Emcee Etiquettes: Experts Weigh In on How to Host the Perfect Cabaret Night

Gigi L'Amour (a.k.a. Stephen Lawson of 2boys.tv) interviews six contemporary cabaret emcees on how they came to hosting and what their individual approaches are to the role. Hosts are Alex Tigchelaar a.k.a. Sasha Von Bon Bon (Toronto/Montreal), Lois Weaver a.k.a. Tammy WhyNot (New York City/London, UK), Dayna McLeod (Montreal), Earl Dax (Montreal/New York City), Alexis O'Hara a.k.a. Guizo LaNuit (Montreal), and Keith Cole (Toronto). With an introduction by Gigi L'Amour, this article profiles established mid- to late-career cabaret artists from Canada and the United States. These artists work with various live art performance techniques, including drag, persona, improvisation, interlocutor framing, feminist performance, comedy, variety programming, performance art, political theatre, and queer aesthetics.