’Cuse Cabaret, a comedy show of parody songs about life in Syracuse and Central New York premiered to sold-out houses at CNY Jazz Central in 2023. With a grant from CNYArts and the generosity of individual sponsors, it returned for another sold-out run in 2024. Co-written by jazz singer Hanna Richardson & Johanna Beale Keller, the spectacular casts & directors included Novis Fuller, Thomas Netter, Evelyn Oliver, Derek Emerson Powell, Donovan Stanfield, & Natasia White, with music directors Benjamin Borenstein (2023) and Frederick Willard (2024).

Four actors on stage with shocked expressions, leaning over a table, performing in a theatrical play.
Group of six people posing together, some wearing glasses, with a basketball, a rainbow-colored hat, a bulldozer mold, and a blue pack of items, all smiling or making playful expressions.
A musical performance on stage with four singers and two pianists. The singers are dressed in formal attire, with the women in evening gowns or dark suits and the man in a tuxedo. The pianist on the left is playing the piano, with music sheets on the stand. The backdrop features a city skyline projected on a screen.
Two women, wearing black clothing and sunglasses, on a rooftop in a city, performing a fist bump, next to a colorful sign of lips with the words 'Use Your Voice'.
Two actors on stage, a man and a woman, both with arms crossed, smiling and looking at each other with humorous expressions against a plain background.
Four performers on stage with a city skyline backdrop, engaged in a theatrical scene, with some extending arms and expressive gestures.
Graphic of a mouth with red lips and white teeth, with the words "USE CABARET" inside the open mouth in yellow block letters.
Logo with a black diamond background and the words 'CNY ARTS' in multicolored letters.
Person wearing a sequined cowboy hat and a black dress, holding a bottle of ketchup, standing against a purple background.
A group of four women performing a theatrical scene on stage, wearing sunglasses, with chairs in the background.

‘Cuse Cabaret is a triumph!

The cleverest, wittiest, and most well-crafted performance I have seen in a long time!

FANTASTIC OPENING night! If you can still get tickets, do not miss this show!

We laughed so much our stomachs hurt!

Pop art style illustration of lips with text inside reading "Use Cabbage" in bright yellow letters.

Studio photos 2023 by Alice Patterson, Lovingmycompany.com

Production photos 2024 courtesy of Ron Thiele

Man in black shirt holding a metal eye examination device with one eye visible through an opening, against a plain gray background.
Close-up of an older man smiling, wearing glasses, a black suit, and a red tie, with graying hair and beard.
A woman singer performing with a pianist and another musician on stage in low lighting.
Young woman with glasses and earrings smiling, holding a basketball labeled 'SPORTS' in front of a white background.
Four performers on stage, two seated and two standing, engaged in a theatrical performance. The woman on the left with purple hair is seated, reaching out and holding hands with the woman on the right, who is standing. The standing woman has long dark hair and is wearing a black blazer. The woman standing behind them with curly hair and tattoos is wearing a black sparkly dress, reaching out with her arm extended. A man in a black tuxedo with a bow tie is also standing, holding hands with the seated woman and looking into the distance.
Performer in a black tuxedo and bow tie dancing on stage, stretching one arm and leg outward, with a cheerful expression, behind a backdrop with chairs and stools.
Four performers are on stage, dancing or acting in a theatrical performance, dressed in black and dark clothing, with a green and black background and wooden chairs behind them.

WHAT AUDIENCE MEMBERS WROTE TO US AFTER SEEING THE SHOW

Four people in black clothing, holding sports equipment and snacks, are posing with a snow shovel and a bag of potatoes on a white background.
A woman with brown hair, glasses, and a black t-shirt holding a large milkshake cup with a red lid and yellow straw, smiling and looking at the camera. She has sunglasses on and a gray watch on her left wrist.
Man wearing a knit hat with ear flaps, black shirt, and black pants, looking excited with his mouth open, holding the hat's cords.
Person wearing a rainbow knit hat with a pom-pom, holding a snow shovel over shoulder, standing against a plain white background.
Group of nine people standing together for a photo, dressed in semi-formal to formal clothing, on a stage with a dark curtain backdrop.
A woman with short hair expressing anger or frustration, holding a large metal crowbar.
Cabaret Co-writers Johanna Beale Keller and Hanna Richardson, with director Derek Powell and music director Ben Borenstein, smiling and making "jazz hands," wearing black clothing against a plain white background.
Two people making expressive gestures and facial expressions, one with glasses and dark hair, the other with curly hair and no glasses, standing against a plain background.
Audience seated in a dark theater watching a stage with a large screen displaying a logo that says "The Rusty Wallet Comedy" along with a graphic of lips. Stage has purple and blue lighting with performers or crew members on the side.

WHAT AUDIENCE MEMBERS WROTE TO US AFTER SEEING THE SHOW

A young man with glasses smiling while holding a large electronic keyboard upright.
Logo for CNY Jazz Central featuring a stylized trumpet and a body with a bird's head, in orange and white colors.

The high quality performances, superb music direction and genius parody song lyrics are unforgettable.

The highest “laugh to time spent” ratio I ever had!

The songs, acting and funny stories (all so true) about our beloved area were magnificent!

We are all so fortunate to live in Syracuse!