October 22, 2026, by Caroline (Cali) Mau, Seward Arts Council

“We enjoy producing content that is powerful, graceful, campy, silly, sensual, energetic, thought-provoking, and whimsical. We hope that our show pushes the audience’s perception of art and how it can be experienced.”

Cast & Crew of the Hauntings & Horrors variety show on October 10, 2026 | Photo by Erik Slater

As the founder, producer, and director of the Changing Tides variety show, I created this subgroup of the Seward Arts Council with a two-fold mission in mind. One of our fundamental missions was to create a forum for artists to perform, who might not otherwise have a container for their talents. It was meant to draw in dancers, thespians, singers, musicians and people with one-off talents that were ready to take stage. Boy, did Seward answer the call! We came across talented artists that we had not previously anticipated our show would attract, but we are sure glad that it did.

Cali Mau & MarQueen opening the Hauntings & Horrors

variety show on October 10, 2026 | Photo by Erik Slater

Not everyone enjoys performing and is comfortable taking center stage. We respect that, but for the people that do, performing feels like a part of who you are as a person. No words that I can offer adequately express all of the emotions that performing evokes… the fear, the adrenaline, the passion, the vulnerability, the joy, the camaraderie and so much more… it lives within you, simultaneously. For those who love performing, it’s a high without substances, an achievement that nobody can take away, an adventure that you get to live again and again every time you step in front of a crowd.

Musical performances by Cosmo Andersen, Karen Wright, & Ed Slavich during the Hauntings & Horrors variety show on October 10, 2026 | Photos by Erik Slater

To not have a space to express this part of you feels like something in your life is missing. Like a part of you is gone. The variety show was meant to resolve that issue. It was meant to allow artists to have a place that they belonged, where their artistry could be experienced and marveled at, because our community members do have truly marvelous talents.

Christy Jordan performing spoken word poetry

during the Hauntings & Horrors variety show

on October 10, 2026 | Photo by Erik Slater

We aim to create an environment where performers feel welcome. This isn’t always easy and, as we all know, you’re rarely going to please everyone. However, each act in our show is individually consulted to discuss details like lighting, audio, and special effects to help bring the vision of their act to life. This takes significant time to coordinate. At times, we have to weigh performers’ desires with time constraints and technical capabilities. While this can be a challenge, our technical crew is the hidden backbone of the show and really elevates our productions to another level. I have the utmost respect for all of them and am aware that I couldn’t produce the show without them. After all, a good relationship between cast and crew is what leads to a successful show.

Dance performances by Annie Johnson, Lola Swanson, Cali Mau, Melanie Smith, Mary Ann Benoit, Nancy Neel, Teresa Andersen during the Hauntings & Horrors variety show on October 10, 2026 | Photos by Erik Slater

The second mission of the variety show was to create a relatable and accessible way for Seward to experience the arts. As much as I, personally, appreciate and admire art in various mediums, including orchestra, ballet, painting and so much more, the definition of art is more broad than that. Art doesn’t have to be refined. It isn’t reserved for the elite. Art is simply creativity that is meant to express emotion. The emotion that our show aims to express is “fun.” We enjoy producing content that is powerful, graceful, campy, silly, sensual, energetic, thought-provoking, and whimsical. We hope that our show pushes the audience’s perception of art and how it can be experienced.

Comedy performances and hosting by MarQueen & Sean Ulman

during the Hauntings & Horrors variety show on October 10, 2026 |

Photo by Erik Slater

I’m so appreciative of our performers for not only the bravery to share their gifts, but their trust to make the performance come together. I’m grateful to our audience and this community for the continued outpouring of encouragement, support and positive feedback. It is truly what motivates us to keep going. We hope that Seward community members continue to support the arts and are inspired to invite joy and passion into their lives, in the ways that feel aligned to them.