Lauren Fox sings Joni and Cohen, Nov 30, Johnson City, New York

Posted November 28, 2012

Lauren Fox is being heralded as one of the brightest stars on the New York cabaret scene, and Friday she will be at the Schorr Family Firehouse Stage in Johnson City when Goodwill Theatre presents “Love, Lust, Fear and Freedom: Songs of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen.”

A recent article in the New York Times singled out Fox as the “future of the cabaret world.” “Together, Lauren and her trio perform 16 songs — nine by Joni Mitchell and seven by Leonard Cohen — into a spellbinding his-and-hers dialogue that conjures the charged erotic climate of the hippie culture of the Woodstock era, when sex was infused with romantic mysticism. Her show is remarkable, deep and dramatically revealing.”

The affair of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen in the late 1960s may have only lasted a few months, but its resonance in the songs of these two Canadians, especially in Mitchell’s lyrics, is far-reaching. A speculative exploration of their personal and artistic chemistry is only one aspect of Fox’s remarkable cabaret show.

Through stories and song, Fox examines the creative genius and conflicted desires of two of folk music’s most enduring artists.

Fox delves into the meaning behind the songs, giving us a better understanding of a painter and a poet who mesmerized the world through song. Highlights of the show include Mitchell’s “Chelsea Morning,” “River” and “Both Sides Now” and Cohen’s “Suzanne,” “Bird on a Wire” and “Hallelujah.”

In the spring, Fox was named as the Female Debut Artist of the Year at the annual MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) Awards and Debut Artist of the Year at the 27th Annual Bistro Awards, which celebrate outstanding achievement in cabaret and jazz. Film credits include Darren Aronofsky’s “Pi,” “Noon Blue Apples” (Sundance 2002 premiere), “Revolution Summer,” “Hamill” and “We Need to Talk About Kevin.”

Television credits include “New Amsterdam” and “Fringe.”

Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $25 for adults and $22 for seniors and students and can be purchased at www.goodwilltheatre.net or by calling the theatre box office at (607) 772-2404, ext. 301. The Schorr Family Firehouse Stage is located at 46-48 Willow St. Doors open approximately one hour before show time. General seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.