SAYING OUR GOODBYES William Finn Tribute Cabaret Will Come to The Beautiful City Project

The Beautiful City Project has announced their October cabaret, SAYING OUR GOODBYES: A William Finn Tribute, to be held on Monday, October 19th, 7:30pm at Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre in Evanston, IL. Proceeds will go towards the terrific work of Carson's Village, an organization that walks alongside families in the hardest days after a sudden loss - helping them know what to do next, find their footing, and find support from folks who have been through it themselves.

SAYING OUR GOODBYES is a cabaret celebrating the songs of the late, great William Finn - the composer/lyricist behind FALSETTOS, A NEW BRAIN, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, ELEGIES, and so many more. Few writers have ever sung about life and loss with as much wit, heart, and honesty as Bill Finn, who left our earthly plane last year. The evening is a memoriam of sorts - paying homage not only to Finn's incredible legacy, but to the dear Chicagoland theatremakers our community has lost, both lately and, heartbreakingly, long ago, whose absence we still feel. Not a wake, but a living, singing celebration of the people we carry with us - and a perfect partnership with an organization working on the frontlines of grief every single day.

Featuring a stellar cast of TBCP favorites, returning friends, and artists making their TBCP debut, this intimate evening is the penultimate production of The Beautiful City Project's 2026 season, following August's THE BEAUTIFUL GAME In Concert.

The cast features Lydia Burke (Marriott's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), Rob Lindley (Writers' GREAT COMET), Ariana Burks (Broadway's REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES), George Keating (Marriott's CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY), Johanna Mckenzie Miller (Artistic Director of Metropolis PAC), Juwon Tyrel Perry (Porchlight's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), Tommy Thurston (Marriott's COME FROM AWAY), Leah Morrow (Goodman's ICEBOY), Adam Fane (Porchlight's TITANIQUE), Dara Cameron (American Blues Theater's THE SPITFIRE GRILL), Will Skrip (Drury Lane's AN AMERICAN IN PARIS), Neala Barron (Theo Ubique's ASSASSINS), Jake Mickel (Marriott's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC), Jack Saunders (Theo Ubique's DIANA THE MUSICAL), Aurora Boe (Drury Lane's SISTER ACT), and Jacob Alexander (Oil Lamp's SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM).

Christopher Pazdernik (Managing Director of Season of Concern) appears as Special Guest Artist.

The evening is Directed & Music Directed by Founder & Artistic Director David Fiorello (Equity Jeff Award-winner for Porchlight's BLUES IN THE NIGHT; Drury Lane's SISTER ACT; Fulton Theatre/Maine State Music Theatre's HAIRSPRAY; and the National Tour of John Doyle's production of SWEENEY TODD), who will lead the evening from the piano, alongside Kara Olander on Bass, Ben Heppner on Drums, Kelan M. Smith on Guitar. Matthew Beck on Reeds & Hillary Bayley on Violin.