The Aquinnah Variety Show invites people from all walks of life to showcase their unique brand of talents. Given that last year’s show was standing room only, it’s safe to say the Island is filled with a plethora of talented people. It will take place at the Aquinnah Town Hall on Thursday, May 1, at 5 pm.
One of the founders of the Aquinnah Variety Show, Laura Jordan-Decker, says, “This year’s show is shaping up to be delightfully chaotic and abundant. We have a lot of singers this year, and they are all so different from one another — one duet begins with a whistle and ends with juggling; another act is a little play adapted from the Arnold Lobel story ‘Grasshopper on the Road,’ with piano accompaniment and a video projection of a long Aquinnah dirt road.”
Co-founder Kate Taylor says, “Laura and I were thinking about how special the town hall is to the community of Aquinnah, and that it has had a fine history of events and gatherings during hard times and good times. It is, like other communities in New England, blessed with a stage. We were inspired last year to put the stage to use, and we came up with this variety show format and it was fun, and we wanted to do it again, so here we are.”
According to Jordan-Decker, there are a few surprise performers, from townspeople to classy off-season visitors: “I am struck, each time we wrap up a rehearsal, by how real all of these people are. How engaging they are as themselves. That’s the show. And we get to say ‘Yes!’ to wild ideas. It feels limitless.”
