Cabaret fest bringing major acts to Indy

Performers, agents, theater managers and arts administrators from around the U.S. will be converging on Indianapolis mid-September for the Midwest Arts Conference. The core of the conference is focused on showcasing acts for potential bookers. These range from familiar names (Janis Ian, for instance) to unknowns.

What does this have to do with you?

Well, one of the offshoots of this gathering will be Indy's first Cabaret Festival. Since such talent will be in town, why not give it a public forum?

From Monday, Sept. 13 through Wednesday, Sept. 15, a parade of performers will be presented at the Cabaret at the Columbia Club. Kristopher McDowell, a talent manager who helped arrange the event, says it's like “cabaret ’speed-dating.‘” Attendees will get to see 20-minute sets by such performers as four-time Tony Award nominee Gregg Edelman and Broadway "Mama Mia" star Karen Mason.

On Thursday, jazz singer Jane Monheit will performer two complete shows and, on Friday, Karen Kohler will perform European cabaret and American Pop.

If you think that's a lot of music for one week, consider the conference attendees, who will be seeing performers nearly all day long. (Of course, you can expect me to be reporting from those shows as well).

Details on the conference here. Information on the open-to-the-public fest here.

Your thoughts?