Zipping through New York’s underground maze on a Wednesday evening to catch the number 3 train, I came across a street performer called Pearl the Mime.
She stood out in her red costume – large, voluminous skirt, a tinkling scarf at her waist, an off-white wig topped with a funny red hat, and pretty white angel wings. I was instantly drawn in by performer and the performance as were the numerous people who stopped in their tracks when they saw her.
At the end of the performance, just as Pearl the Mime got ready to spread those wings and fly away, I stopped her to ask for an interview, which we set up for a later date and time.
Here it is:
Pearl the Mime from Christine Chika Moses on Vimeo.
For tourists and residents alike, the singers, tap dancers, musicians or Michael Jackson impersonators one is bound to find in New York’s subway world is unique to this city. Becoming part of this underground elite, isn’t easy however.
Pearl the Mime, also known as Margot Carr, had to go through the paces of applying and auditioning with the Music Under New York program, a part of MTA’s Arts for Transit.
In conjunction with a massive rehabilitation program launched in the 1980’s, MTA Arts for Transit was created to oversee the selection of artists and installation of permanent artworks in subway and commuter rail stations. The program encompasses Music Under New York, a Transit Poster Program and the Lightbox Project, a series of photography exhibits.
Of the hundreds of applications sent in to MUNY, approximately 60 performers are selected to audition in front of a panel of judges at the Grand Central Terminal — about half of them make the final cut. Underground performer, Saw Lady, reported in her blog:
This year 270 musicians, dancers and living statues submitted an application to audition. 60 performers were chosen to audition live. About 10% of the musicians who submitted an application form pass the audition.
The dedication applied through this process is something visitors and new comers to the city, such as myself, may not expect of underground performers like Pearl the Mime. The New York Times’ short documentary on the subject gives an interesting glimpse into underground auditions.