Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Highline Chanteuse - The Renegade Cabaret


Sue and I took a stroll on the Highline this evening - this amazingly repurposed stretch of out of use elevated railway converted into parkland and promenade. I love this place and it was an amazing evening. We ended (where the highline presently ends until extended) at 20th Street in front of the apartment building where the laundry hangs. This time the laundry looked staged to me like Caffe Venezia in Berkeley, CA where the laundry hangs with a New Orleans Square, Disneyland flair.

Sue explained to me that there is a singer who appears from this fire escape and sings to the strollers on the High Line. I imaged her appearance timed on the quarter hour and popping out on the fire escape and moving to the music like a figurine inside a German clock.


We saw a woman inside the apartment and coaxed her out to get her to sing for us. (Sue's idea) and it turns out she is the manager and the "lady in the green dress will be performing at 9pm." By this time a crowd had gathered at Sue's creation - a host of us were informed when to come back and what restaurant to eat at meanwhile. (La Lunchonette)

Turns out the New York Times has covered this. And there is a Facebook page. And, silly me, its own website. It is called The Renegade Cabaret.

With my interests in digital and social media I am very impressed by the use of new technology to promote this grassroots art project. For me it possesses a "why didn't think of that?" ring to the whole thing, but then I don't have a fire escape overlooking a converted elevated railway or a voice for that matter, but I am reminded that I live in New York City where stuff like this is born and I can have my own renegade moment once I come up with it OR is comes up to me.

Now that I have joined their Facebook page I will be notified when to come back to see her show.