Club Contest Apr 5 Diana Roger's Presents-at 11:00 PM Some Country Music

GEAR

-10990 qnibisWS: 9100 nditions welcome!

Cover for shows

Benny & John, your dj's

HAPPY HOURS-Monday-Thursday-8:30-10:30 PM Barmaid-DIANA weekends with Miss CATHY CRAIG