Variety show to feature local acts

The Bloomington Musicians and Songwriters Association will present a fast-paced variety show featuring performances by musicians, poets, comedians, jugglers, dancers and trapeze artists Saturday at the John Waldron Arts Center. Some more acts are still being added to Saturday’s lineup, including hip-hop performers and belly dancers, said Marc Haggerty, director of the Bloomington Musicians and Songwriters Association, who is coordinating the event.\n“The Variety Show is one part of a pretty big project to cause performers to aspire to perform in Bloomington, rather than aspire to leave,” Haggerty said. “We want to make Bloomington artist-friendly.”\nEvery Monday evening there is a songwriter showcase at the Players Pub, 424 S. Wa The show will attract people from the Bloomington community as well as students, said Haggerty, who is also a former Ringling Brothers trapeze artist and who will be performing Saturday.\n“I think students are getting tired of listening to music they have to yell through. They turn 21 and they are disappointed in the bars,” Haggerty said. “There is more out there.”\nChristopher Lemmon, acrobat and Bloomington resident, is performing Saturday night. He has 10 years of experience in the circus and is now working toward his audition with Cirque du Soleil. Alan Thompson and Isaac Simonelli, IU students and talented jugglers, will also be performing. Thompson, who has been the president of the IU Juggling Club for two years, is passionate about juggling and serious about training. \n“His intention is to show people what they have never seen and never even thought was possible,” Haggerty said in an e-mail.\nWell-known local songwriter Curtis Cantwell Jackson and the duo of local singer-songwriters Stella & Jane will also be performing. \nThe Bloomington Variety Show is at 7 p.m. Saturday at the John Waldron Arts Center, located at Fourth and Walnut. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and are available online at www.artlives.org or at the door.