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Sorry, but our October 2nd cabaret is full and we can’t take any more applications.
Come Sing With Us at the Laurie Beechman Theater!
Our next cabaret at the Laurie Beechman Theater is Friday, October 2nd at 7 pm.
Our performers are mostly young singers from the NYC metro area who would like more performance opportunities, and who want to learn about cabaret. Many are students at New York’s middle schools, performing arts high schools and New York area colleges. Some have professional aspirations. They have one thing in common — they love to sing! And they’re extraordinary young performers.
Although most of our performers are young, we are age-inclusive and welcome singers of all ages.
Our cabarets are about bringing warmth, joy, and excitement to the stage through music. We’re seeking passionate singers who can light up the room with their songs and charm an audience. We want your voice, your enthusiasm for music, to help us create a memorable and moving experience.
Our cabarets feature professional piano accompaniment. No tracks. Don’t be surprised if one of our accompanists is playing at your next audition.
Participation is by invitation or application, and we’re limiting participation to 12 performers. The fee to participate in the workshop is $200. Note: Siblings can share. This is a way for a younger sibling to sing a duet with an older sibling, or for each sibling to have a song. One family, one fee.
While we don’t require auditions, we do want to see a video clip of each applicant’s singing. We’ll explain how to submit one in the application form.
Polaris is inclusive and welcomes singers of all levels of experience and ability. This is generally a mixed age ensemble with singers of all ages, usually age 10 and up.
About the Show
The show runs approximately 75 minutes, with each singer performing at least two songs. We’re looking for a balanced mix of ballads and up-tempo numbers, so come prepared with one of each — or two up-tempo songs.
This is a workshop, which includes one Zoom session, two in-person afternoon music rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the show, and one-hour tech rehearsal at the theater before the performance. On the Zoom session we’ll get to know each other, talk through the show, and help you prepare. At the in-person rehearsals we’ll work through music with the music director and run the show.
If this sounds like something you’d like to try, click below. The form includes additional information you’ll need to help you decide.
Why Cabaret?
Maybe you’re focused on getting accepted to a college with a great musical theatre program, or getting into a performing arts high school, or landing a role on a professional musical theater production, or a national tour. How can cabaret help?
Cabarets get you more experience in front of an audience. Sing the songs that you want to sing, songs that come deeply from within your heart. You can be yourself; you can be vulnerable. Learn how to connect with and engage a room. Have fun with your audience. Cabarets are intimate, rewarding and fun.
Cabaret performers are not just singers — they’re performance artists and storytellers. Here is how Andrea Marcovicci described cabaret in the New York Times:
“A successful cabaret artist can make you feel like she or he is singing only to you. This is done by lowering your gaze and connecting truly with every member of the audience. In other words, there should be no “fourth wall” as there is in the theater. . . It’s not as if you pick one person and gaze down at them until they’re uncomfortable. But you should lower your gaze. People should feel that they were sung to, not at.”
— Andrea Marcovicci, as interviewed in “So You Want to Sing Cabaret” by David Sabella & Sue Matsuki (2020)
With experience, you’ll learn how to make a lasting impression. Bring your unique personality into your performance. Connect with your audience on a personal level. Be relatable. These are skills best learned by doing.
About the Laurie Beechman
If you’ve never performed at the Laurie Beechman, let me say a few words about it. The Laurie Beechman Theatre is downstairs from the West Bank Cafe. This charming and comfortable 90-seat cabaret venue has a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system, and has been the home of some of the hottest Broadway and cabaret performers for over 30 years. For over 10 seasons, the Laurie Beechman was the home of Broadway Sessions.
We’re extremely pleased to be performing there again, and we’re looking forward to meeting some new singers and sharing this experience with them.
There is a $20 cover charge for guests and a $25 minimum food/drink order per guest. Credit cards are accepted.
The Laurie Beechman Theater, June 2025