Bending Threads: What is Commitment? A Cabaret

A few weeks ago, I took in another stellar modern cabaret show. This one was held at the Mainstage of the Broadway Comedy Club and presented by Theatre Arts Workshop, headed by Lisa Jordan, and Bending Threads, a dynamic cabaret act whose work has shined at a variety of New York City venues, like the Duplex. Bending Threads is comprised of Patrice Bell, Kareen Foster, Westley Todd Holiday and Rejinald Woods, with special guest artist Frank Holmes both guesting and filling in for Woods for their latest offering, "What Is Commitment? A Cabaret."

The latter question was open-ended enough to keep things interesting and also made my mind wonder a bit to queries such as "And Who Should Be Committed?" because I'm deep like that and perhaps also because there could indeed be a relationship between these two questions, based on the last couple of dates I've gone on...

The event itself segued through an extensive range of material, with the commitment theme threaded loosely through the tracks, many of which, in a nice twist, were covered by the students involved in Theatre Arts Workshop's training program, with the always expressive Holiday serving as the M.C. in addition to putting together the vocal arrangements.

Highlights included a version of Hawk Wolinski's "Ain't Nobody" sung with spunk and assurance by Trish Pennix, a duet of "Friendship" offered in a comedic spirit by Chloe Berger and Ola Stefankoswski, and the opening and closing numbers performed by the Bending Threads foursome, whose range of styles both complemented and contrasted with one another in their characteristically strong, rich manner.

While interpretations of the show's central theme can and do vary, the journey's the thing, and I look forward to my next installment...of the Bending Threads/Theatre Arts Workshop collaboration, I mean.

Till then, check out Bending Threads' YouTube channel here.