Joey Arias, Erin Markey and Jane Badler to Headline 2014 FESTIVAL OF VOICES: VOICEBOX, Begins Today

VOICEBOX, the Festival of Voices' cabaret/alternative late-night festival-within-a-festival, presents a scintillating line-up of national and international musicians over ten days in July. Curated by award-winning, New York-based cabaret star Kim Smith, the Voicebox program dallies between the erotic, the darkly comic, the joyous and the emotionally devastating, imbuing Hobart with the titillating atmosphere, originality and glamour of the clubs and theatres of New York City. Step inside Hobart City Hall, transformed for the festival into a den of red velvet, dirty cocktails and musical debauchery for Voicebox 2014.

Announcing the first delights of Voicebox, the Festival of Voices is thrilled to invite JOEY ARIAS. A goddess of New York's downtown performance scene for over thirty years and a bona fide cabaret icon, performance and drag artist, Arias' numerous claims to fame include starring as the Mistress of Seduction in Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity". Arias will whip Hobart audiences into a frenzy with his extraordinary voice, scandalous wit and inimitable style of sweet, sultry jazz. Curator Kim Smith said, "Joey Arias is one of my all-time favourite performers. He's an impossibly beautiful creature with an exquisite, rare voice and the mind of an ancient madam. I'm really proud to have him appear as part of Voicebox."

Also joining Hobart from the Big Apple comes the riotous ERIN MARKEY, performing as part of the opening weekend of Voicebox in her Australian premiere. Named 'Best Offbeat Diva Who's About To Blow Up' by Time Out New York in 2013, Markey mixes absurdist humour with "magnetic diva aggression" (New York Times) in a hilarious and surprisingly moving stage act that has audiences in smitten hysterics. Mashing covers of Usher, Hall & Oates and Jewel alongside original songs such as "Hurricane Sandy", the multiple personas of Markey's smart, quirky performance explore the frailties of identity and of Midwestern American family life.

Curator Kim Smith said, "Staggeringly beautiful and unbelievably funny, Markey is completely unique. She has a brilliant show prepared for Voicebox, helmed with legendary music director Kenny Mellman. Hobart will love her."

Following sold-out shows in Paris and London, American songstress and sci-fi icon JANE BADLER lands in Hobart, bringing her show "Diamond Crimson Blood" to this year's Voicebox. A US TV legend renowned for her villainous, legendary portrayal of Diana in NBC's sci-fi series "V", Badler is now stunning audiences from the stage. Immersed in electronic soundscapes and cinematic projections, Badler's unique style of neo-gothic cabaret seduces audiences, as she performs original material from her upcoming album, Opus, together with her dazzling interpretation of pop artists from Kylie to Marvin Gaye, in a show that's out of this world.

Curator Kim Smith said, "Jane Badler evokes pure sex appeal and mischief on stage. I can't wait to see her ensnare Hobart with her charms."

Voicebox is part of the 2014 Festival of Voices, Australia's premier celebration of the human voice, uniting a diverse pool of extraordinary vocalists to create a festival experience like no other. The festival welcomes individual singers, choirs and music lovers from across Australia, as Hobart comes to life with the sound of music.

The full Festival of Voices program will be announced May 8.

The Festival of Voices runs Friday 4 July - Sunday 13 July in Hobart. Joey Arias will appear Friday 4 July at 7.30pm and Saturday 5 July at 8pm. Jane Badler will appear Wednesday 9 July at 8.30pm and Thursday 10 July at 7pm. Erin Markey will appear Saturday 5 July at 6.30pm and Sunday 6 July at 9pm. Tickets go on sale May 8 at festivalofvoices.com.

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