Curvy Cabaret celebrates plus-sized singers
Five powerhouse female vocalists come to City Lights Theater
Large women in show business are often relegated to a few narrow roles as sidekicks, comic relief and reclamation projects. Best buddies Juanita Harris and Karyn Rondeau aren’t having any of that.
The veteran vocalists have performed in productions around the South Bay, but they’re not waiting for the phone to ring for gigs. On Sunday, their new endeavor J/K Cabaret presents “Curvy Cabaret,” an evening showcasing Harris and Rondeau with Jessica Coker, Elizabeth Curtis and Glenna Murillo at City Lights Theater Company.
“We thought it would be cool to do something that celebrated who we are,” Rondeau said on a recent conference call with Harris. “The five of us all are all curvy and beautiful, ridiculously talented singers. We’re thriving and owning it, and we love each other, too. I’ve been inspired by each of these women, seeing them hold the audience with their singing and their acting.”
Accompanied by pianist Nicole Boaz, with whom Harris often works as part of drummer Gabby Horlick’s 7th Street Big Band, the five women are performing on the set of City Lights’ production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights” (which runs through Aug. 19). The evening is designed to give each woman a turn in the spotlight while also creating opportunities for them to play off of each
other.
“We’re trying to do vignettes,” Harris said. “Everyone has their own stories through songs. There are a couple of duets and trios in there, and we do a big finale at the end. In terms of songs there’s a big mix of things, from standards to some more contemporary pop music.
“‘All About That Bass,’ that’s going to happen,”
Rondeau added.
“There’s a song from ‘A Chorus Line,’ ” Harris continued. “And some songs that don’t belong to any musical. Cabaret one-offs.”
“Curvy Cabaret” is the second show presented by Harris and Rondeau’s J/K Cabaret, which kicked off last month at Art Boutiki with their show “Drunks on Parade,” a boisterous program focusing on 100-proof songs. Before that event even took place, City Lights artistic director Lisa Mallette approached them about doing an evening as part of the theater’s Lights & Music Concert Series sponsored by neighboring Cafe Stritch.
“We provide a lot of opportunities for female directors and playwrights,” Mallette said. “Karyn and Juanita came up with this idea that really fits with our mission. I love that this is putting a mirror up to some of the negative stereotypes of theater, claiming space as ‘We’re beautiful and powerful, too.’ I would have loved to direct it.”
While there’s been increasing recognition of body shaming as a nefarious practice often resorted to by bullies, the performing arts continue to function as a zone of exclusion for plus-sized women. “Curvy Cabaret” explores the women’s experiences of
overcoming casting directors’ and audiences’ preconceptions and dealing with nagging questions about whether size was an issue in not landing a role. In the show, humor and camaraderie are essential ingredients in embracing selfworth and their inner divas.
“To quote Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s not a moment, it’s a movement,” Rondeau said. “Just like Oprah talking about the importance of seeing other actors of color in how you see yourself. I truly believe there’s a change, a shifting. There are always going to be haters, but love wins out. Inclusivity across the board wins out.”
“That’s way more appealing
than Simon Cowell telling Jennifer Hudson she’s too fat on ‘American Idol,’ ” Harris said. “This moment has been coming for a while. Now more than ever, when hateful rhetoric has been normalized, it is so important to reject these messages that we’re lesser and unsexy.”
Ultimately, it’s an embrace the women want to extend to everyone. Yes, there’s a tongue-in-cheek song on the program, “Let’s Kill the Ingénues,” but “We’re not hating on the skinny gals,” Rondeau said. “We love everybody.”