David Campbell Completes Adelaide Cabaret Festival Tenure On A High Note

The 11th Adelaide Cabaret Festival draws to a close this weekend after a rocketing two weeks of ticket sales, making the 2011 Festival the most successful Cabaret Festival ever. This year's Festival broke all previous box offices achieving an 8% increase on the 2010 Festival and with an estimated 95,000 attendances, an increase of 19% due to people really embracing the whole Festival atmosphere - seeing multiple shows and enjoying the free activities and food and beverage offerings before, after and in-between.

By the end of the closing weekend 35 performances will have sold out.

David and Lisa Campbell's three year stint at the helm of the Cabaret Festival ends this weekend, and undoubtedly patrons and artists alike will be celebrating with them in their final swan song.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says,

"David Campbell's relationship with Adelaide Festival Centre as Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director has been a perfect match. David has brought an unbelievable energy to the Festival, he has grown the Festival significantly - not only in its popularity but also its profile, and I would personally like to thank David and Lisa for all of their hard work. They are a fantastic team and we look forward to continuing our relationship with them in the future".

Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director David Campbell says,
'The last three years have been a wonderful experience. We are indebted to many people - the team at Adelaide Festival Centre without whom any of this is possible, the sponsors who supported us, especially our Principal Partner FOXTEL, all the magnificent artists that came from far and wide and the Adelaide audiences that brought the Festival to life. A special thank you has to also go to Douglas Gaultier who gave us this opportunity in the first place and Heather Muirhead our Executive Producer who has been integral to the Festival's success.'

David and Lisa look back fondly on the past three Cabaret Festivals with many memorable moments, amongst them is the introduction of the Variety Gala where a variety of incredible performers from the Festival perform in an opening night spectacular. The Variety Gala is certified as one of the Adelaide Cabaret Festivals hottest tickets in town.

Their headlining acts just kept getting bigger and better every year with Bernadette Peters, Natalie Cole and Olivia Newton-John all wowing crowds. They have loved unearthing fabulous new Australian talent, and have been thrilled to be involved in shaping the future stars of tomorrow through the new initiative of High School Cabaret where David has personally undertaken the mentorship role of groups of High School Students.

During his tenure as Artistic Director David has established ongoing relationships with Principal Partner FOXTEL, along with partners Minter Ellison Lawyers, Vili's, Coopers, Investec, Adelaide City Council, Grant Burge Wines, Adelaide BMW, Moët & Chandon. All valuable partners that are integral to the Festival and ones that the Festival hopes to continue to develop.

With two nights to go, there are plenty of good seats still available for the final weekend. The brilliant master of song, Michael Feinstein, will close the Festival with his tribute to the leader of the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra. Let Mad Men star Bryan Batt entertain you with hilarious and poignant stories of his Louisiana childhood in Batt On A Hot Tin Roof, be captivated by Melinda Schneider as she channels Doris Day in So Much More Than The Girl Next Door, get down and dangerous with modern-day Vargas girl Storm Large in Crazy Enough, or relive the trials and turmoil of a rise to fame with Amy Housewine in Back to Crack. Classy crooner Bert LaBonte will charm you with When I Fall In Love: The Nat King Cole Story, the always entertaining Ali McGregor will serve up plenty of surprises in the Late-Nite Variety Nite Night, and iconic singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb will captivate with his timeless songs like Galveston and MacArthur Park in An Evening With Jimmy Webb. Mike McLeish premieres his story of life after Keating! The Musical in The World Is Winning, the gorgeously daring Alexis Fishman is the darling of the Berlin cabaret in Der Gelbe Stern (The Yellow Star), and the jumpin', jivin' Jitterbug Club will get you moving to their contemporary Harlem jazz sounds.

Highlights of this year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival included the sold out Variety Gala performance as well as newcomers Gillian Cosgriff and Toby Francis both of whom were described as ‘ones to watch'. By far the most in demand tickets were for Leo Sayer who made everyone feel like dancing, TV series Mad Men's leading man Bryan Batt and legendary Broadway star Chita Rivera. Sold Out shows were the order of the Festival and included Ansuya Nathan, Melinda Schnieder, Bryan Batt, Paul Capsis, Michael Feinstein, Jitterbug Club, Jimmy Webb, High School Cabaret, Leo Sayer, Bert La Bonte, Michael Griffiths and Alexis Fishman.

David says "It has been an honour and a privilege to work in my home town. Working in Adelaide has been like donning a favourite pair of slippers ‘warm & comfortable, I wish new Artistic Director Kate Ceberano chookas for 2012 she will no doubt put her stamp on this fantastic festival and I can't wait til next year to just kick back and enjoy it!:"'

This year's Festival proudly supported by Principal Partner FOXTEL featured an out-of-this-world line-up including 50 International Artists from the USA, UK, and Canada, as well as the cream of the Cabaret crop in Australia, with 224 Australian artists, 125 of those being South Australian. 15 international shows, 15 world premieres, 7 Australian premieres, 32 Adelaide premieres, and 3 Adelaide exclusives.

The popular Peter Allen Exhibition by the Performing Arts Collection remains in the Festival Theatre foyer until late August.

Full program details are available www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au Tickets can be booked through BASS 131 246 or online www.bass.net.au

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