Celebrate Black History Month With Les Chanteuses

Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC will honor Black History Month by kicking off its third season of Magic Thread Cabaret with a fitting tribute to legendary female artists of color with "Les Chanteuses" on February 7-9 and 14-16, 2020, collaborating with Fonseca Theatre Company at its new venue on Indianapolis' Near Westside. A trio of dynamic Indianapolis vocalists will be performing some of the world's most famous love songs, making for a perfect date night for Valentine's Day.

This production is an expanded version of the one presented at IndyFringe Festival 2019, where it was named Best Cabaret and was the fourth best-selling show of the entire festival. Artists Pearl Scott, Sarah Daniel and Rayanna Bibbs, a fan-favorite returning for her third Magic Thread Cabaret show, will bring to life the music of Ella, Aretha, Whitney, Tina and others. It will be a loving homage to these African-American icons.

"As a founding company member of Fonseca Theatre Company, I am gratified that 'Les Chanteuses' will be hosted by FTC as part of its Company Showcase series," said Magic Thread Cabaret managing director Tom Alvarez. "Given my long-term personal and artistic association with Bryan Fonseca and our organization's parallel missions to promote inclusiveness and give voice to people of color, ours is a powerful collaboration."

The Fonseca Theatre Company's vision is "to give voice to and celebrate the minority communities of Indianapolis through the prism of purposeful theater and civic engagement. The goal is to bring about social justice through programs which educate, illuminate, and ignite conversations on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

"My artistic association with Tom Alvarez goes back to 1982," said FTC producing director Bryan Fonseca. We share many of the same artistic aspirations, specifically when it comes to expressions of different cultures. As Mexican Americans, we know the importance of telling stories outside the typical Anglo viewpoint. Congratulations to my compadre and Magic Thread Cabaret."

Also returning to the stage is MTC artistic director Dustin Klein, who will play piano and serve as the show's music director. He will be joined by Matthew Dupree on percussion and Galen Morris on bass guitar.

"I am most excited about this full-length, expanded version of 'Les Chanteuses' because we have 90 minutes to tell a story with more theatrical elements," said Klein. "We've added songs by Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and a true gospel number. This show will be so powerful and audiences are going to love our two new singers, Pearl Scott and Sarah Daniels, who will tell stories and 'act' along with Rayanna Bibbs, one of our original chanteuses. I hope people who enjoyed the Fringe show will come to see our full vision. They won't regret it!"

Rayanna Bibbs's credits include Joanne Jefferson in "Rent," Sofia in "The Color Purple" and Effie White in "Dreamgirls." The Indianapolis native has a theatre degree from Indiana State University, where she appeared in several musicals and performed at Crossroads Repertory Theatre in Terre Haute, most recently as Motormouth Maybelle in "Hairspray." Her powerful vocals were mesmerizing in Klein & Alvarez's production of "Broadway's Leading Ladies: A Tribute," the second-highest grossing show of IndyFringe Festival 2018.

Sarah Daniel of Indianapolis is an actor and singer who's performed for Sacred Dance Institute and in several Genesis Theatre Company productions, including "A Silent Night in Harlem" (Mabel), "Simply, Ella" (Tempie Fitzgerald), and "Queen Esther" (Davina). On TV, she's appeared on Bobby Jones Gospel and Trinity Broadcast Network. She is a belter to a high C and sings gospel, R&B and jazz. Daniel is an assistant director of the Mount Carmel Church choir.

Pearl Scott also grew up in Indianapolis and was active in theatre in high school, where she played Dorothy in "The Wiz" and Ronnette in "Little Shop of Horrors." While attending Indiana University, she spent a summer playing Alice in "Big River" in Bayview, Michigan. After graduation, she enlisted in the Army as a singer, performing all over the country. After completing four years in the service, she was eager to get back to musical theatre. Since her return last year, she's played Mary Magdalene in Mud Creek Players' production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," Lupe in "La Casa Azul" by Gregory Hancock, and was in "Winston's Big Day: A Very Phoenix Xmas 14."

"Les Chanteuses"
February 7-9 & 14-16, 2020
Hosted by Fonseca Theatre Company
Basile Building, 2508 W. Michigan Street, Indianapolis

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for students and $15 for Near Westside residents. Buy online at magicthreadcabaret.com or by calling 800-838-3006.