We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Hetty Pasquazzi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Hetty below.
Hetty, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
I moved to LA from MA right in time for Covid-19. During lockdown, for the first time in my life, I had to grapple with a world devoid of live arts and entertainment. Prior to the pandemic, I’d been very fortunate in that I had performed nearly every year of my life in some capacity– from school and community theater, to historical narration and reenactment, to improv and standup comedy. I don’t think I really understood how indivisible the arts were from my life and essential to my mental health and well being until they were nonexistent. I promised myself that if/when the city reopened, I would never take live performances and the community that comes with it for granted again. As much as I revere TV and Film, for me, nothing can hold a candle to the magic of live theater and the connection shared with an audience– there’s nothing really like it, made all the more precious by the fact it can never be replicated. As soon as the restrictions lifted, I started reaching out to various venues in LA regarding hosting a monthly music and comedy cabaret. Initially, I imagined a lineup of musical comedians exclusively as I was primarily inspired by Bo Burnham’s musical special Inside, Tenacious D, Sandman and Ween, but musical comedians are hard to come by, so I settled on a mix of musicians and comedians, some of which do musical comedy. As an avid theater and concertgoer with limited free evenings, I always hated having to choose between a concert or a comedy show, so I thought to myself, why not both? And so, after teaming up with my musical counterpart, Doña Oxford, 1 Star Revue finally came to fruition.
Hetty, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
1 Star Revue wouldn’t be possible without all of the passionate comedians and musicians who have lent their time and talent to the show. The love and support we’ve been shown by friends and strangers alike has been nothing short of astounding. My dear friend Annakaren even took it upon herself to screenprint tote bags for the show to help promote it, purely out of the goodness of her heart. I have been most touched by those who are rooting for our show and are equally as excited as we are to watch it grow. The amazing Elaini joined our team this past summer and has been instrumental in helping to hone our brand as well as scouting for up and coming musical acts. It is not lost on me that it takes a village to keep anything going and I will never not be grateful for anyone who has been a part of any of our shows in any capacity. The whole purpose of putting up these shows is to amplify and celebrate and affirm artists. With the right resources, I hope to get this show running on a weekly basis.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In its infant stages, I had conceived of a version of this show called Cabaret Sauvignon, cohosted by a wonderful comedian, musician and friend, Miss Liz Bennett. We ran our very first show at Sal’s Comedy Hole and had the second show on the books and had already begun promoting it, when we were informed that the restaurant had been sold and would be closed effective immediately. I had to scramble to find a new venue for the show last minute and reached out to around 40 venues in the Hollywood area to try and keep the location consistent. Some never got back to me and others had staggering room rental fees as well as bar minimums that we would never be able to meet. I had very good reason to cancel the show completely due to the unforeseen circumstances, but as we all know, the show must go on! I was finally able to secure a venue and as chaotic as it was at the time, I’m very proud of the fact that we followed through. I learned a lot from the trial and error and flow of these shows and I brought this newfound knowledge into creating 1 Star Revue. I truly do believe, “if you build it, they will come!” If you’re toying with an idea, go for it! I believe in you. DIY >
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I met Doña Oxford, the goddess of all things boogie woogie, blues and soul in a scene study class in 2019. Her musicianship is unparalleled and she is a one of a kind person who elevates any room she happens to be in. I went to see her solo show at The Stowaway back in 2022 and was absolutely blown away at how she could capture the attention of a bar by singing and playing piano solo for over two hours. That’s the kind of power she holds. She had attracted a whole crowd of swing dancers who had planned a meetup around her music specifically. Doña doesn’t need to work with anyone, but I am absolutely honored she has chosen to collaborate with me. She makes writing musical comedy songs easy. I respect the hell out of her. Above all, I am a fan of hers.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: 1starrevue
Image Credits
Andrew Max Levy