‘Weba’ Is Unveiled

Weba Garretson dons--and discards--a stageful of veils in “Weba and her Wailing Turbans,” a self-described “musical extravaganza-loony cabaret” opening Thursday at Cafe Largo in West Hollywood.

“The setting is sort of a Hollywood cartoon version of an Arabian lair,” explains the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter. Garretson will be accompanied by the Wailing Turbans (Keith Joe Dick and John Garretson), with local color provided by fez-wearing waiters, an opening night appearance by the Oriental Beledy Dance Troup--and on the menu, a special Weba version of couscous, “a definite departure, of course, from the traditional couscous.”

Born in Westchester County, N.Y., Garretson--who co-wrote this show with Steve Stewart--credits an experimental theater program at Sarah Lawrence College for opening her eyes to post-collegiate theatrical possibilities. Yet, although she’s long been associated with performance art projects (the notorious “Weba Show” was named for her), she ducks that label here.

“This is not a performance art piece and it’s not a theater piece,” Garretson says. “It seems like a play, but it’s not. It’s all about the songs. I wanted to create an atmosphere to set them off--like a jewel.”

The 50-minute score (“all original, with a lot of movie music and ‘60s themes”) was recorded at home on husband Marc Wheaton’s digital equipment; it features everything from bass drum to clarinet, guitar, accordion, viola, trombone, marimbas, cello, saxophone and harmonica. There are also between-song sound effects: a choir of Tibetan monks, the sound of rainfall and car doors slamming. Song titles include “My Butt’s Too Big to Go to Work Today” and “I’ll Show You My New Bra.”