Feature: The Days Of Cabaret Gratitude - Day Sixteen - The Good Humor Girl

The Days Of Cabaret Gratitude

Day Sixteen:   The Good Humor Girl - Karen Mack

I was seated at Don’t Tell Mama, waiting to review a show, and a young woman was seated next to me.  Hiding behind my pad and pen (and a pair of dark glasses) I noticed the young woman reach into her bag and pull out a large Tupperware container (maybe Rubbermaid or another brand), the top of which she popped off, with purpose and dexterity.  The delicate yet powerful aroma of fresh baked cookies filled the air and she began passing out treats to neighboring tables and people that she, clearly, knew.  She knew me, too, even though I had not been on the job at Broadway World for very long.  Did I want a cookie? She wanted to know.  I demurred, always on a diet.  She explained to me that every October was National Cookie Month and that every single day (mind you, every SINGLE day) in October, she baked and distributed, everywhere she went, a new cookie, a cookie that was also featured on her social media.  Every.  Single.  Day.

That was my introduction to Karen Mack.

I had, naturally, heard of Karen Mack.  Singer Dorian Woodruff has been heard to say many times, “I wish Karen Mack would do a solo show.”  And the girl group Those Girls was the hottest thing since Doloris Van Cartier and the sisters hung up their habits.  Those Girls were guest artists in many group shows and selling out their full-length cabaret shows at every turn of the calendar, and right there, every show, there was Karen Mack, smiling and singing out, Louise, and having a very crystal clear great time of it.  Karen Mack was a lady in demand.  And she was a lady with a lot of cookies.  The people all had the same opinion of Karen: to know her is to love her.  And now I knew why.

I caught Those Girls in the act, not in a guest spot, in a full-fledged show, and everything I had heard was true.  Their popularity had been proven.  And a while later (a long while later, after the clubs closed, survived, and re-opened), Karen Mack started doing a regularly scheduled jazz set in the front lounge at Pangea with her good friend and Musical Director, Elliot Roth.  The pandemic was still running rampant but the stay-at-home order had been lifted and Karen and Elliot were early returns to the rooms, there to entertain the people who were in need of society and of live music.  Even though people were still masking up, they were going out, and Karen and Elliot were part of the cabaret crowd leading the charge and bringing the people back into the clubs, playing that front lounge, a room without cover fee.  That regular set became a residency that is playing to this day.  It isn’t only jazz that Karen performs, though, and she is much more than just a member of a girl group (ok, the most popular girl group) - she is a respected songwriter and a solo artist with a background in a variety of genres, so one can always expect a surprise when Karen Mack walks in the room … a surprise of what she might sing or a surprise of what cookie she might offer you.  The one thing that is never, ever, a surprise, though, is how kind, how friendly, how upbeat and optimistic she is.  Whatever it is that Karen Mack has arrived to do, there is a reasonable expectation that it will be something designed to make others happy, to make others feel good, and to make others smile - and that goes a long way, which is one of the biggest reasons everyone loves her.  

And her cookies.  (Audible sigh)

Read a Broadway World Cabaret review of Karen Mack HERE

Karen will appear at Elliot & Karen's 2nd Ever Superfun Holiday Thing! 
featuring Elliot Roth & Karen Mack at The Triad Theatre NYC on Sunday November 26th at 7 pm.  Ticket link HERE.

Karen has a monthly duo residency with the super talented Elliot Roth at Pangea NYC through 2024. Gig dates and info avail at the Karen Mack website or on the Pangea website HERE.

Karen has a new full-length solo album due out spring 2024 that is currently being crowdfunded.    Those able & interested in helping, Karen says it is still so needed & appreciated - please see the new GoFundMe page HERE.

Those Girls have lots of dates coming up as guest artists, including the Singnasium gala.  The Those Girls schedule can be found HERE.

Karen’s pronouns are she/her/hers.

Karen can be found online at the following links:

Website:  HERE 

Instagram:  HERE 

Facebook:  HERE  

Twitter:  HERE  

LinkTree:  HERE  

Those Girls Website:  HERE

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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