Encore!

After singing and dancing in two shows on Saturday with two more to go on Sunday, what did everyone want to do Saturday night to relax? Karaoke, of course!

To steal a saying from a friend of mine: I sing in the key of K. On top of that, I'm an alto and don't have much range. It's hard to find songs where I can hit all the notes.

Another disadvantage I have. Many people Karaoke with co-workers after a day of work. But look at my co-workers... Some of them have even been on Broadway! It's easy to follow some stranger who never managed to find the right key. But how do you follow your friend who has a three octave range? [I find a shot of tequila helps]*
One thing I do love about going with the actors - no one gives away what they do for a living. When asked by strangers, "Why is everyone at this table so good?" they will just shrug their shoulders. We have even gotten free rounds for it!

Advantages I do have: I can do the throaty singing style. I'm loud. And I can do, what a friend in college nicknamed, "The Voice." I don't know how to explain it - and even the real term sounds a little... well, the actual term is "The low, slow, blow." Because that is how it is accomplished. I'll just leave it at that.

So I needed to find a song that would fit all that. Then one day I was singing along to a Madonna song in the car...

It was Memorial Weekend, so not that many people were at the bar besides us. I put in my song, crossing my fingers that I was going to be singing after one of the tone-deaf locals.
What really happened: In order, it went: Cousin Kevin, The Lover, The Spot Op. [me], then Tommy. *Gulp*

I got up and did "Hanky Panky" by Madonna - because it's the only one I can do. It was one of the better performances I've done of it - but knew it wouldn't hold a candle to anything those boys sang.
When I sat back down, my stage manager gave me a high-five and "good job!" The sound engineer said," I didn't know you could sing!"
I figured no one would even remember me. I would be totally over-shadowed by the actors. Which was fine.
A little later it was found out that we were from the theatre, but hardly anyone else was left by then. Our gang closed the place down.

This Saturday. Same bar. Some people couldn't make it last time and wanted to go. Half of our group was the same as last week's. This time the bar is crowded. A 30th Birthday celebration was already going on.

The Acid Queen (who wasn't there last time) did a song. Then a local who was sitting one table over from us was called up. She said, "I don't want to go after the theatre people!"
How did she know we were from the theatre?

She sang fine and our table cheered the loudest for her. When she came back over, I told her, "That was great!" She introduced herself to me (Mary) and to her friend and asked what was that song that I sang last week. That's how she knew! She was there last time!
Mary turned to her friend and explains to him,"This girl looks like a librarian and then she gets up and does this raunchy song about wanting to be spanked!" She begged me to perform it again. And right there is what is making this story blog-worthy. No one has ever asked me to do a repeat performance of my singing. ( I think part of it was just the song itself, though. Not everyone knows it). She remembered me amongst all those pros? I wasn't quite sure how to take the librarian comment. I had actually dressed for going out last week. Make-up on, wasn't wearing glasses, and had my hair down - not in a bun!

So I put my name in. Bonus: I got to follow an off-key local, not an actor. The song has a long instrumental intro, so I was doing dedications over the music. However, I totally forgot to mention Mary! I came back to the table and Uncle Ernie (who hadn't been there last week) high-tenned me, said, "That was AWESOME!" and gave me a big hug.


*not that I am promoting liquid courage - it's just what I do. And only one shot.