Notes from a Composer

Michael Lahr von Leitis presenting Cole Escola with the Piscator Award

I had the pleasure and privilege of performing October 23 at the Piscator Awards, a dinner and fundraiser at the swanky Upper East Side Lotos Club benefitting the arts organization Elysium – Between Two Continents.

This year’s Piscator Award went to Cole Escola, the current Toast of Broadway for “Oh, Mary!”, “for their outstanding achievements as a comedian, actor, singer, and playwright, and for being one of the leading voices in queer theatre.”

My performance contributions revolved around accompanying soprano Jeannie Im on the grand piano and a bit of acting. We opened the evening by performing Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” as set to music by Schubert, not the better known version by some cat named Beethoven.

Later, after an introduction by the playwright Doug Wright, Jeannie and I performed Weimar era songs, and short spoken texts, mostly in German. Below you can see me camping it up with Jeannie, acting out Marcellus Schiffer’s “When the best friend…”, about two Lesbians gossiping.

“Wir vertragen uns so gut es ist kaum auszuhalten!” I exclaim before Jeannie translates: “We get along so well I can barely stand it!”

Note the sign to the right. One might add that when the piano player gets that campy, occupancy by even more than 29 persons may be dangerous and unlawful!

Pictured above, Doug Wright hands Cole Escola a tiara to go with their award after the actor John Early’s introduction. All three gave very witty, endearing speeches.

John Early

Elysium – Between Two Continents , dedicated to “artistic dialogue, creative exchange and mutual friendship between the U.S. and Europe – fighting racism, hate, and anti-Semitism by means of art” is helmed by Gregorij H. von Leitis and Michael Lahr von Leitis. I’ve known both gentlemen since 2005, when we collaborated on a 90 minute program of Weimar era German cabaret songs. The four songs sung tonight were originally part of that program.

Bracketing “Wenn the best friend”, Jeannie first sang Kurt Weill’s electric-lights-art-song jingle “Berlin im Licht” and then Friedrich Hollaender’s” feminist barnstormer “Raus mit dem Männern” (Out with the men). During the second chorus Jeannie tweaked one of the lines to say “Raus mit dem Männern aus dem Weißen Haus”. Even many who don’t speak German caught that sentiment’s meaning.

Then dinner was served, the award was presented, and during dessert, Jeannie and I continued with the cabaret.

In the picture above she sings Misha Spolinksy’s cynical ballad of politics “Ich weiß das ist nicht so”. This was followed by me reciting the following text, quoting Marcellus Schiffer:

“Politicians are magicians who make swindles disappear

The deals they are making, the bribes they are taking

Never reach the public’s ear

The left betrays, the right dismays

The country’s broke – and guess who pays

But tax the swindles in the making

Profits will be record breaking

Everyone swindles some

So vote for who will steal for you

—

from the revue “Alles Schwindel” – “All is Swindle” – Berlin, 1931

Two years late its composer Misha Spolinsky will flee the Nazis to London”

Then Jeannie sang the only English language number, Spolinsky’s song of exile: “Good Bye Trouble”.

Gregorij H. von Leitis, Cole Escola, Michael Lahr von Leitis

Afterwards, Cole Escola made a point of thanking both Jeannie and myself for our efforts. Saying “Everyone at my table was very impressed with you” while shaking my hand. That was very sweet. I decided against cheapening the moment by asking for a selfie with Cole, but if I had, I would be shamelessly – well, maybe a little blushingly – sharing it here.

But as it is, photo credit for all pictures in this post goes to John Harris