Members in Absentia

When you give in to creative passion, it will bring you to the ultimate thresholds of transfiguration and renewal. This growth causes pain, but it is a sacred pain. It would be much more tragic to have cautiously avoided these depths and remained removed on the shiny surfaces of the banal.” – John O’Donohue, from his book Anam Cara, A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Marianne first witnessed the creative passions of Reverend Billy, Savitri D., and The Church of Stop Shopping at the Astor Place Starbucks in New York City. Both enlivened and fascinated by their synthesis of art, performance, song, and activism, Marianne was soon singing and participating in the event she came to watch. Such is the nature of street theater, where the street is the stage and the spectators often become part of the performance.

Marianne’s first real experience with social awareness, service engagement, and peace activism came from the Dominican sisters and her teachers at Molly College. Growing up in the 80’s she was also influenced by the activism of pivotal groups who called for radical and proactive responses to the crises of the Cold War nuclear arms race and emergence of AIDS.

Marianne has been in several vocal groups and celebrates the opportunity to be a part of this performance community. When not with the Church, crafting, reading, traveling, or dancing, Marianne teaches Naam Yoga at Cat Cow Yoga Studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and studies at the Universal Force Healing Center in New York City. 

Gwen Kash - Alto Gwen may look innocent, but fortunately for the safety of Western Civilization, the NYPD wasn’t fooled. Seeing her engaged in the extremely hazardous activity of stopping her bicycle at a red light, they acted quickly to arrest her – three times. Annoyed at spending the night in jail and having her beloved bicycle impounded, Gwen and a group of jail mates – I mean new friends - formed Freewheels Bicycle Defense Fund to fight back. She beat her charges and the bike was recovered mostly unharmed from the NYPD warehouse after a month’s sentence. It has since been renamed Connie the Ex-con Bicycle. When not riding her bike, getting arrested, or going to court, Gwen enjoys hanging out in Brooklyn, reading, jello wrestling, and stopping her shopping. 

Anna-Sara spends most of her time with her nose in philosophy books, and she is glad to have found a way to express her less cerebral side, and her political frustrations. She saw reverend Billy and the choir for the first time in August 2005, and instantly realized she had to audition for the choir. A former French horn player, she very much enjoys doing music again, especially in such a fun and purposeful setting. From fall 2008 Anna-Sara is on mission in Austin, Texas.

With the looks of a Middle Eastern terrorist and the heart of a nappy-headed Detroit boy, William first lifted his voice with the Stop Shopping Choir in 2003. In addition to performing with the choir, he stubbornly holds to the hope that there will be more great art concerning love and deserts and cities and various seasons and diurnal moods in Sweden and Rio and other places. He is a composer and writer and producer, interested in music from the experimental to the folk. He composes for theater and film - and will act when prodded sufficiently. His website is musicbymoses.

Maraluna Rivas, Native New Yorker, was born on a stage. Her parents Margie and Bittman "Bimbo" Rivas, legendary
for their work in the housing movement and revolutionary theater, her talent comes as a part of the blood line. Acting since she was a child, and watching her father and mother work as historical theater giants, has moved Maraluna to become an actress. It is an honor and a privilege for her to work with Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping gospel Choir. A full time student at Hunter College and being a stellar mother as well.

She would like to thank her son Mason; Glen, her brothers Bimbi & Kaita, her niece Majic, her cousin Gina, her God-father Chino, Luis Guzman and ALL of her friends for all their love, support and inspiration. 

Sari is a lifelong New Yorker. After attending a string of incredibly hip art schools, she began performing as lead singer of The Gamma Rays (Teenbeat Records) and Music From The Mood Expansion Chamber. She is a proud member of the Missile Dick Chicks and a founder of Rubulad, a community-based arts organization that produces large scale, multi-media events. Her belief that music and performance can change the world remains unshaken.