Sydney Cabaret Festival bubbles with glitz and glamour

Trevor Ashley, Rhonda Burchmore, Cath Alcorn and Genevieve Lemon among the stars set to shine at the first Sydney Cabaret Festival.

Sydney Cabaret Festival stars Genevieve Lemon, Trevor Ashley and Catherine Alcorn at the QT Sydney Hotel. Picture: Jennifer Soo

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The first Sydney Cabaret Festival will bring a host of international and homegrown stars, including original Dreamgirl and Broadway darling Jennifer Holliday, to Sydney for a sparkling celebration of music, song and dance.

The stars lining-up over 10 nights include Sydney’s Tim Draxl, Phil Scott and Jonathan Biggins as well as New York downtown’s Natalie Joy Johnson and the circus and variety show Cheeky Cabaret from Brunswick Heads.

Festival director Trevor Ashley said: “I have long dreamed that we could bring cabaret home to Sydney so I am immensely proud to present the inaugural Sydney Cabaret Festival, which in its first outing brings together some of my favourite artists from around Australia and the globe”.

Tony Award-winning Jennifer Holliday, appearing for the first time on Australian soil as part of the Sydney Cabaret Festival.

Ashley said Australian showbiz royalty Toni Lamond would emerge from retirement to perform at a special closing night Showqueen event.

“I’m overwhelmed that my dear friend and idol Toni Lamond has agreed to close the festival,” Ashley said.

The Moët & Chandon Piano Bar, nestled inside the festival hub at the Seymour Centre, features a plethora of pop-up performances each evening.

Resident maestro Steven Kreamer will tickle the ivories nightly and accompany some of the country’s most exciting entertainers including Rhonda Burchmore, Tom Sharah, Cath Alcorn, Genevieve Lemon and Ashley himself.

Other highlights include acrobat and aerialist Ben Lewis, comedienne Helen Cassidy, Hula Hoop Queen Eloise Green, born showman Mario, Queen of the Circus, and others.

Australian pop culture fan Tim Benzie returns to Sydney with the hilarious Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote.

The festival sees the grand final of the restored Sydney Cabaret Competition as well as masterclasses with Holliday and Alison Jiear.

SYDNEY CABARET FESTIVAL

July 5-14, 2019

Seymour Centre, Sydney Town Hall, sydneycabaretfest.com