These inspiring shows, written, produced, and performed by Shanti, encourage a greater understanding of, and participation in, selected, timeless virtues.
Humor: Seriously
“Why did six run away from seven?” “Because seven eight nine.” That is a pun, one of the many forms of humor illustrated in this entertaining cabaret performance, a 21st century parable about the virtue of humor. This really very funny show is designed to entertain, while helping audience members understand what humor is and why it is beneficial. Songs by well-known American songwriters such as Harold Arlen, Mel Blank, Sheldon Harnick, and “Weird Al” Yankovic are used to add humor and to make a point. Audience members will enjoy music and have a good laugh while learning ways to put more laughter into their lives.
The character strengths as identified in Character Strengths and Virtues, by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman are: optimism, wisdom and knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, and temperance. These inspiring shows are meant to encourage a greater understanding of and participation in these timeless virtues.
1. Accentuate the Positive
“Accentuate the Positive” amplifies the importance of optimism. Not only is the show a happy experience due to some great standards by the Beatles, Irving Berlin, Marvin Hamlisch, and others, but audience members can learn ways to increase their optimism, no matter how they are wired!
2. You've Got To Have Heart
A one woman cabaret show on the virtue of loving kindness and humanity.
Written, produced and performed by Shanti.
Songs by David Friedman, Stephen Sondheim, the Beatles, Burt Bacharach, James Taylor, and more.
3. To Be or Not to Be - The Virtue of Wisdom
This particular cabaret performance is a commentary on wisdom - the capacity to recognize the essentials of what one encounters and to respond well and fittingly to them. A wise person is one with a coherent, integrated set of aims, the strength of character necessary to pursue those aims, and the social bonds that give place and purpose to them. Wisdom highlights the concept that excellence is more about the kind of person one is than the number of possessions or honors one accumulates.
Audience members viewing To Be or Not To Be enrich and develop their worldview of wisdom through a logical, conceptual, existential, ethical, and aesthetic consideration of the topic. Some of the structures, patterns, and interconnections that are implied when thinking about wisdom are delineated in order for audience members to analyze their own views about it. In case this description is beginning to sound too much like a lecture, it is important to note that all these concepts are being illustrated in large part through the use of songs by well-known writers like Pete Seeger and Mel Blank, as well as other songs from the American Song-book.
