A Feature on Leslie Vincent's "Cabaret Open Gym" Series at The Hive Collaborative

In just over a year, The Hive Collaborative has become a welcoming home for artists and audiences with a variety of programming including theater, music, movies, bingo, and other events. One such unique series of shows is local theater and music artist Leslie Vincent's "Cabaret Open Gym," a sort of open mic evening in which anyone can get up and sing a song or tell a joke or do any kind of performance. I attended the inaugural show back in September, which was a really fun way to experience a wide variety of performance and support local artists in various stages of their careers. A nice feature of the event is that the first half is curated, meaning Leslie invites more established local artists to present something they're working on, so you know you'll see some great stuff by people you're likely familiar with from stages around town. The second half of the show is open, meaning anyone can sign up and be added to the list to perform. Some of these artists are new to performing, some have more experience, some may lack polish, but you also may discover a diamond in the rough. I love supporting artists in creating new and inventive work, and this is a great way to do that. Read on for an interview with Leslie, and make plans to attend the next Cabaret Open Gym on January 13 (tickets start at $10) and/or sign up to perform yourself!

Q&A with Leslie Vincent:

Why did you start this series?

I wanted there to be an open mic geared towards performing artists who may not feel they fit into a traditional open mic. I also wanted to cultivate a space where artists could take chances in a low stakes environment. 

What is your goal for this series, what do you hope to accomplish?

I want to bring our community together, to nurture all the beautiful creativity that already exists, and create a space for our community to grow. 

What do you hope artists get out of this experience? 

I hope artists get a reminder that they’re worthwhile regardless of the work they’re booking. It can be hard when your creative outlets are determined by a few artistic directors in town. I’m hoping this is a place that provides an outlet whether someone is booking work consistently, is between jobs, is just getting started on the scene, or is coming back to performing after a break. 

What do you hope audiences get out of this experience?

I hope audiences feel inspired to be creative in their own lives. We are creative beings and sadly, in our culture lots of forms of creativity, especially performing, have been commoditized. Creativity doesn’t need to be a side hustle; it can be done for its own sake. I hope audiences walk away with bravery and inspiration they bring into the rest of their week! I know that’s how I feel.

When you were a new artist, would something like this have helped you? If so, in what way?

Absolutely! In fact, going to jams and playing with new players is why I wanted to create Cabaret Open Gym. I felt like I had so many places to practice my craft and I wanted to provide that for others. 

Anything you learned from the first show that will change how you do the second?

We had a fair number of people show up to watch and then decide to get up to perform. Even though that’s not how it was originally set up, I love it. How often do you go to a show and get to perform yourself? It led to some incredibly vulnerable moments that feel special and unique.

Who should sign up to perform at Open Gym? How do they sign up?

Anyone! Whether you’re professional performers or just getting started, this is a place to try something, to fail, to learn, to be in community. Sign ups are here but you can also show up and perform on the day of the show.