New Year. New star-studded season. Same world-class performances Cabaret audiences have come to expect – for 15 years. Heading into its 15th anniversary, audiences can expect to see a return of the world-class performances they have come to love – including returning audience favorites, Broadway’s Cheyenne Jackson and Gavin Creel; jazz diva Dee Dee Bridgewater; and a lineup of artists not yet seen in Central Indiana. The 2024 Winter-Spring Season includes artists representing 3 Tony awards, 7 Tony nominations, 4 Grammy awards, 9 Grammy nominations, and a few Emmy awards for good measure.
Internationally acclaimed international chanteuse Lauren Henderson takes the stage on Valentine’s night for an evening of sultry Latin Jazz as a part of the Christel DeHaan International Series. Breaking the Jazz Charts Top 5 and the Year End Jazz Week Top 30, Henderson's multicultural vocal influences spread across genres of Latin Jazz, Flamenco, R&B, and Soul.
3x Grammy and Tony-winning legend Dee Dee Bridgewater, will headline the Jazz at The Cabaret Series. Bridgewater’s multifaceted career – which includes multiple musical theatre performances – has spanned four decades and taken her to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics.
The Cabaret’s signature Glick Philanthropies Broadway at The Cabaret Series brings a lineup of A-list Broadway stars such as Emmy and Grammy-nominated star of stage and screen Cheyenne Jackson (Broadway’s Into the Woods, Xanadu, TV’s Call Me Kat, Disney’s Descendants 3, 30 Rock, and more), J. Harrison Ghee – who made history as the first non-binary actor to win a Tony in a leading individual performance category for Some Like it Hot, and Tony winner and Cabaret favorite Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!, Hair, Waitress, and more). Emmy winner Eric McCormack (TV’s Will & Grace, Travelers, Broadway’s The Music Man, and more) and Tony nominee Laura Bell Bundy (Broadway’s Legally Blonde, Hairspray, TV’s How I Met Your Mother/Father, and more) will team up to bring an electrifying new show that dazzles the audience and showcases their magnetic chemistry from Broadway’s The Cottage, promising a night of unforgettable entertainment that spans Broadway hits, cinematic charm, and chart-topping tunes. The Big Broadway Sing-Along also returns for its Tonys edition, allowing audiences to sing along to their favorite musical theatre songs.
The Cabaret is committed to artist development and the creation of new cabaret works. In keeping with this, The Cabaret’s Artist in Residence, Lasana D. Kazembe, will debut his new show called Paul Robeson: Man of the People. The evening will chronicle the life and legacy of Robeson and features an ensemble cast of jazz and classical musicians, spoken word artists, visual artists, stage actors, and narrators. The production serves as a window and mirror to introduce contemporary audiences to the art, activism, and uncompromising truth speak of Mr. Robeson via creative interrogation and engagement with his musicianship, stagecraft, intellectual spirit, writings, political speeches, and indefatigable global activism.
The Next Generation Series, a staple of The Cabaret’s Education Program, kicks off the new year’s shows. Friday, January 19 features the Ball State University senior showcase. Created under the guidance of Broadway performer Megan McGinnis along with Ball State faculty members Michael Rafter (acclaimed Broadway musical director), Johnna Tavianini and Bill Jenkins, the show is a culmination of a cabaret course taught in part by BSU faculty member and famed Broadway star Sutton Foster to the graduating BFA Musical Theatre Class of 2024. The second Ball State student showcase will take place in April and features the program’s underclassmen.
Tickets will be available for purchase beginning at 10 AM on Friday, January 12.
Discounted tickets to season performances are available to attendees ages 35 and younger at 25% off through The Cabaret’s SophistiTIX Program. Additionally, all student tickets (with a student ID) are $25. Both of these discount programs are made possible by Sabello.
For those unable to attend an in-person show, The Cabaret’s YouTube channel provides free access to 700 high-quality archival performances and masterclass videos.
As always, guests can also enjoy a plethora of food and libations offered by the Jazz Kitchen at each show, with no food and drink minimums.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thecabaret.org/shows.
Photo: Meow Meow ©2018 Mark Sheldon
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