My daughter Delaney recently asked me to be “The Producer” for her act in the elementary school talent show. The Working-Mommy part of my brain silently shrieked, “Oh no! I don’t have time for One More Thing!” The Juggling-Mommy part of me said out loud, “Of course, what do you want to do?”

So, in keeping with the proud, dual Cincinnati traditions of arts and baseball, Delaney and her BFF Caroline have created their own perfectly imperfect rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” I blame all the imperfection on me, the Juggling Mommy. Delaney and Caroline are complete perfection in their exuberance and love of the game, love of the show.

ArtsWave is celebrating All Things Produced with Exuberance this month, as we revel in a successful Macy’s Arts Sampler and count down to the second annual CincySings.

This past weekend, nearly 10,000 family members from all over the region participated in  the 90+ arts events that make up Macy’s Arts Sampler. Kids of all ages got into the act, as captured in the Cincinnati Enquirer and in photo albums on our Facebook page.

This coming weekend, on Saturday March 14, teams of employees from some of the region’s top companies will be tuning up and getting down in the CincySings Semi-Finals round, open free to the public starting at 2pm at the Jarson-Kaplan Theater at the Aronoff Center for the Performing Arts. Click here for the list of companies planning to take the stage.

CincySings is ArtsWave’s major-league competition, featuring more than a dozen leading companies whose employees know just how important it is to tap into their creative sides every so often. It’s good for morale, good for teamwork, good for business. And it’s a crucial piece of the ArtsWave Community Campaign fundraising strategy: last year, companies that participated in CincySings boasted a 9% increase in employee contributions overall.

My weekend ahead is shaping up to be rather unique: grade-school talent show followed by high-stakes corporate singing contest. I know that everyone will relate, though, to the fun that comes from singing for whatever your cause, just as Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra did many years ago:

“Let’s root, root, root for the home team, if they don’t win it’s a shame… 1, 2, 3 strikes you’re out at the ‘ole ball game!”

Please join us on March 14 for the FREE CincySings Semi-Finals starting at 2pm at the Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Tickets for the Second Annual CincySings competition, hosted by Drew Lachey on April 8 at 7pm at Music Hall, can be purchased here.