“Echoes and Reflections” combined the music and tributes of many great composers and song stylists, as well as the art and photography of her parents blended into a striking, yet relaxing and wholly enjoyable evening of song, harp and auto harp playing, art and beauty.

The program was truly a creative venture which clearly had behind it dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of preparation and planning. For me it was a perfect marriage of grace, music and photography. As a photographer, I could not help to ooh and aah! as one more beautiful image after another matched with musical sound and lyric combined to both excite my mind and relax me into a sense of peace and serenity through sound and visuals. I loved the music and the photography, so well matched that they took me into a realm of sensory delight.

Whether this show is the birth of a new type of cabaret or not remains to be seen. Others will have to pick it up and create their own unique experience. For tonight it was clear that this was a very enjoyable evening and the many members of the audience I talked to or overheard, clearly agreed.

I would hope that this was only the first showing of this show as it would seem sad to think that it would air only once in its new life. Whether, a new kind of cabaret was born tonight again remains to be seen, but a new concept and a unique experience was definitely born here tonight and now it remains to be seen if it will have a long full and productive life, or whether it was simply a singular, one evening, world premier gala showing.

VJ, fortunately for us, is not going away. She will be staring in another original production “Wilde People,” created, written and directed by Valerie-Jean Hume. This production will start March 5, 2010 and go through March 21, 2010 with 9 performances on Friday and Saturday nights along with Sunday matinees. “Wilde People” is an ensemble production, about the life and times Oscar Wilde and his contribution to American and world theaters. Valerie-Jean has decreed that those who show up in black tie or period costume will get a discount at the box office.

Ms. Hume was supported by Mr. David Clinton-Reid who introduced her and by Guillermo Rojas, Technical Director as well as the invisible, but essential, staff of IPAC in making this performance a seamless production.

Thank you IPAC for bringing this production to our community. You are clearly a bright star on our entertainment heavens.