Image by Mengly Taing
Make art, not war
Sarah Sophie Flicker and the Citizens Band fuse politics and cabaret
By Mengly Taing
Published: December 7th, 2007 | 9:30am
Sarah Sophie Flicker and her friends are not happy with where the world is going. But rather than raise their fists, they decided to sing and dance – and do a little aerial ballet. Performing together as the neo-Vaudevillian troupe, better known as the Citizens Band, Flicker and friends form a motley crew of artists and political activists who merge their talents into spectacular shows aiming to educate and inspire civic participation.
Last weekend [December 2007], the Band premiered their latest show, "The Panic Is On," during a special three-night engagement at the Ars Nova in New York City. Since rising out of the wake of the 2004 presidential election, the cabaret collective has performed in both New York City and Los Angeles, covering issues such as oil, global warming, and healthcare. This was the sixth original show the group has produced in less than three years.
"Certainly now, in the last eight years, you don't have a choice but to be interested in politics," said Flicker, who co-founded the group with long-time friend and fellow Band member, Jorjee Douglass. "We wanted to present a somewhat grim viewpoint of where we are in the world right now."
The show opens with a loud explosion, transforming the intimate stage into a live-action, makeshift bomb shelter. Thrown into a panic, the Band is forced to tackle the current political climate in an eclectic medley of songs spanning 150 years.
"It really isn't until you explore your past that you explore the present," Flicker said. The 33-year old filmmaker, and self-described research enthusiast, surfed the web and sifted through her private collection of old songbooks to find the perfect mix of classic songs to add to the group's original compositions.
Among the many issues the Band addressed in their songs were immigration, poverty, environmentalism, and war. A song about a fallen soldier had one Band member asking: "Remember my forgotten man? / You put a rifle in his hand. / You sent him far away to fight for USA, but where is he today?" "The rich will live, but the poor die," sang one Band member. "Politicians ruin everything," sang another.
For their last number, Band members donned sashes with the word "VOTE" written in capital letters to encouraged the audience to head to the polls next November.
"The bottom line is that had we voted differently, or voted at all, we would be in a different place," Flicker said. "Who knows what that would be, but it would be a different place."
Organizing such a large group is no easy feat, but Flicker said that's what she loves most about the Band. Everyone is so different. Among the 20-plus members in the show, there was a schoolteacher, an Emmy Award-winning actor, a trapeze artist, a British model, and a special guest appearance by Nina Persson of the Cardigans.
Flicker said the Band hopes to continue the show throughout the next election cycle.
"What makes them so special is they are telling a powerful message through music and dance," said designer and friend Erin Fetherston, who was among the sold-out audience on closing night.
"You can go to one of our shows and if you're not interested in politics, you'll be dazzled and entertained," Flicker said. "I just hope for an hour and some chance people can go home feeling very inspired about making little changes to make the world a better place."
For more information about the Citizens Band and their upcoming shows, visit thecitizensband.net.
Issue #29
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