Global Cabaret Festival 2011 preview

The Global Cabaret Festival this year will feature 150 musicians and 44 performances over one musical weekend in the Distillery District.

With lots to compete with over the pre-Halloween weekend, the festival offers a great alternative to your typical Halloween parties. Now in its fourth year, it continues to feature some awesome artistic collaborations.

The Album Series pays homage to six classic albums with live performances by Young Centre residents with a full ensemble of festival artists and guest performers. Albums include: The Beatles' Abbey Road, Neil Young's After the Gold Rush, Paul Simon's Graceland, Prince's Purple Rain, Carole King's Tapestry and a Stan Rogers Songbook.

I'm really looking forward to Retrocity putting their trademark a capella stamp on Prince's Purple Rain on Saturday night. If you go, expect to hear the full Purple Rain soundtrack, including note-for-note reproductions of the hits with creative twists and artistic turns of the lesser-known tunes. Under the musical direction of Suba Sankaran (Young Centre resident artist) and Dylan Bell, Prince's songwriting prowess is sure to be showcased through innovative rearrangements and reinventions that they're known for.

Also new and notable this year is Toronto's improvisational ensemble The National Theatre of the World, performing their original work, The Carnegie Hall Show. And returning to perform their greatest hits this year are two renowned songstresses, Jackie Richardson and Molly Johnson.

And, not to be missed, e.e. cummings in song returns to the cabaret stage after a successful run at Soulpepper this past summer.

For tickets to all shows, visit the Global Cabaret Festival website or call the box office at 416-866-8666. Single tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, $15 student (with ID). Festival passes are also available.

Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann.