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Farewell Michelle! A 3-Month Student Intensive Ends
For the last 3 months, Australian harpist Michelle Smith has been here at HipHarp Headquarters doing intensive studies with me. Michellle’s only been playing 3 years, but she’s serious about making a career playing harp, is already a great Burlesque...
“Burnt Food Museum” Gets a Few Questions
I recently received a query from a national TV show about the “Burnt Food Museum” of which I am the founder and primary contributor. They asked me some great questions, so here they are, with my answers: Curator & Founder’s Background: Q: A bit...
From Musical Theater to Guerrilla Theater: Lab Coats Dress for Success
My neighbor, Betsy, recently sent out a neighborhood bulletin asking for “occupational clothing.” Betsy’s teaching a course called “Social Change in Action” at Boston College and the clothing was part of the students’ field work. I just happened to have 20...
Burnt Food For Thought
When my wellness-coach, Natalie, saw the article about my Burnt Food Museum in the Boston Globe, she said it made her think of the piece I debuted in my shows last weekend, a 15-minute musical stream-of-consciousness that weaves together some of my favorite songs...
Mother’s Day Weekend Shows – Feedback Page
I’m trying new material at my Mother’s Day shows this weekend (details on the shows below) – so I’m psyched!! And I’m setting up this page so people who come to the shows will have a place to give feedback. I’ll try to get back...The Shape of Empty Space
It’s a little before 7 on a Thursday morning. I’m heading to NYC to see a workshop of my friend Gunnar’s new musical “The Shaggs – A History of the World.” I’ve just discovered the Megabus, which costs less than $15 from...
One Mom’s Legacy of Music and Burnt Food
My mother left me two legacies at the end of her short life, both sprung from the same idea: great art can spontaneously appear anywhere, anytime. The first legacy was her music, which was impromptu and spectacular. She was a trained singer and a natural actress but...
Two Horses Running – My Mom as a Paradox
Because she died so young, I’m now older than my mother. But she’s still my mother. That’s non-negotiable. I’m still struggling to be exactly like her and nothing like her. She was – for me – paradox embodied. She could be physically violent and she was also...Mother’s Day Revisited
I used to have a tradition of playing Mother’s Day shows. It gave me a built-in excuse to talk about my mother — which I always do anyway — but in Mother’s Day shows I felt I had more license. When I see families, multi-generations, at my...
