Jolie Harris to Star in Act II's Second Cabaret Nights This Season

This season, tried something new. Fans of the theatre are able to spend some evenings with Philadelphia’s much admired performers at this season’s Cabaret Night series. Currently, there are a total of five cabaret shows for the 2011-2012 season. The first one debuted on September 19 with Jeffrey Coon, known for his many performances at the Walnut Street Theatre. He immediately jumped on board when Act II asked if he’d star in one of them.

“They have done several individual cabarets over the past few seasons,” says Coon. “I was extremely flattered and excited to have been asked to be the first one this season.  I have been looking for an opportunity to work on a cabaret over the past few years and, so often, because of other work and everyday life, the prospect of putting a cabaret together fell on the back burner.”

If you missed Coon’s performance at the theatre, he’s currently working on “The King and I,” premiering Novmber 8 at Walnut Street. Following his run in that show, he‘ll start rehearsals on “Doubt” there and “Tulipomania” at the Arden Theatre Company. Like Coon said, there’s not much time for cabaret nights.

Act II’s upcoming cabaret performer, Joilet Harris can agree. She’s a woman of many talents, a mezzo-soprano and actress with many television and film roles attached to her name. In 2007 she won the Barrymore Award for “Best Actress in a Musical” for her performance as Caroline in Caroline or Change at the Arden Theatre in Philadelphia. Right now, she’s in rehearsal at People's Light Theater in Malvern for "Treasure Island", a holiday panto. It opens November 19, just a few days after her November 14 cabaret show at Act II. But with the tour of “Ella” currently having no performances (she plays the title role), Harris was finally able to work on her own cabaret act.

“A few months ago, Mary Martello (my sister-from-another-mother) and I were talking and I mentioned that I really needed to work on a cabaret act that I could do during the times when I wasn't in a show,” said Harris.

Her friend mentioned the possibility of Harris filling in for one of the cabaret dates at Act II and promised to mention the idea to someone at the theater.

“I was delighted,” said Harris when she got the call from Act II, “I think I remember being invited to do one either last year or the year before, but I was on the road with "Ella" at the time. So, then, of course, the brain work started...trying to figure out what songs to sing, what my theme would be, how elaborate I wanted to make it, and what could I do that would be different.”

The last cabaret Harris did was two years ago for the Philadelphia Art Alliance and prior to that, she had only performed a few in the last 10 to 15  years. This is her first cabaret performance in a theater. 

“For my Act II performance, I wrestled with what kinds of songs I wanted to sing. I kept gravitating to songs of compassion, songs that spoke to my heart,” she said.

She wrote a list of songs and most of them were ballads. Harris figured no one would want to hear her do 90 minutes of ballads. With no idea how to approach her upcoming cabaret act, Harris went to sleep one night and the show title and concept came to her. 

“The next morning, I got busy pulling it together. The title, Love, Joy, Peace - and a few "Lil-isms"  forecasts the 3 categories of the songs I'm going to sing, because these are three of the attributes that I associate with my character,” Harris explained.

Regarding her "Lil-isms",  Harris was raised by her maternal grandmother who was known for her one-liner clichés and words of wisdom.

At these cabaret nights, it seems that songs and people who have significance to the performer is a common theme. Coon sang songs he hopes to one day pass on to his children.

“They made me think about how music can become a legacy, something that is passed down from generation to generation.  My grandmother was a huge influence on my affinity for music and, specifically, the kind of music that I enjoy singing and listening to,” says Coon.

“As I age, I find more and more that her words keep coming out of my mouth. Her name was Lillian,” said Harris referring to her grandmother. “I'm implementing some of her stuff into my show. Hopefully the audience will find it  interesting, fun, and thought provoking.”

Her accompanist and keyboardist for the night will be Aaron Graves. Other than that, she isn’t anticipating anyone else joining her on stage. But she says she’ll see how the night goes.

“We’ll just play it by ear,” she said.

The performance will start at 7 p.m. on Monday, November 14. Tickets are $20