DETROIT—Cabaret 313‘s fifth anniversary season begins on Saturday, Sepember 23 with Tony Award-nominated actress Carmen Cusack (Bright Star) in An Evening with Carmen Cusack. Opening night features two performances at the Players Club Playhouse (3321 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48207) at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m.

“[Cusack] represents a newer style of performer that’s getting quite a bit of recognition on the Broadway circuit,” said Allan Nachman, Cabaret 313’s President and Executive Director. “Cabaret 313 embraces new styles of cabaret performances as well as what is considered a more traditional approach, and choosing Carmen Cusack as the opener for our fifth anniversary season fully realizes the idea of combining the old with the new.”

Hailed for her beautiful style and slight twang, Cusack’s leap to stardom followed an exceptional Broadway debut in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s bluegrass-tinged Bright Star, earning her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Since 2016, she has performed an emotionally-charged cabaret show detailing parts of her life through original numbers as well as a medley of bluegrass pieces from Bright Star.

“Considering Steve Martin and Edie Brickell produced Bright Star, I knew I was going to like the music, but the true stunner was Cusack,” said Nachman. “She was one of the more amazing debuts I had seen on Broadway, and after my third time seeing her onstage, I knew she was destined to be a hit.”

Continuing Cabaret 313’s longstanding commitment to aiding the growth of arts education in the region, Cusack will lead a master class with students from the University of Michigan on Sep. 22. The intimate one-on-one session will give musical theatre students from the university the opportunity to perform for and receive direct feedback from the artist.

“The whole reason for Cabaret 313’s creation was to be a part of the rebirth of Detroit,” Nachman said. “Part of our goal was to make sure the young people that wanted to become professional performers had access to cabaret, and the most effective way for us to achieve this was to bring the artists directly to students and youth in and around the city.”

The Sep. 22 master class is the first of four offered by Cabaret 313 during the 2017-18 season, followed by Kyle Riabko with students from Wayne State University on Oct. 27, Jarrod Spector and Kelli Barrett with Detroit’s Mosaic Youth Theatre on Feb. 10 and Alexandra Silber with Mosaic Youth Theatre in late March.

Tickets for Carmen Cusack’s An Evening with Carmen Cusack are $60 for general seating, $125 for preferred seating and $25 for attendees age 40 & Younger. Guests to the 9:30 p.m. performance can enjoy a three-course dinner at the Rattlesnake Club for an additional $58 per person. To purchase tickets, visit cabaret313.org or call 313-405-5061.