South Street Seaport Busker Auditions

The South Street Seaport complex in New York held its annual auditions for street performers today, and I went to check out the acts and take some pictures. There were several fine acoustic musicians, including a skiffle trio that did a terrific cover of Muddy Waters's "Got My Mojo Workin'," as well as some cool jugglers and a top-notch contortionist who could fit himself into a Plexiglas box. Alas, there were at least four or five very bad Statue of Liberty impersonators whose whole schtick was wearing rubber masks and puke-green bedsheets. These are the people you normally see at Battery Park nearby, and they are completely graceless. And most of them are guys!

My British ladyfriend Therisa had nothing to do with this - the Seaport regulates and schedules every busker who passes the auditions, and she prefers to work independently - but there were no statue mimes who measured up to her. (I'm prejudiced, I know  . . ..)  I finally met one mime artist, however, who joined the Seaport last year and has since become one of the complex's most favorite performers.

Margot Carr is a street mime who clowns around with spectators and sometimes dresses as an angel statue. Like Therisa, she is sweet and endearing, and unlike Therisa, she's an American. I have never actually seen her perform in person, because while I knew her lore through pictures on Flickr and a video on YouTube, she was never at the Seaport when I was.

Oh yeah, she's one of my MySpace friends.

Margot signed me on as one of her MySpace buddies when I found her page (www.myspace.com/inluminary), and I have corresponded with her here and there. Today , I finally met her in person. She was there not to audition (her place at the Seaport is assured this year) but to perform. She arrived out of costume, so even though I saw her without her mime makeup, I recognized her right away. She was pleased to meet me in person, and we got on like a house on fire, or almost. She even gave me a little paper heart that said "Peace In Your Heart." It's easy to see why Margot is one of the Seaport's most loved buskers.

Pictures of Mademoiselle Carr later. :-)