Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 490
•
Trim: 6 x 8¾
978-1-5381-2404-8 • Paperback • July 2020 • $48.00 • (£37.00)
978-1-5381-2405-5 • eBook • July 2020 • $45.50 • (£35.00)
David Sabella is internationally recognized as a master teacher in music theater and contemporary commercial music voice techniques. He served as a two-term president of the New York Singing Teachers’ Association (NYSTA) and as an executive director of the Broadway Theatre Project. He has also served on the music theater voice faculties at Montclair State University and Fordham University, as well as NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, CAP21 Studio, the New School’s Mannes Prep precollege program, Purchase College, and SUNY at New Paltz.
Sue Matsuki is the recipient of the first Julie Wilson Award, given by the Mabel Mercer Foundation in 2004, and was personally chosen to receive this award by Julie Wilson herself. She is also a three-time MAC Award winner: 2002 for Female Jazz/Pop/R&B Vocalist; 2006 for Jazz Duo/Special Productions for Ten Years in the Making with her music director Gregory Toroian; and 2008 for Specialty Song with “One Stop Shopping” (Matsuki/Toroian/Page).
Part I – Cabaret 101
Chapter 1 – A Brief History of Cabaret, Erv Raible
Chapter 2 – From Bounty to Bust to Blossom, Roy Sander
Chapter 3 – What Is Cabaret?
Chapter 4 – Critically Speaking: Roy Sander
Chapter 5 – The Mayor of Cabaret: Sidney Myer
Part II – Singing in Cabaret
Chapter 6 – The Great American Songbook: Michael Feinstein
Chapter 7 – The Singer-Songwriter in Cabaret: Ann Hampton Callaway
Chapter 8 – On “Legit” Singing: Dawn Derow
Chapter 9 – Finding Your Authentic Voice
Chapter 10 – Singing and Voice Science, Scott McCoy
Chapter 11 - Vocal Health for Singers, Wendy LeBorgne
Part III – The Craft of Cabaret
Chapter 12 – Crafting Your Show
Chapter 13 – Lyric Connection
Chapter 14 – Using Audio Enhancement Technology, Matthew Edwards
Chapter 15 – The Music Director: Alex Rybeck, Tracy Stark, Gregory Toroian
Chapter 16 – The Director: Jeff Harnar, Lina Koutrakos, Tanya Moberly, Lennie Watts
Part IV – The Business of Cabaret
Chapter 17 – DIY (“Do-It-Yourself”) Production
Chapter 18 – DIY (“Do-It-Yourself”) Promotion
Chapter 19 – Organizations and Associations
Part V – The Royal Family of Cabaret
Chapter 20 – The Queen of Cabaret: Andrea Marcovicci
Chapter 21 - The Crown Prince of Cabaret: Steve Ross
Chapter 22 –The Countess of Crossover: Karen Mason
Chapter 23 - The Princess of Birdland: Natalie Douglas
Part VI – The Future of Cabaret
Chapter 24 – Training Tomorrow’s Singers: Private and Institutional Training
Chapter 25 – Spanning the Generations: A Multigenerational Art Form
So You Want to Sing Cabaret is a fitting volume to bring this far-reaching, first-of-its-kind set to its appropriate conclusion, sending the series out on a high note.
— Classical Singer Magazine
When it came to producing this Guide For Performers NATS had the benefit of two authors who have spent their lives immersed in the cabaret community as entertainers, as leaders, as teachers . . . Clearly, Matsuki and Sabella are devoted to the industry and to the art form that has nurtured their individual artistic souls, rendering them a natural choice for such an endeavor.”
— Broadway World
I applaud the author-editors. . . for a yeoman job. They took on the task of creating a "guide for performers" of cabaret. In its 400 pages, the book offers a cornucopia of good advice and one inspiring example after the other. The compendium is appreciated for filling an important void, first and foremost, by defining the practice of singer's cabaret and its craft. . . . I am interested to see how the book So You Want to Sing Cabaret will be used as the guide it hopes to be, the manual that can set the cabaret performer, and their traveling companions of pianists, voice teachers, coaches and directors, on a journey to successful practice and broader audiences.
— Quarter Note: The Quarterly Newsletter of Chicago Cabaret Professionals
Such important information and a must-read for all singers and teachers. I was fascinated.— Chita Rivera, Tony–Award winning actress
The quintessential text on everything Cabaret! So You Want to Sing Cabaret should be required reading for every performer and teacher who wants to delve into this art form and industry. An absolutely invaluable resource!— Regina Zona, singer and voice teacher
‘The complete works’ of cabaret—the book is a banquet of history, inspiration, and resources on invaluable singing technique. — Julie Boyd, director, Fordham University Musical Theater Summer Intensive
This book needs to be a part of academic curriculum and in every voice teacher's and singer's library. As an historical document and a vibrant exploration of cabaret and its evolution, this is a must-read, over and over again!— Susan Eichhorn-Young, voice teacher, singer, actor, writer
So You Want to Sing Cabaret is full of history, anecdotes and practical knowledge from the legends who have dedicated their lives to this art form. It is an absolutely invaluable resource whether one wants to put together an entire act or simply learn to mine the depths of a song and really make it their own. If you are an aspiring performer or simply an appreciator of the genre, there are life lessons to be learned here that can honestly be applied to many different disciplines - singers, actors, directors, musicians and anyone else with a thirst for knowledge, a curious mind, and a desire to connect with an audience by telling a thoughtful story through song.— Brian Stokes Mitchell, Tony award-winning Broadway singer and actor
So You Want to Sing Cabaret is a magnificent read for all solo cabaret artists. David Sabella and Sue Matsuki’s beautifully crafted book will be our guide book for cabaret development.— Ann Morrison, artistic director, SaraSolo Productions
A remarkable combination of instruction, inspiration, reminiscence and just plain good sense. David Sabella and Sue Matsuki’s book is a wonderfully readable "bible" for those interested, professionally or just out of curiosity, in the world of cabaret. — John Kander, Tony Award Winning Broadway composer
One of my favorite quotes from David Sabella and Sue Matsuki's wonderful, comprehensive book about cabaret is this: Cabaret is first and foremost a lyric driven experience. The book goes on to tell you everything you will need to know or ever consider about the art form, including interviews with some of the best artists in the business. An amazing accomplishment! — Betty Buckley, Tony Award Winning actress and singer
Sabella and Matsuki have compiled a treasure trove of information relating to every aspect of cabaret performance. For aspiring cabaret singers and devotees of the genre, this book is for you. In their unabashed celebration of a wonderful art form, the authors do their part in keeping it alive.— Mary Saunders-Barton, professor emeritus, Penn State University
What Is Cabaret? Many have asked but few have answered it in a more precise manner than So You Want to Sing Cabaret. It is just this kind of detail that makes this book required reading for performers and audiences alike. You couldn't ask for better guidance than that from some of cabaret's most respected artists featured in this book.— Frank Dain, editor-in-chief, Cabaret Scenes Magazine
David Sabella and Sue Matsuki have compiled and curated a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in performing or researching cabaret. Including writings and interviews from the most prominent practitioners, the book covers the history of cabaret from its beginnings to modern day with all of its marvelous incarnations along the way. A truly delightful and enlightening guide to this sorely neglected but eminently worthy vocal art form.— Lori McCann, Monctlair State University, NATS-NYC Board and past president