AnnandALE-On-Hudson>> A Spiegeltent is a magical place and an entertainment venue like nothing else, according to Gideon Lester, director of theater programs and a professor of theater at Bard College.
Lester is directing this year’s Spiegeltent program, and he’s excited to see this eclectic and historic tent return to the field across from Bard’s Fischer Center for the Performing Arts for its eighth season of events.
“When the tent arrives, it’s the beginning of a summer fiesta,” he said.
And while the tradition of Spiegeltent got its start in early 20th-century Belgium, this one will feature contemporary performers and performances, he said.
This is no ordinary tent and there’s going to be something for everyone to enjoy this summer, he said.
“We have everything from raunchy, burlesque adults-only shows to something you would take your grandmother to,” he said.
With such a wide variety of shows featuring new and returning acts, someone could go to nearly every Spiegeltent event and not see the same thing, he said.
“This year’s salon will be hosted by famous cabaret performer Justin Vivian Brown,” he said.
This year’s cabaret performances range from popular New York comedians like Jeffery Self and Cole Escola, to concerts from Grammy winning musicians like popular folk-rock singer Martha Wainwright on Friday July 11, to musicals like Bridgett Everett’s “Rock Bottom,” on Saturday July 12, he said.
Homegrown Hudson Valley group Bindlestiff Family Cirkus is to present an adults-only show on Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26.
For folks looking for an opportunity to bring their kids under the Spiegeltent for a day of family friendly fun, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus also presents a kid friendly “kinderspiegel” version of their show on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., he said.
Friday, Aug. 1 has an over-arching cat theme with Meow Meow’s unique cabaret performance, followed by a special movie-night, “The Internet Cat Video Festival,” he said.
“This playful film, which came from the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, takes a light humorous play on the phenomenon of online cat videos,” he said.
Standing in the beer garden outside of the tent, Lester shared a bit of the story behind these portable and colorful entertainment venues that are uniquely Belgian.
They had their heyday in the 1930s and 1940s, and just a handful of Spiegeltents survive today, he said. “We where the first ones to have a Spiegeltent in the United States,” he said.
A trip to Spiegeltent, is a one-of-a-kind experience, he said.
“When you walk into one of these things, your really have the feeling that you’re walking into a magical world completely different from everyday life,” he said.
An old fashioned carnival-style box office stands outside and carnival lights weave over the tables in the outside beer garden area and along the flanks of the tent.
The colorful original big top features a mostly yellow exterior, with its name, Magic Crystal, written in big circus-style letters over the front entrance.
“Every Spiegeltent has its own name and character,” he said.
At Bard’s Spiegeltent, painted illustrations that bring to mind a circus of old surround the entrance and exit.
The entrance and exit doors feature images of cabaret performers etched into the glass. Once inside, eventgoers will notice a large number of mirrors, which are the tent’s namesake in Dutch, he said.
Fancy chandeliers, including one brought over from the Fischer Center, and light fixtures hang from the ceiling.
“The lights in this place are just amazing,” he said.
A raised cabaret stage stands at the far end of a circular area that features booth seating along it’s circumference.
A lower level floor provides table seating for the cabaret shows, and after 10 p.m. it serves as a dance floor for the after-hours portion of the night that features DJs, local bands and film screenings, he said.
“Those interested in just going to after hours to dance, get dance lessons or a drink can come by for $10 in advance or $12 at the door,” he said.
Another popular part of the Spiegeltent is the food and drink scene it provides.
“You can get everything from a hot dog called a “spiegeldog” to a lobster roll,” he said. “We get a lot of people who are going to shows at the Fischer Center who come over here to eat dinner.
“Then they come back over here to dance and drink,” he said.
He said this offers a great chance for people going to SummerScape events to mingle with world-famous performers who often come over to the Spiegeltent to have a drink, get a bite to eat or just dance.
And everyone seems to love the ice cream, he said.
Another amenity everyone seems to love is the air-conditioning which is piped in from portable units staged in a parking lot behind the tent, he said.
Two shipping containers are specially equipped as dressing rooms for the performers.
He said the Spiegeltent arrives in two trailers and takes approximately three days to set up.
“Their are no nails,” he said. “Everything is put together with wooden pegs.”
This lack of permanence is part of the magic, he said.
“It’s kind of neat knowing this will be going off to another festival after its two months here,” he said. “It’s continuing the tradition of the traveling show.”
