Who is Karen Hall?
I’m a professional cellist and trained clown from Los Angeles, California.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
Nothing. I made my dream job and I am so lucky that I get to take it all over the world. I guess maybe I’d make enough money that I could still have a permanent apartment that was all mine in LA while I tour.
Who inspires you and why?
Well, early inspiration goes Weird Al, Yo-Yo Ma, The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello, and Melinda, the First Lady of Magic. Was I a very cool home schooled child? Yes, I was. Now I’m most inspired by other people doing it. The artist life is challenging. I read a lot of books on neurobiology and I go to a lot of art museums. I think they inspire my stagecraft the most.
What would you do to make a difference in the world? ?
Ban single use plastic, mandate greenscaping in cities, limit freeway and road expansion in favour of public transit. And continue to spark conversations around musician health and wellbeing with my show.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
I was in Colombia as I completed an interview for La Fiera de las Flores (Festival of The Flowers) and the flowers are all I had hoped for and more. Honourable mention to the Medina of Essaouira, Morocco. I tour places that my show can perform to English speakers so on my holidays I like to go places that challenge my western ideas and customs; where I am the foreigner looking for kindness. Growth is always on the edge of our comfort.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
I typically take people to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. You get a bit of history, a bit of nature, a bit of a view (smog allowing), and a free museum.
What are you currently reading?
Ugh, a book called How to Sell Out, so that I can hopefully increase my ticket sales and build a good audience as a solo artist in a foreign market. Touring is expensive and the hard truth is, an artist needs to sell tickets to keep performing. But for my book club I just finished One By One by Ruth Ware and it had me hooked.
What are you currently listening to?
Music is my job so I don’t frequently do cool music discovery listening because I’m tired of listening all the time (which coincidentally is the theme of my new show that’s getting it’s first discovery run in at Sydney Fringe, Noise Pollution) I’ve been down an Ace of Base rabbit hole lately.
Happiness is?
Staying curious.
What does the future hold for you?
I would like to get a bit settled into one place again. Maybe after this year of touring. I’m hoping to be back for Perth, Adelaide and others in the spring before the UK next summer. Then I’d like to spend some time developing my new artistic projects and upping the number of workshops I do on musician health.
And I have my new non-verbal show, Noise Pollution, that’s getting onto its feet right now. It runs prior to my awarded show at the Sydney Fringe until 21 September. And of course I have my awarded run at the Touring Hub for Delusions and Grandeur 24 – 28 September, which I will keep performing until no one wants to see it anymore, because it really is my dream job.
Karen will present her award-winning show, Delusions and Grandeur at the New Theatre (Touring Hub), as part of The Sydney Fringe from 24 – 28 September, before playing Trades Hall – Evatt Room (Festival Hub), as part of the Melbourne Fringe from 9 – 20 October 2024. For more information, visit: www.inforthelonghall.com for details.
Image: Karen Hall – photo by Jeremy David Creative