The WFMT Cabaret is a new series that brings together diverse artists for performance and broadcast before a live audience.
The first WFMT Cabaret, in fall 2016, was at the Uptown Underground, a burlesque longue in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Composer, musician, and WFMT announcer Robbie Ellis hosted from the piano, and was joined by KAIA String Quartet, singer Bethany Thomas, and storyteller Jack Zimmerma.
In January 2017, actress and singer Hollis Resnik hosted an evening of music and spoken word around the theme “If on a winter’s night a traveler…” at Pregnant Buffalo Lounge, a subterranean space at the Chopin Theatre. The evening featuring performances by pianist Vassily Primakov, actress McKenzie Chinn, folk ensemble Foiled Again, and music director Doug Peck.
In April 2017, the event brought together two Chicago-based ensembles, the band Big Sadie and the Kontras Quartet. Robbie Ellis returned to share some comedic compositions of his own.
Enjoy highlights from WFMT Cabaret events below.
Watch WFMT’s Live Cabaret of Music, Comedy, and More
Watch highlights from WFMT's Classical Cabaret, a new series that brings together diverse artists for performance and broadcast before a live studio audience.
Hear Big Sadie Blend American Folk Traditions in New Tunes, Live at the Pregnant Buffalo Lounge
Chicago-based band Big Sadie performed at the third WFMT Cabaret hosted in the Pregnant Buffalo Lounge at the Chopin Theatre. Big Sadie is influenced by music from across America, with its core members Elise Bergman and Collin Moore hailing from the Midwest and Appalachia respectively. Rounding out the band’s current lineup are banjo player Andy Malloy and fiddler Matt Brown. Big Sadie ...
Composer, Comedian Robbie Ellis Sings Original Tunes That’ll Have You in Stitches
WFMT announcer Robbie Ellis has shared his talents as a comedian and composer as the host of WFMT’s Cabaret series. During the most recent WFMT Cabaret, Ellis revealed his favorite (albeit unconventional) place to pick up a date: the book club. His song, “Book Club,” suggests a few strategies for attracting and impressing a companion who is literarily inclined. Watch ...
Kontras Quartet Brings Together Classical and Folk Traditions Live at the Pregnant Buffalo Lounge
The string quartet gets its name from the Afrikaans word for "contrast," since the musicians enjoy playing seemingly contrasting repertoire even within the same program
KAIA Quartet Plays Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 20, No. 4 in D
KAIA String Quartet joined comedian Robbie Ellis, singer Bethany Thomas, and storyteller Jack Zimmerman for the inaugural WFMT Cabaret at Uptown Underground. KAIA, WFMT’s first ensemble-in-residence, is dedicated to sharing Latin American culture through the medium of the string quartet.
Video: Pianist Vassily Primakov Plays Chopin and Rachmaninoff
The Pregnant Buffalo Lounge, a subterranean space at the Chopin Theatre was home to the second WFMT Cabaret.
