While he might be one of our newer members, he certainly is no stranger to many stages and circles here in the Twin Cities. Joey Clark found his way to TCCAN via a back door. He had played piano as an accompanist for us a few times bringing his expertise to us in that capacity. But he is also a formidable artist in front of a mic, so it only took a bit of convincing from a few of us allies to get him to join. In just a short year he has been a huge advocate in all we do and we are the better for it. He is a valued staff member at Saint Paul Conservatory where he is rearing the next generation of young musical theater artists. He directs all over town in any genre. He has landed major roles at Artistry in Sunday In the Park, with Frank in Cabaret...... How many hats can one talented individual wear? Many it would seem.
Why Cabaret:
As a cabaret performer, I get to break down the walls between audience & artist and truly engage my audience on a personal level throughout the performance. This may be in the form of vocal or physical audience participation, bringing members of the audience up on to the stage to be a part of the action, or going out into the audience to engage them in conversation. The feedback loop from audience member to actor on stage and from actor on stage to audience member is thrilling and seductively powerful!
Cabaret Snapshot:
My cabaret show Out of the Trenches and Over the Rainbow was a one-man, original work about bullying that came as a response to a Rutgers University’s student’s act of suicide after being outed as gay by his roommate. Through that show I was able to promote awareness for Dan Savage's "It Gets Better Project" and raise money for The Trevor Project (a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth). This is truly a testament to Joey's passion for making change through his art which is obvious in many things he does.
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