Submitted photo
Reeve Carney
The new fall season of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Cabaret at The Commons nearly could be called Encore at The Commons.
Two of the three artists scheduled are audience favorites from the past from the program that recently has seen audience sizes of 275 to 290 people.
In fact, one upcoming artist on Oct. 3 at The Commons is Columbus native Mary Claire King, returning to town after three previous Cabarets, including the show “A Hoosier Sings Manhattan” that originally kicked off the whole local Cabaret concept on Jan. 8, 2105. King’s most recent Broadway work has been in “Chicago The Musical.”
She is the understudy for both leading characters Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. Her likeness can be found throughout Times Square marketing for the show, including a big screen, a billboard, and even on New York City trash cans.
“The Cabaret at the Commons is a vibrant series that is very close to my heart,” King said. “It’s an indescribable feeling to perform for my hometown and in a place where I made memories as a young girl, both onstage and on the playground.”
Her last local cabaret was “Always Been a Rainbow” in 2021.
Besides those in Bartholomew County, the series has attracted ticket buyers as far away as Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Kentucky, according to organizers.
Metro visitors especially have lauded the series for its affordability, star attractions and free parking.
The other returning performer, scheduled on Dec. 5, is Tony and Grammy Award nominee Orfeh, who performed a Motown medley and much more with husband Andy Karl on Sept. 14 last year at The Commons.
Orfeh most recently starred as Kit De Luca in “Pretty Woman the Musical” on Broadway. Her other other favorite Broadway credits include Paulette in “Legally Blonde: The Musical (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations, Broadway.com Audience Award),” “Saturday Night Fever,” “Fascinating Rhythm,” and “Footloose.”
The opening concert in the new series is Sept. 12 with Reeve Carney, an actor, musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known for originating the role of Orpheus in the original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning musical “Hadestown.” He also played Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” Dorian Gray in the Showtime series “Penny Dreadful,” and Riff Raff in the Fox musical television film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again.”
The fall 2024 Cabaret at the Commons is made possible through the series sponsorships of Christine and Mike Elwood and Christopher Raskob and Victoria Craig Griffin.
Series tickets (all three performances) are available for purchase from $150 to $225 per person.
Single tickets are available for purchase beginning Aug. 12 from $55 to $85 per person.
Information and tickets: 812-376-2638, ext. 1, or the cip.org.
