Kerry Davis and area locals come together to produce variety show filled with talent, laughs

If life is a cabaret, Kerry Davis and crew are living life to the fullest with their new ensemble cabaret-style show, titled "Kerry Davis and Company: Laughter is the Magic," with performances at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Yacht Club at Port Cape Girardeau.

Davis, a native of Charleston, Missouri, said he's always loved the performing arts, but as he's moved into adulthood, it's been more and more difficult to find ways to be in the theater world he fell in love with years ago.

Hence, the creation of Kerry Davis and Company.

"Probably one of the best things I ever learned is to get people around you a lot more talented than you," Davis said. "That either makes you look really bad or really, really good."

Davis said he's betting on the latter.

Kyle VanPool poses for a photo for "Kerry Davis and Company: Laughter is the Magic."Andrew J. Whitaker

The people in the ensemble cast come from all kinds of backgrounds, Davis said.

"We have really talented instrumentalists, talented singers, some lovely, fun people. It's been interesting to watch it all kind of unfold," he said.

When asked to describe the show, Davis said his original vision is pretty much how it's all come together.

"There's a lot of singing, what they call patter, storytelling, joke telling, but the fun thing about this kind of show is the character is yourself for the evening, but whatever version of yourself is most suitable for the stage," Davis said.

Davis said he wanted to bring together several strong performers who already knew what they were doing, so that way, in rehearsal, they could focus on the group dynamic.

Kerry Davis, left, and Kyle VanPool, right, practice for "Kerry Davis and Company: Laughter is the Magic."Andrew J. Whitaker

"Really, it's been fairly recently that we've gotten together. We had to be very trusting of my vision. It has been helpful as we come together to see what we thought of that isn't going to work and what we thought of that is going to work."

Davis said he's also been relying on several friends in the background, helping with costumes and scenery, props and lighting.

"When you do a collaborative artistic endeavor, it just has a way of building community, inadvertently, but you can't do everything by yourself," Davis said.

Of the ensemble cast, Davis said, "This group of people could really probably do anything."

He's not kidding.

Kerry Davis practices for "Kerry Davis and Company: Laughter is the Magic."Andrew J. Whitaker

Guitarist Nicky Hines recently played on a cruise ship. Jeremy Frazier is a band director. And Trevor Robinson, "things just kind of spin out of his head," Davis said.

Cast member Kyle VanPool said he doesn't consider himself a singer, but rather an actor who can carry a tune, "depending on how heavy that tune is," he said, laughing.

"It's pretty evident I'm there for comic relief, which I'm totally fine with," VanPool added.

In February, when Davis called him with an idea of putting together a cabaret, VanPool said he was all for it. Over the next few months, they got together for jam sessions, writing and singing and joking around, building the show as they went.

VanPool, who earned a BSA in acting from Southeast Missouri State University's Conservatory of Theatre and Dance, lived in Manhattan for a couple of years, he said, where he performed in off-Broadway productions, was an extra on television shows and films and managed a box office, but now that he's back home, he's working for the university and, in addition to this show, he's been cast in "Greater Tuna," part of the River Campus' Summer Arts Festival the third weekend in June.

Working with this group of people has been a great time, VanPool added.

"It's a very casual type of performance," VanPool said. "We're just having a good time, and we want the audience to have a good time with us."

That's not to say there's not work put into it, because there is, VanPool said, and "the feel will be a very audience-involved night out."

Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

19 N. Water St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.