Open Mic Night

So tonight I did something brand new.
I sang at Open Mic Night.
Columbus, as I am discovering, is a hotbed of musical theater/theater talent. Really. There are just tons of us out there. We're like this little community within a community. One of the gathering points is at "Sing Out, Louise", a cabaret-style open night mic where people can come and sing songs they've polished, or songs they're working on.
I had never been, but tonight, I went out.
It's at Club Diversity in the Brewery District, in a renovated old house. This was my kind of bar--the bar TV was showing the 1990s remake of Sabrina on AMC. A baby grand sat near the windows. Some of the organizers had brought music, but I brought my repertoire binder (songs I can sing at the drop of a hat), as well as "The Gentleman Is A Dope" from Allegro, which I'd like to get ready for audition season.
We began around nine, and the organizer, Stewart, sang some pieces, then drew names from the list of attendees. Most of us got to sing twice. For my first number I sang "Maybe This Time" from Cabaret, and for the second, the piece from Allegro. I took it a bit fast--it was the first time I'd done it with an accompanist, so I gave her a pretty quick tempo--but the audience seemed to like that one better. It's a bit more fun to sing, and I think I'm really making progress on it. The bridge could use a bit of work for tempo, but that's about it.
A lot of friends were there--Dave from J&H with his wife, Katherine; Jay and Amy; Aaron H. from Parade, and Kristen and her husband David (Kristen was Parade's music director extraordinaire). Jay and Amy are in the middle of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown at the Little Theater Off Broadway; Kristen is the music director for Club Diversity's upcoming production of Cabaret. Jay and Amy did duets. Kristen often plays for the group and I can't wait to have her behind the keys.
There were a few people there just to hear us sing, which was cool. It was neat singing for them. any stage of development. It was great just to SING a piece, and not be judged on it. There was absolutely no pressure, because everyone there is there for fun. You took the mic, you picked your music, and you sang. Fantastic.
Now I just have to think about what to sing next month....