Eight more cabaret shows coming to Kranzberg Arts Center

Impresario Jim Dolan has announced a schedule of eight cabaret performers who will play the Kranzberg Arts Center in February and March under the auspices of his Presenters Dolan organization. The lineup of shows, which features all St. Louis performers and, for the most part, leans toward the theatrical end of the cabaret spectrum, is:

Wednesday, February 17 & Thursday, February 18
Robert Breig - "Feels Like Home"
with Carol Schmidt, music director

Friday, February 19 & Saturday, February 20
Jeffrey M. Wright - "The Dance"
with Neal Richardson, music director

Friday, February 26
Alice Kinsella - "A Stand Up Act"
with Al Fischer, music director

Saturday, February 27
Christina Rios - "Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover - The Good, The Bad and The Hilarious"
with David Horstman, music director

Sunday, February 28
Monya Fisher - "My Seasons of Music"
with Brock Walker, music director

Thursday, March 18 and Friday, March 19
Katie McGrath - "Second Chances"
with Rick Jensen, music director

Thursday, March 25
Joy Powell - "Feminine Standard"
with Michael Frazier, music director

Friday, March 26 & Saturday, March 27
Chuck Lavazzi - "Just a Song at Twilight: The Golden Age of Vaudeville"
with Neal Richardson, music director

Local cabaret performer, director and teacher Tim Schall has a hand in most of these shows as well, serving as director for the productions featuring Brieg, Wright, Kinsella, McGrath, Powell and Lavazzi.

All shows begin at 8:00 p.m., and tickets are priced at $20 each. You can get more information on the performers and order tickets here, or place ticket orders by phone by calling 314-725-4200, ext. 10.

In related news, Jim Dolan tells StLJN that he's parted ways with the not-for-profit presenting organization Cabaret St. Louis, and, after helping book that organization's spring 2010 schedule, will be producing future cabaret shows only under the Presenters Dolan designation. While Dolan did not want to discuss the specifics of the split on the record, it can be noted without violating any confidences that the issues apparently came down to those two perennials, money and creative control.

Having survived one serious disruption when the closing of Savor restaurant in 2008 abruptly terminated his successful Cabaret At Savor series, Dolan already has proven to be a resilient sort, and this new series of shows is evidence of his determination to press on.

Meanwhile, one can't help but wonder if a Dolan-less Cabaret St. Louis will fare any better than previous attempts to stage cabaret in Grand Center venues, in which individual productions have sometimes done well but no series has been able to build significant long-term momentum. Stay tuned...