The first space to open in July, 2007, under our renovation plan was the Cabaret at Fort Salem Theater, a little jewel box that hosts musical performances, designed by David Pedemonti to reflect the Mainstage in miniature. Lawrence Hillis in The Eagle described the atmosphere as "the meeting of old friends" with "the beauty of a romantic candle lit dinner." The room features a recessed 8' by 6' stage with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, an antique six foot Knabe Grand Piano in Brazilian rosewood, up to sixteen cabaret tables, and chairs that match the walls of burgundy and gold.

She grew up at Fort Salem Theater while her father, Quentin, created a Washington County legend. For five years, through the 2006 season, she was the Fort's Artistic Director, dazzling everyone with her energetic portrayals of the classic women of musical theater.

She's been back with two editions of her cabaret, I'm Flying, which opens in April in Manhattan; but even as she prepares that performance, she joins us once again to channel country legend Patsy Cline. In between the country songs, Kathy has promised us some of the very new arrangements she's been working on.

Filling houses in the Berkshires and Albany for the last six months, the five members of Spurs USA come to this newly formed group from lives professionally devoted to country music. Between them all, there’s more than a hundred years of professional musicianship. Bass player John Barrett played hundreds of gigs starting in the sixties, opening for, among other bands, The Grateful Dead.

In When Country Was Cool … Volume One, the Spurs celebrate Johnny Cash, Pasty Cline, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Patti Page, Buck Owens, and Hank Williams, classic country tunes from the 40's through the 70's.

WRGB Anchor Jerry Gretzinger sings Sinatra and some other crowd favorites in Mostly Frank. Originating to two full houses in the cabaret, Jerry added a swing band (with members of Albany's popular Swing Docs) and took his show to WAMC's Linda Norris Auditorium. The resulting radio show surprised and entertained people who heard it in its several airings.

As a founding member of The Singing Anchors created in our cabaret, with Jessica Layton and Benita Zahn, Jerry continues to entertain around the Capital Region. This summer, The Singing Anchors on Broadway open on the Mainstage on July 13.