Chicago Cabaret Week Arrives March 20

Cabaret has been at the heart of Chicago's nightlife for more than a century, and this enduring and inventive art form will be showcased during the first ever Chicago Cabaret Week, from March 20 to 30, 2020.

The event will feature 45 cabaret events at 18 popular music venues around Chicagoland, with cabaret artists performing blues, jazz, burlesque, pop, comedy, Broadway and the American Songbook.

All events will be $25, $15 or less, with no drink or dinner minimums.

A complete schedule and ticket links are available at www.chicagocabaretweek.org.

"For fans of cabaret as well as those who have never been to a show, this is a great opportunity to experience some of the best artists in the country," says Anne Burnell, President of Chicago Cabaret Professionals, the non-profit founded in 1998 to promote the art of cabaret by educating performers, presenters, the media and the public at large.

All of the venues that host Chicago Cabaret Week events are intimate spaces, including small theaters, restaurants and clubs - and many regularly feature cabaret throughout the year for a growing audience.

"What people love about this unique art form is that it's intimate and personal. American cabaret had its start in Chicago in the early 1900s and cabaret in Chicago is like the city itself, embracing people and performance genres from around the world," explains Claudia Hommel, of Working In Concert, an alliance of music-centered projects.

Getting Chicago Cabaret Week off the ground has been a year-long process, with several cabaret organizations working together, including Chicago Cabaret Professionals, Working In Concert, Acts Of Kindness Cabaret, and The Cabaret Project.

According to Burnell, "We wanted to create an event like Chicago Restaurant Week - restaurants around the city hosting special events to bring attention to the city's vibrant restaurant scene. So, we developed a plan and reached out to performers and venues and found a lot of support."

"The idea really took off when the city's tourism bureau, Choose Chicago, became our principal marketing partner," explains Hilary Ann Feldman of Acts Of Kindness Cabaret, which provides cabaret performances to support non-profits.

"When Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events designated 2020 as the Year Of Chicago Music, our event became part of this citywide initiative to shine a spotlight on Chicago's vibrant music scene."

The goal of Year Of Chicago Music is to highlight Chicago's rich musical legacy and and celebrate Chicago's unique and diverse range of music: house and gospel, urban blues and modern jazz, hip hop, gospel, indie rock, experimental, jazz, Latinx, classical, and cabaret.

According to Burnell, "One of the unique qualities of Chicago cabaret is how it has built upon so many musical genres. We encourage people to explore the Chicago Cabaret Week schedule where they will be sure to find shows to meet their musical taste and 'Get Carried Away by Chicago Cabaret.'"

Quick Guide to Chicago Cabaret Week performance schedule and tickets at: www.chicagocabaretweek.org.

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