ABOUT US The goal of The Cabaret Institute is to help continue and support the tradition of cabaret, passing it on to future generations.  By introducing kids and teens to this art form, providing them meaningful one-on-one interaction with professional cabaret artists, and working with students to develop their own cabaret performance, we hope to enrich their lives in the process. What is Cabaret?
		Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting around the tables watching the performance.  Cabaret began with the opening of Le Chat Noir in the Montmartre district of Paris in 1881.  Le Chat Noir was an informal saloon (the Starbucks of 19th century Europe) - the gathering place of artists, poets, and composers, sharing their ideas and compositions. Performers came to test new material.  Audiences came to witness the latest and greatest by such artists as Debussy, Maupassant, and Satie for the price of a coffee or drink.  It was informal and much of what was presented was improvised and included audience participation.
The turn of the 20th century introduced a revolutionized cabaret culture. Performers included Josephine Baker and Brazilian drag performer João Francisco dos Santos (aka Madame Satã). Cabaret performances could range from political satire to light entertainment, each being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC. In the United States, cabaret diverged into several different and distinct styles of performance mostly due to the influence of Jazz Music. Chicago cabaret focused intensely on the larger band ensembles and reached its zenith in the speakeasies, and steakhouses of the Prohibition Era. Cabaret in the United States began to disappear in the sixties, due to the rising popularity of rock concert shows and television variety shows. Perhaps the greatest living American cabaret performer is Eartha Kitt, famous for her role as Catwoman in the television series Batman. Cabaret is currently undergoing a renaissance of sorts in the United States as new generations of performers reinterpret the old forms in both music and theatre.