Magic Thread Cabaret Announces 2020 Season

Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC has announced a magnetic and diverse lineup, as well as a new partnership and venue, for its third season of Magic Thread Cabaret. The new year will bring performances to the near westside and downtown Indianapolis and The Cat in Carmel, where Magic Thread Cabaret is a resident company.

"Reflecting our mission of inclusiveness, our 2020 season features a diverse group of artists, which mirrors our community," said managing director Tom Alvarez. "As we have in the past, we are thrilled to showcase local talent and feature new discoveries, with a footprint in both Indy and Carmel to extend our reach in Central Indiana to provide affordable and accessible entertainment of high quality to wider audiences."

Season three will continue Klein & Alvarez's mission of "Connecting Songs to the Soul" via the intimate and urbane cabaret art form by providing practical financial support, promotion and exposure for the artists who bring it to life on stage. Highlights will include collaboration with Fonseca Theatre Company, artists of color paying tribute to musical icons, and new and veteran performers showcasing their talents.

"It's hard to believe we are entering our third Magic Thread Cabaret season under the auspices of Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC," said artistic director Dustin Klein. I am particularly excited for this season because audiences are going to experience a rich array of musical styles, including jazz, blues, R&B, pop, Latino music and songs from the Great American Songbook. I am also thrilled to musically direct and play piano for some of the shows on the schedule. Ultimately, it is so rewarding to create these shows with Tom and bring them to the stage for our audiences to enjoy."

"Les Chanteuses"

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

"Les Chanteuses" premiered at IndyFringe Festival in August 2019, where it was named "Best Cabaret" and was the fourth best-selling show of the festival. Klein & Alvarez is pleased to collaborate with Fonseca Theatre Company, of which Alvarez is a founding member, to revive an expanded version of "Les Chanteuses" with dynamic vocalists Pearl Scott, Sarah Daniel and Rayanna Bibbs, a fan-favorite returning for her third Magic Thread Cabaret show. The show is a loving homage to Ella, Aretha, Whitney, Tina and other legendary female artists of color. "Fonseca Theatre Company is proud to kick off our Company Showcase with 'Les Chanteuses,'" said founder and artistic director Bryan Fonseca. "Produced in collaboration with FTC founding member Tom Alvarez and Magic Thread Cabaret, this powerful musical retrospective had audiences singing along during IndyFringe last summer and we can't wait to welcome a new and expanded production of this soulful show to our stage in February!"

Roger Schmelzer "What a Wonderful World!"

June 5-7, 2020
The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel

Roger Schmelzer is an accomplished baritone vocalist based in Indianapolis. His upbeat and uplifting take on the Great American Songbook has been described as "a journey back to Old World New York Cabaret." Since making his critically acclaimed NYC solo debut, Schmelzer has appeared at Carnegie Hall in a tribute to Jerome Kern, sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation. He's also performed in Chicago, Baltimore, Seattle and St. Louis. Here at home, he's dazzled audiences at The Jazz Kitchen, The Cabaret, Liederkranz and Chef Joseph's at The Connoisseur Room. Schmelzer's CD, "About Now" was described by public radio as "Chock-full of the sorts of clever lyrics and lush arrangements that characterize songs for intimate settings from the last century to today."

"The Latino Effect: Songs of The Americas"

IndyFringe Theatre Festival
August 13-23, 2020
Dates/venue/cast TBA

A sizzling celebration of the positive impact Latino music has made to American culture throughout the decades. The setlist will include music from North, Central and South America, as well as Puerto Rico and Cuba, and be presented in both English and Spanish. IndyFringe Festival audiences will be delighted by the spectrum of legendary Latino artists, from Vicente Fernández, Celia Cruz to Selena and Ricky Martin. The concept for the show stems from co-producer Alvarez's quest to honor his Latino heritage.

Devan Mathias "Finding Joy" with special guest Ethan Mathias

October 16-18, 2020
The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel

Devan Mathias is a professional actor and teaching artist, who is thrilled to be part of the thriving arts community in Indianapolis. She is a proud alumna of Ball State University's Department of Theatre and Dance. Mathias has performed with Summit Performance, Phoenix Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Indiana, EclecticPond Theatre Company, Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre, and in several Zach & Zack Productions. She is also a company member of the Indianapolis Shakespeare Company. Mathias will proudly share the stage with her husband Ethan Mathias, an actor/singer/pianist who also has an impressive body of work.

Along with the IndyFringe Festival awards, Dustin Klein and Tom Alvarez of Klein & Alvarez Productions, LLC achieved another milestone in 2019, selling out houses for "Cory Lingner: Just a 'Dancer,'" exceeding the box-office record they previously set with "Katy Gentry: Judy Garland LIVE!" in July 2018. The same year, they were recognized for creating "Broadway's Leading Ladies: A Tribute," the top-selling show at its venue and second best-selling show of IndyFringe Festival, where they also produced the best-selling show of 2016, "Calder, The Musical." They turned that workshop presentation into a full-length musical that made its debut in January 2017 to packed houses in Indianapolis. It went on to win two Mitty Awards for "Most Impressive Original Production" and "Most Impressive Set Design." Currently, Klein & Alvarez are working to present the show in other markets.

In 2017, Klein & Alvarez Productions debuted Magic Thread Cabaret, a nonprofit series fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas, the New York-based nonprofit technology company that provides business tools for artists. Current Publishing will again provide generous media sponsorship for the 2020 season.

Visit magicthreadcabaret.com for information on past seasons, to read reviews and buy tickets.