Cabaret coming to downtown Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers – Marcy Downey checks out the sound and lighting system inside Studio B at the Gotta Dance by Miss Amy site at 28 West Bank St. Downey will be the first performer in the new cabaret on July 28.

ALBION – For 12 years Amy Sidari and her staff have worked with hundreds of students each year, teaching them jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop and other dance moves.

Gotta Dance by Miss Amy will soon expand as a talent showcase, by using one of the studios for cabaret, with professional-quality lighting and sound. Sidari will have 20 tables inside “The Cabaret at Studio B,” and will serve gourmet desserts, coffee and soda during concerts and other productions.

“They will get a high-end Rochester performance without going into the city,” Sidari said this afternoon at the Gotta Dance site at 28 West Bank St.

She has the first performance scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 28. Albion native Marcy Downey will perform her current one-woman cabaret show, “Here’s To The Divas and Dames,” which pays tribute to popular singing divas, including Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and others.

“Anything she touches is successful,” Downey said about Sidari. “I love the idea of doing something right here in Albion.”

Marcy Downey, left, and Amy Sidari pose in front of the curtains at the Cabaret at Studio B.

Sidari repainted the room, installed lights and a sound system, made the curtains and added a padded performance floor. She had a team of helpers for the project, with her father Ace Caldwell handling most of the construction.

Sidari had the lights in storage for most of the year, bringing them out for the Gotta dance annual recitals in May.

She said the cabaret will hopefully draw more people to Albion to visit local stores and restaurants before the 7 p.m. shows.

Sidari has other events planned for the cabaret. Phyl Contestable performs as The Reverend Mother on Aug. 2.  Sidari’s 6-year-old daughter Gina and her friends will have a fashion show Aug. 14 with a suggested $5 donation going to COVA.

Albion native Kailey Winans and Gary Simboli, high school musical and chorus director, will perform together on Aug. 23.

For more information on tickets and prices, call 585-354-2320.

Sidari also welcomes more performers throughout the fall. They should call that number if they’re interested.

Amy Sidari is working to turn a dance studio into a venue for singing and other performers. The space will continue to be used for dance as well.