Acclaimed singer Karen Mason is waving the flag for Pride month in Chicago this June. Her concert, titled "The Secrets of the Ancient Divas," weaves cover songs from Barbra Streisand, Eydie Gorme, Bette Midler and Doris Day all together, then includes her new song "It's About Time," an anthem for marriage equality.
Mason brings her Broadway background to the Windy City, with notable roles in Hairspray, Mamma Mia! and Sunset Boulevard.
We phoned the talented songstress to hear more about her upcoming visit.
Windy City Times: Hi, Karen. Where in the world are you calling from?
Karen Mason: It has been a couple of busy weeks. [Laughs] I'm at home packing to go to Bermuda. I am working on a cruise called Celebrity Summit through 54 Below, who is doing the cruise. This is my week to go and it's really a tough job; I have to do two whole shows in one night—not bad!
I just got back from Philly yesterday. Many years ago I had a vocal problem so I went to Philadelphia for rehabilitation and the organization of my doctor had their gala last night called The Voice Foundation. They were honoring Bootsy Collins, Roberta Flack and Denyce Graves. They are, across the board, quite different. I was the entertainment at the end of the evening after everyone had gotten their awards. It wasn't a very big room but I looked out and saw Bootsy who was head to toe covered in sequins. I told him that he played on one of my favorite James Brown cuts!
WCT: Did you always love musicals growing up?
Karen Mason: I have always loved music. My parents took us to see all kinds of shows growing up. Part of my childhood was in St. Louis. My parents always valued the arts. My mom was being groomed to be a concert pianist. She loved music but not the performance part of it so just kept music in her life.
We went to the opera when we were young and the music imprinted on me. I saw Around the World in 80 Days along with all kinds of wonderful things that made me want that magic.
WCT: You spend a good amount of time in Chicago?
Karen Mason: I do. My family is there. It is a great way for me to work and get a chance to visit the family. I love the city of Chicago. I am always looking for a chance to come back and perform there.
WCT: I read you went to school here.
Karen Mason: After St. Louis my parents moved to Chicago. I went to Sacred Heart of Mary in Rolling Meadows and University of Illinois at Chicago Circle.
I met Brian Lasser in Chicago and we worked together for many years. We were working at a place called Lawrence of Oregano, a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant. It changed my life and we moved to New York. It gave us a chance to work five nights a week doing nightclubs, and concerts. We worked a gay bar called La Pub that had a half-price night. There was a cabaret bar in the back where Brian had worked with a couple of other people. He asked if he could bring me there to perform. We were not paid but it didn't matter. That is where we honed our skills.
WCT: You were like Bette Midler singing in the bathhouses!
Karen Mason: Just no men in towels—at least as far as I knew.
WCT: How great, after all of these years, for your song "It's About Time" to pay back marriage equality?
Karen Mason: It is fantastic. I just hope more people use it. It needs to be out there. It is so great the states that have gotten smart about marriage equality to the point where we should have been years ago. It takes as long as it takes I guess.
I sang for some friends of ours right after New York passed the marriage-equality bill. I wanted a song so had my husband Paul and Shelly Markham write it. He has a hook in his head and I was just blown away when I heard it. It is what it should be. I would like to add the word to it as I always say, "It's About Fucking Time!" But you know that doesn't sing as well...
WCT: It would be censored.
Karen Mason: That's right. [Laughs] I am so proud of that song. I will sing it for anyone anywhere.
WCT: I just need to find a husband and you can come sing it for me.
Karen Mason: You betcha! I tell people this song is turning me into a wedding singer.
WCT: Tell people about the show "The Secrets of the Ancient Divas."
Karen Mason: I was supposed to do a Broadway show called Rebecca based on a Daphne du Maurier book. It is dark and wonderful. It didn't happen so I was left with time to find work. I was asked to sing Judy Garland songs with the Long Beach Orchestra. I was able to sing all of the songs I grew up with.
A lot of great divas have influenced me over the years so I put them together for this show: Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee and Doris Day. These are their signature songs that I put my imprint on it. With "Goldfinger," we made it into a Mayan chant.
It is so much fun and we have had a ball doing this show. We just did it in San Francisco and Los Angeles. People went crazy.
We do songs like "The Man That Got Away," "The Way We Were" and a great arrangement of "Chicago."
WCT: Sounds perfect for our town.
Karen Mason: Since I am the diva holding the microphone, I sing "It's About Time." I get to do the song that was written for me. It couldn't be better timing with Gay Pride. I have been very lucky with the people I have worked with and the gay people that have given me incredible joy. It is an honor to make a statement with "It's About Time."
WCT: Tell me one secret about Liza Minnelli, since you worked with her.
Karen Mason: No secrets about her but what I learned from her is that it is okay to reveal the showiness of performing. She's a great showman, like her mom, but I think Liza [is even better]. She gives everything she has. It's okay to do that and not be contained all of the time.
WCT: Kick a leg up and go!
Karen Mason: That's right. Give everything you can and hope for the best. It takes a lot of energy to do that. She's very generous as a performer. She came to see And the World Goes 'Round when we were doing that in New York. She was very nice to the cast when we were standing there slack-jawed because we were meeting Liza Minnelli!
We do her song "Colored Lights" in this Davenport's show. If you are going to steal, steal from the best!
Mason channels the divas at Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave., June 19-21 and 28-30. There is a $35 charge, with a two-drink minimum. Tickets are available at www.davenportspianopbar.com and 773-278-1830.
More on Mason can be found at karenmason.com .
