On the evening of Feb. 29, Center on Halsted held its 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show in front of a packed audience at the Hoover-Leppen Theater.
The event brought together participants of the Center's youth and senior services programs—and anyone else who wanted to participate—for an evening of music, poetry, comedy, spoken word, mingling and drag. At the close of the event, a dinner was served for participants and supporters.
Highlights from the show included Ron Dickson's karaoke reading of the Hank Williams Sr. chestnut "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," with audience members whooping every time the word "gay" was mentioned in the song; budding poet Damien spoken word piece on the complicated love she had for her abusive father; Australian Bob Goldstein telling of a wild night of passion and terror in Tahiti; and Toast and Zelda's duet with ukelele and drums.
Show favorite Lydia Farmer dedicated her a cappella version of Chet Baker's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" to a recently deceased friend. Mia Sostrin performed "Rise" by Katy Perry, while David Baker performed a story from the perspective of "a crabby old man who hates stupid questions." Ivory Lee performed "I'm Here" from The Color Purple, while artfully integrating hand puppetry. Drag artist Phoebe Pheonix, performed a spoken-word piece, while Roska, resplendent in a hand-made form fitting silk gown and handmade roses, performed Mon Laferte's "Antes De Ti." Bloom danced to Demi Lovato's "Confident" and Cameron Scott closed out the show with a song.
See centeronhalsted.org .
