O'Neill's 2006 Cabaret & Performance Conference Schedule Features Award-Winning Performers and Artists Andre De Shields, Penny Fuller, Marcus Hummon, Deven May, Ruth Williamson, More!

Ten Nights of Different Performances from August 2 - August 12 in the Dina Merrill Theater!

July 27, 2006

Michael Bush, Artistic Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's Cabaret and Performance Conference, today announced the 2006 season's exciting schedule of performances, bringing the best in Cabaret Theater to the O'Neill. Joining Mister Bush in guiding the Conference are faculty members Penny Fuller, Barry Kleinbort and Associate Artistic Director Joel Silberman. The 2006 Conference will develop and present performances and new projects by some of this country's most exciting established theatrical and cabaret performance artists as well as up and coming new performers. Performances are scheduled from August 2 through August 12, 2006 in the O'Neill's Dina Merrill Theater.

Featured performers include Chicago's famed musical improvisation group Baby Wants Candy; a musical evening with Andre De Shields (seen on Broadway in the original cast of Ain't Misbehaving; The Wiz;The Full Monty) and guest backup singers Marlene Danielle & Frieda Williams; Penny Fuller, Emmy Award winner and Tony nominated actress of Broadway's The Dinner Party and television's Mad About You, in a premiere evening of classic Cabaret; a Country Cabaret with Grammy-nominated songwriter Marcus Hummon (God Bless the Broken Road), joined by songstress Sherrie Austen (Streets of Heaven); a new musical by Neil Bartram and Brian Hill featuring Deven May (who played the title role in off-Broadway's sensational Bat Boy) and Jeffrey Kuhn (Broadway's Assassins, Wicked); and Ruth Williamson, stage and screen actress featured in the Tony Award-winning 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles, returning to perform the complete PURE HEAVEN, an evening about the life of songstress Kay Thompson, which began its development during the 2005 Cabaret Conference.

Most performances are followed by an Open Mic, featuring performances by Conference participants, special guest artists, O'Neill artistic and production staff and the O'Neill Intern Company.

The Conference culminates in an end-of-season Grand Finale performance, where Cabaret Conference Participants perform alongside renowned veteran performers for a spectacular showcase of musical talent.

Last year's Cabaret shows played to Standing Room Only audiences - early reservations are encouraged. Every performance is a unique, intimate and entertaining theatrical event! Don't miss the fun and surprises every night of the Conference!

Details of the performance schedule follow.

CABARET SCHEDULE - AUGUST 2 - AUGUST 12
*No performance on Monday, August 7

Please note that there is a schedule change from the published calendar in the summer brochure:

On Saturday, August 5 the 7:00 pm performance will be replaced with two performances, one at 7:00 pm and one at 9:30 pm; and on Sunday, August 6, the performances scheduled for 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm will be replaced with one performance, at 6:00 pm.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2 - 7:30 pm
Opening Ceremonies! Fun you won't want to miss!
Chicago's famed BABY WANTS CANDY musical improvisation group

THURSDAY, AUGUST 3 - 7:30 pm
THE STORY OF MY LIFE, a musical in concert by Brian Hill and NeilBartram featuring Deven May
Followed by Open Mic

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4 - 7:30 pm
ANOTHER EVENING WITH PENNY FULLER featuring Tony-nominated star of stage and screen Penny Fuller
Followed by Open Mic

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5: TWO PERFORMANCES!

7:00 pm
2006 CABARET CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS
Come see our new Cabaret talent in this special show!

9:30 pm
Andre De Shields (Broadway, Ain't Misbehaving; The Wiz; The Full Monty) in

BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND with Marlene Danielle & Frieda Williams
Philadelphia/Chicago meets Memphis in this night of Urban Rhythm and Blues!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 6 - 6:00 pm
COUNTRY CABARET, featuring Grammy Award Winning Songwriter Marcus Hummon ("God Bless the Broken Road") and Sherrie Austin ("Streets of Heaven")

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8 - 7:30 pm
This Land Is Your Land! Come Celebrate Primary Night with
Joel Silberman, Associate Artistic Director of the Cabaret Conference, and his POLITICS AND POKER
Followed by Open Mic

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9 - 7:30 pm
Songs from WARRRIOR - the music of Grammy winner Marcus Hummon
Featuring Marcus Hummon, Sherrie Austin, Deven May ("Bat Boy") and Marla Schaffel (star of Broadway's "Jane Eyre")
followed by Open Mic

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10 - 7:30 pm
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE! 2006 Cabaret Conference Participants
Followed by Open Mic

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11 - 7:30 pm
PURE HEAVEN, The Life of Kay Thompson,
Featuring Emmy Award winning, Tony nominated star Ruth Williamson (TV's Nip, Tuck)
Ruth completes her story of Kay Thompson in a dazzling evening of songs and laughter, first developed at the Cabaret Conference in 2005!
Followed by Open Mic

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 - 7:30 pm
GRAND FINALE! with All our Cabaret Performers! Includes post-show reception!
Reserve your seats today!

Schedule and artists subject to change. All performances are in the Dina Merrill Theater. Tickets to Cabaret performances are $25/$20 for Members (bleacher seating) and $35, or two for $60 (table seating, including one bottle of wine per table); Grand Finale tickets are $35/$30 for Members (bleacher seating) and $50, or two for $90 (table seating, including one bottle of wine per table) and include a post-show reception! Please call the O'Neill Box Office at 860-443A-1238 for reservations.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, founded in 1964, has been home to more than 1,000 new works for the stage and 2,500 emerging artists and is itself the winner of a special Tony Award, the National Opera Award, the Jujamcyn Award for Theater Excellence and the Arts and Business Council Encore Award. Today, the O'Neill is home to the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, Puppetry Conference, Cabaret Conference, National Critics Institute, and the fully accredited National Theater Institute, which includes semester-long, fully accredited intensive theater-training programs and a six-week accredited summer program, Theatermakers. In addition, the O'Neill owns and operates the Monte Cristo Cottage, a National Historic Landmark and the childhood home of Nobel Prize-winning and four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill. For more information regarding the Center, please visit the O'Neill website at www.TheONeill.org or call 860-443-5378.