Madi
Choir Director
Kathleen Hollingsworth is the founder and director of the Playa Choir. We call her Madi. We’ve always known her as Madi. We’ve always loved her as Madi. Her students at CCC, however, while knowing about the Burning Man spirit residing inside, experience her quite differently than the rest of us Playa Choristers.
Her idea to create this Art Project, born of her natural talents and calling, began with a small Sunday service in a dank army tent called the Spirit Room. Between the musicians, singers and audience, there was about 15 people in attendance. For over 20 years now, her idea blossomed into a 70-voice choir with a standing-room-only congregation. The Playa Choir is now a firmly established Theme Camp at Burning Man.
Madi holds a BM in Choral Music Education and an MM in Choral Conducting and is currently the Vocal Music Director at Clackamas Community College in Oregon. She is a vocalist, pianist, composer, conductor and leads an original music ensemble called Mad Love.
When she’s not leading the Choir, you will find her dancing on the bar at Pink Mammoth (if they let her back in), on the stage at Distrikt, or hanging off that big LED Heart, way out in the open desert.
Tori
Dusty Producer
Burning Man has been a big part of my life since 2007 when I first stepped onto the Playa and realized I had come home. I discovered Playa Choir in 2009- a small group practicing in the Jazz Cafe and was moved to tears knowing I needed to be part of that experience. I joined the choir in 2011 and have grown tremendously since then, both personally and as a musician- inspired by the amazing Madi. Through Playa Choir, I have forged life long friendships with my follow choristers. There is nothing like standing on those risers with my friends. It’s a cathartic, new year, rite of passage, that I look forward to every year. I can’t wait to see you on the Playa! Dusty Hugs.
Guthrie
Engineering / Camp Director
Guthrie has been with the Choir for a long time. Guthrie is an engineering genius, designing our Communal Courtyard and responsible for mapping our Camp placement. He’s always patient, intuitive and a great team leader. From building Evapotrons and swamp coolers in a bucket, to singing Bass on the risers, Guthrie is an institution, always reliable and a great friend.
Debbie
Galley Angel
Debbie Vidotto aka Purple Sunshine (PS) i.e., She Who Must Be Obeyed, is the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer for the Playa Choir Build and Strike Teams. Lassoed into the job in 2022 by her best friend Abra, as a Birgin, PS fully embraced her Camp Galley duties (and she spent 3 days helping erect the Choir’s dome in whiteout dust storms her 1st year).
In addition to planning detailed menus, budgeting, and sourcing (with a little help from her friends), PS leads a wonderful team cooking meals off Playa, freezing and lovingly toting them on dry ice (once all the way from Albuquerque), to be warmed and served to nurture our team of amazing, hardworking, loving builders. When not in the kitchen, you can find PS on a dance floor or spending time with Choir inmates (many of whom she cherishes with all her heart).
