2012 Adelaide Cabaret Festival Opens June 8

In a fitting star-studded opening night event to mark Kate Ceberano's inaugural Adelaide Cabaret Festival as Artistic Director, more than 70 exceptional artists will ignite the Festival Theatre G stage on Friday 8 June in the much-anticipated, sold out Variety Gala Performance, sponsored by Adelaide BMW.

A pivotal night on the State's arts calendar, this year's Variety Gala is set to impress a 2000 strong audience, giving them a surprise tapas selection of some of the finest cabaret acts in this year's program. The 2012 Adelaide Cabaret Festival boasts eight world premieres, seven Australian premieres and 20 South Australian premieres, along with 12 international shows, many of which are exclusive to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

With a number of shows including David Bromley and Brian Cadd's A Brush With Keys, Cosentino, Virgina Gay's Dirty Pretty Things and Zoe Keating already selling out prior to the commencement of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, cabaret enthusiasts and those looking to experience this multi-sensory festival for the first time are encouraged to purchase tickets without further delay to ensure they don't miss out.

The 2012 line-up features 110 International Artists from the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Ireland and the best from Australia with 193 Australian artists, 110 of those South Australian performers.

Officially kicking off on the Queen's Birthday long weekend, this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival includes 143 performances of 47 different shows across 16 sizzling nights.

Spanning a myriad of cabaret styles including comedy, satire, contemporary, rock, pop, blues, soul, swing, gypsy jazz, illusion and Broadway classics. Kate says the 2012 program has something to suit all taste-buds.

"We've hand-picked a bevy of outstanding performers from across the globe and right here in our backyard, each with a completely unique offering, but all whole-heartedly sharing a large piece of themselves as the artists embark on their own up-close and personal journey with their audiences as cherished companions in a fitting intimate cabaret setting," Kate says.

"This year's program puts the spotlight completely back on the artists, some of whom have an incredible list of cabaret credits and others who are venturing outside their usual repertoire and into the genre for the very first time – it sure is bound to be an exhilarating ride for the performers and show-goers alike,"

"My dear friend and one of Australia's most prolific artists, David Bromley will provide the finishing touches on dressing the Adelaide Festival Centre, a bespoke Bromley style befitting of the world's grandest cabaret festival."

Preluding the opening of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the exceptionally talented songstress Bernadette Robinson will bring Her Majesty's Theatre's house down in Songs For Nobodies from Thursday 7 June. A one-woman show, portraying five ordinary women who are touched by 20th Century vocal heroines Billie Holliday, Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, Maria Callas and Patsy Cline, Robinson is set to impress as the singing chameleon mimics the quintet to extraordinary perfection.

Also opening on Friday 8 June are an array of shows including the hilarious Eddie Perfect's Misanthropology and award-winning, mesmerising illusionist Cosentino both at the Dunstan Playhouse, the celebrated Kim Smith in Misfit and multi-talented musician Zoe Keating at the Artspace, the captivating Clare Bowditch Tells A True Story or Two and heart-thumping punk-soul-gutter-blues quartet The Snowdroppers at the Space Theatre. Plus revered End of Fashion front man Justin Burford in Kurt – the legacy of rock legend Kurt Cobain - takes over the Banquet Room.

After 9.30pm each night, the Banquet Room transforms into a late nightclub named Backstage, designed by David Bromley and showcasing an eclectic mix of all the best that the Adelaide Cabaret Festival has to offer with regular appearances by an array of performers and DJs.

On Saturday 9 June, other astounding shows that open include the one-night only sold out performance from Australia's much-loved artists David Bromley and Brian Cadd in A Brush With Keys at the Banquet Room. Also, not to be missed are the spellbinding notes of international musical theatre superstar Lea Salonga supported by the 54 piece Adelaide Art Orchestra at the Festival Theatre. Motown's legendary and founding member of The Supreme's Mary Wilson gives a monumental performance joined on-stage by creator and narrator James Gavin in Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project at the Dunstan Playhouse with limited tickets available. Experience first-hand why rising star Angela Harding was crowned the winner of the 2011 Australian Cabaret Showcase at the Artspace.

One of the nation's most cherished performers, Debra Byrne joins the electrifying opening weekend line-up with her stunning and emotive show Ripe premiering on Sunday 10 June at the Space Theatre.

Increasingly in demand portraitist, David Bromley is also displaying an extraordinary collection of his works in the Bromley Gallery, located in Lyrics at the Adelaide Festival Centre. The free exhibition is open to the public from 11am to 5pm throughout the 2012 Adelaide Cabaret Festival from 8 to 23 June.

Subscribe to four or more shows and save. As a subscriber you can buy additional tickets to any Adelaide Cabaret Festival show at the subscriber price as well as automatically entering the draw to WIN an Extraordinary Prize Package worth over $4,000. For full terms and conditions please go to www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au. Existing Adelaide Festival Centre subscribers can automatically access the subscriber price.

Full program and tickets are on sale through BASS 131 246 or online www.bass.net.au. Program details are available in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival brochure. Get one free by calling the Adelaide Cabaret Hotline on (08) 8216 8901 or go to www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au.

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