Save the date! Join us on Wednesday, September 23rd for Voting Is No Joke! A Voting Variety Show, a free, nonpartisan Community Conversation at The Cabot that celebrates the power of civic participation through laughter, music, and shared experiences.
Hosted by comedian John McClellan, this lively evening features acclaimed storyteller Judith Black, folk singer Tom Smith, the inspiring Voter’s Voices Chorus, plus comedy, trivia, and interactive audience participation. Designed for both first-time and lifelong voters, the event fosters meaningful connections while reinforcing the importance of every voice in our community.
Before the show, attendees are invited to learn about voting issues, civic engagement, and ways to get involved at several resource tables provided by local organizations.
You’ll leave with:
A renewed appreciation for the importance of voting and the impact every individual can have in shaping their community.
A stronger sense of civic connection through shared stories, humor, and creative expression.
Practical information and local resources to support informed civic participation.
An uplifting, memorable experience that demonstrates civic engagement can be
entertaining, welcoming, and empowering for everyone.
The event is free but registration is required. We will update you when registration opens.
About
John McClellan
John McClellan is a unique and funny voice in the world of comedy, possessing a rare ability to bring laughs to situations with insight and energy. A winner of The Seattle International Comedy Competition, as well as a prizewinning finalist in both the San Francisco Comedy Competition and the World Series Of Comedy. He was also a featured performer at The Pensacola Comedy festival, Plano Comedy Festival and Connecticut Comedy Festival. John has been seen on CBS, Netflix, Bravo TV’s “Millionaire Matchmaker” and can be heard on Sirius/XM radio.
Judith Black
New perspectives on our national history, tickling familial dysfunction, aging, and human quirks, are all fodder for Judith’s tales. Featured on stages from the Montreal Comedy Festival to The Smithsonian Institution, to the Art Museum of Cape Town, she has appeared 15 times at the National Storytelling Festival, and is the winner of the Oracle Award, storytelling’s most coveted laurel.
Judith has taught storytelling to build leadership skills at organizations as diverse as ESSEC Business School in Cergy, France, Unilever, and The Rockewell Museum. She has helped professionals, from clergy to therapists to body workers discover and shape stories that forward their personal and professional goals. As adjunct faculty in Lesley University’s graduate school for 25 years, she taught teachers to extend their curricular, cognitive, and social/emotional objectives through this ancient art.
Tom Smith
Tom Smith grew up in rural Pennsylvania and earned his old-school folk music chops in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Frequently described as a cross between Pete Seeger and David Mallett, his songs are in turns humorous, touching, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Now a folk veteran of over four decades, Tom performs his engaging programs at festivals, coffeehouses, schools, and concerts throughout Northeastern United States to audiences large and small, young and old. In the words of WUMB Boston Folk Radio host Dave Palmater, “Tom Smith writes songs that seem like they have always been there — a true folksinger.”
Voters Voices
Voters’ Voices is a newly formed group of North Shore singers raising their voices in support of democracy and social justice. It is led by experienced local singer Melissa Galvin. Alto and author Patricia Flaherty Pagan founded the group. Voters’ Voices believes that the power of music can be harnessed to call for freedom and justice for all.