Ben Mingay, Spanky, Debora Krizak, THE BOLD AND THE MUSICAL and More Set for 2014 Slide Cabaret Festival, May 19-31

The THIRD ANNUAL SLIDE CABARET FESTIVAL is the biggest and best yet with the addition of a new venue, a late night piano bar, an exciting variety of supporting artists and of course, the stellar line up of award winning local, national and international artists that Slide has proven can deliver to Sydney time and time again.

We are thrilled to announce the star of Ten's WONDERLAND, BEN MINGAY as this year's Festival Ambassador. Last year Ben played the role of 'Buzz' for Network 7's final series of Packed to the Rafters, he also performed as a featured artist for Room 8's spectacular 'Songs of James Bond'. In 2012, he starred as 'Zack Mayo' in the World Premiere of An Officer and A Gentleman, following a Sydney season as the infamous 'Tommy DeVito' in the award winning musical Jersey Boys. Spend an evening with the mercurial Ben Mingay as he takes you on his unconventional journey through the entertainment industry! Get your Pop, Rock and Soul food, a side of Musical Theatre and some Opera for dessert. From Bill Medley to Mozart, Joe Cocker to Carousel, this evening is guaranteed to satisfy your musical appetite.

Kicking off the festival on May 19 is the ACMF Music Trivia Fundraiser hosted by DICKO and CATHERINE ALCORN. ACMF, The Australian Children's Music Foundation, passionately believes that no child should be deprived of access to a music education. Join your hosts and ACMF Ambassadors Guy Noble, Michael Cormick and Peter Northcott for a wonderful evening that will raise money for the ACMF... with special guest performances and celebrity appearances. We guarantee a fabulous night of laughs, trivia, food and goodwill, so get a table of friends together! ACMF - Changing young lives through music.

Award winning New York based cabaret artist KIM SMITH returns to Slide to present his brand new show 'Nova Noir' charting a dark and whimsical path through a neo-Weimar pop-fantasia of genre-bending pop and peculiar period treasures. Mining his debut album, Nova, Smith gives his own electropop originals a decadent 1920?s treatment, while re-imagining works by Weimar-era composers, and modern-day artists alike, including: Friedrich Hollaender, Cher, Kurt Weill, the Supremes, Hanns Eisler, and myriad glittering others.

Thanks to this years principle sponsor, The Pullman Hyde Park Hotel, festival goers can look forward to an entirely new concept and experience when International never was and washed-up celebrity UTA UBER KOOL JA comes to town. Like all fabulous divas, this is one comeback tour that will never end. In 2012, she had to increase capacity; such was the demand for her hotel room parties. So now, Uta is coming to Sydney baring all: she'll dance for you; cry at you; laugh with you. Her intimate parties take place inside a premiere suite at The Pullman Hyde Park hotel on Fri 23, Sat 24, Fri 30 and Sat 31 May. Every inch of the room is Uta's stage, and the audience are her guests. Inspired by amazing women of the 20th and 21st century Uta Uber Kool Ja is a tongue-in-cheek fictional biography of Uta: an actor/feminist/pop star/artist/designer/exhibitionist/rock star.

AVIGAIL HERMAN presents her brand new show 'Good Girl/Bad Girl'; a modern day look at the seven deadly sins & heavenly virtues & was inspired by Audra Macdonald's 2004 song cycle of the seven deadly sins. An eclectic array of songs & stories create a funny, poignant & sometimes startling evening. Through a series of characters & wonderful music written by the likes of Ricky Ian Gordon, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Stephen Flaherty & Lyn Ahrens , Stephen Sondheim, Annie Dinnerman, John Bucchino & Lance Horne to mention but a few, we investigate & ponder just how these sins & virtues instruct & influence our very existence or do they?

After a triumphant debut at Slide last year, London cabaret savant SPANKY returns to Slide with his award winning show Candice McQueen: Nasty - hyper-mythological cabaret and musical fable of an immortal Mister Sister named Candice. Set across time, and throughout the ages, Candice was already here when God created the Earth, she hung out with Mary in biblical Jerusalem, and River Phoenix lured her deep into the Hollywood maddened Los Angeles of the 1990's! With a spectacular live soundtrack featuring music by the Indigo Girls, Color Me Badd, Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, Alanis Morrisette, All Saints and Roxette - played live onstage by British rock wunderkind, guitarist Chris Booroff (Kids Can't Fly).

DEBORA KRIZAK (A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity) brings us cABBAret, the story of ABBA 'de-flared' and stripped naked. ?Behind the sickly sweet melodies of the some of the most successfully written pop songs, lay the sordid tales, the mystery and the genius behind the biggest super group of all time. Join Deborah as she takes you on this "Fabba-lous" musical journey, backed by some of the country's best musicians- for a toe-tapping, musically enlightening and 'tragically' funny insight into the workings of one of the most memorable acts in history.

Just when you think you'd seen it all, THE BOLD AND THE MUSICAL comes along. Bitch fights and fisty cuffs, love triangles (squares and/or oblongs),wedding crashing ex-fiencees, transient amnesiac husbands and wives who rise from the dead. Aussie singer/songwriter Bianca Moon, and renowned Musical Director Anne-Maree McDonal are the women who write the music behind the worlds most watched TV soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful, and now, we bring it to you live on stage! Be afraid. Be very afraid! Starring Barry Quin, Michael Cormick, Lesley Hancock, Debora Krizak, PJ Lane and Bianca Moon.

Every Wednesday to Friday night throughout the festival Slide will turn into the LATE NIGHT PIANO BAR when host DARREN MAPES takes over the stage. Ticket holders will be invited and encouraged to stick around after the headlining shows to embrace the old school New York piano bar style and sing along to their favourite tunes. They may even spot a celebrity guest!

Audiences will be treated to extra special entertainment this year as we add supporting artists to the roster including 2014 Cabaret Showcase Winner MELODY BECK, Cabaret Showcase finalist BRENDAN HAY, critically acclaimed Adelaide entertainer MATT GILBERTSON and award winning artist MICHAEL GRIFFITHS.

TICKETS GO ON SALE WEDNESDAY 9th APRIL. Visit slide.com.au.

Venue: Slide Lounge, 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst and Pullman Hyde Park, 36 College Street Sydney.

Dates: Monday 19 May - Saturday 31 May 2014

Prices: Three Course Dinner and Show Packages from $70.00 7pm (pre purchased only); Show Only Tickets from $30.00

Bookings: Slide.com.au or call Slide on 02 8915 1899

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