A visit to the Unprofessional Variety Show

Photos and text by Stacie Joy

The Unprofessional Variety Show is a quarterly cabaret in the back room at the Parkside Lounge on Houston and Attorney.

East Village resident Maya Seuss launched the ongoing variety act in February 2022. (Read more from Maya below.)

I checked out the most recent show on Feb. 17... which featured East Village residents

Xaddy Addy and Eak the Geek/Edward Arrocha plus Klovis Gaynor and Dr. Ksenia M. Soboleva.

Here are a few scenes from the evening... 

Afterward, Maya shared more with me about the first Unprofessional Variety Show, which took place on her birthday in February 2022. Jack Waters and Peter Cramer, two of the first performers, run Le Petite Versaille Garden on Second Street near Avenue C and Allied Productions. 

"Allied Productions exemplifies one of the things I love about this neighborhood, which is the diverse legacy of experimental queer and radical art and performance," Maya said. "At the Unprofessional Variety Show, I try to make the programming truly intergenerational. I love introducing younger performers to the legendary performers from the neighborhood."

She continued....

"I moved to the neighborhood after being accepted into Umbrella House, and becoming part of the Lower East Side community has truly changed my life. My Umbrella House neighbors always come to my show and even perform, such as when musician Mamie Minch accompanied my ant character, who sang a folk song celebrating collectivity, and who could forget the cameo by Sibohan Meow, our local cat woman and caretaker of critters? I'm honored to have an opportunity to contribute to the rich creative history of this neighborhood."

The next Unprofessional Variety Show happens on May 18 at the Parkside.