Virtual Vaudeville Makes A Revival This Saturday!
Vaudeville has made a number of attempts at revival over the years. Now it is virtual vaudeville’s turn!
In 2002, I was part of the short-lived vaudeville revival that took over Times Square. [See this article from the NY Times that features my show extensively: Old Time Vaudeville Looks Young Again
What with the social distancing, #coronamadness, and lots of artists trying to suddenly become remote viewing stars, it’s about time for vaudeville to make a revival again. And I’m happy to say that I’m still a part of the story!
This Saturday, April 4, I and 8 other performers are creating a Virtual Vaudeville show that will feature 6 hours of continuous entertainment from some of the top vaudeville and variety artists in the country. You’ll be able to tune into Instagram Live from 3 pm to 9 pm (Chicago time), 4pm-10 pm (New York Time).
The virtual vaudeville show will take place on Instagram Live on the account phonographdjmac.
Over the course of the 6 hours, each performer will do a show or piece of their show at least 3 times. At the current time, slots for each artist are not quite set. I will update this post with the times when we get them.
UPDATE: I will be on at 4:50 pm, 6:50 pm, and 8:50 pm. All times EST. Tune in a little before that to make sure to catch the whole flea circus act.
Viewing is free, but we are asking for donations via Venmo or PayPal. All donations will be split equally with all of the performers.
In addition to my show, the other performers include some of the best in the business, including:
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- Andy Sapora – Variety Performer/ Clown
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- Peter Mintun – Keyboard Wizard of the Jazz Age
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- Keith Bindlestiff – Variety Entertainer and Sideshow Marvel
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- Gin Minsky– The Tapdancing Sword Swallowing Delight
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- DJ Phonograph Mac- Emcee, Impresario, Charlatan
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- Mark Jaster & Sabrina Selma Mandell – Diz & Izzy Aster: Vaudeville’s Late Bloomers
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- Alex Vernon & Sarah Olmsted Thomas – Original puppet works, physical theater, and mechanical wonder.
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- Professor A.G. Gertsacov – Acme Miniature Flea Circus
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- Jonathan Singer- Skunky sans Pinky. Xylophonist.
-    Andy Sapora– Dramatic Recitation of the Weather Almanacs and Actuarial Tables of the Pacific Northwest starting in 1890 and moving forward as far as 1907 (anno domini).
-    Peter Mintun – Keyboard Wizard of the Jazz Age.
-    Keith Bindlestiff – Variety Entertainer and Sideshow Marvel
-    Gin Minsky– The Tapdancing Sword Swallowing Delight
- Â Â Â DJ Phonograph Mac– Emcee, Impresario, Charlatan
-    Mark Jaster & Sabrina Selma Mandell – Diz & Izzy Aster: Vaudeville’s Late Bloomers
-    Alex Vernon & Sarah Olmsted Thomas – Original puppet works, physical theater, and mechanical wonder.
- Â Â Â Professor A.G. Gertsacov – Acme Miniature Flea Circus
-    Jonathan Singer– Skunky Sans Pinky. Xylophonist.
Several of these performers were with me (or even more accurately, I was with them) during the last Vaudeville revival, including Keith Bindlestiff (it was his theater we were performing in) and Andy Sapora, who has been working at the Met Opera and as a Flying Karamazov brother.
My show will have to change a little bit for the virtual vaudeville Instagram format. Lighting has to change, and as a performer, I rely heavily on the audience to provide a mood, which will not be true with an Instagram show.  And there are time restraints that are not true in a live show. All of these problems are worth solving.
Now more than ever people need to laugh and be entertained, and I’m in just the right company to make that happen.
So please come out and support this historic and triumphant virtual return of Vaudeville to Instagram!
You can find out more about it on the following facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/
Or tune in here on Saturday:
https://www.instagram.com/phonographdjmac
I look forward to spending some time with you!