Australian Musical Theatre Academy

AMTA’s Creating Cabaret Course is a ground-breaking face-to-face, online course which will teach you how to write, produce and perform your own cabaret show.

The course was created and is led by AMTA’s Founder & Artistic Director, Queenie van de Zandt. Queenie is a multi-award-winning cabaret and musical theatre performer and has been touring her cabaret shows around Australia and Internationally for over 30 years. As the core tutor for the Creating Cabaret Course, Queenie will work intimately with you to help you devise and shape your own unique cabaret show.

She will lead you through masterclasses covering topics such as performance, directing, pitching, producing, drag cabaret, writing, what festivals look for in programming, comedy, musical direction, song writing and arranging, circus and variety, marketing, social media and publicity, funding and grants, burlesque performance, and international touring.

READ MORE ABOUT QUEENIE HERE

Working at your own pace, you will become part of the innovative and diverse world of cabaret, fully supported in creating your own unique cabaret show, ready to pitch to festivals, arts centres, and venues.

WHO CAN ATTEND?

Enrolments are open to anyone who wants to learn how to write, produce and perform cabaret. If you’ve never thought about doing a cabaret before but think it could be fun – this course is for you! If you’ve dabbled in cabaret before and want to learn more about it – this course is for you! If you’re an experienced cabaret performer but want to step it up a notch – this course is for you too! Basically, this course is open to anyone interested in creating cabaret – no matter what level of experience.

Because cabaret is such a flexible and open artform, we are open to performers from any genre of live performance - singers, circus performers, musicians, stand-up comedians, singer/songwriters, poets, performance artists, magicians, burlesque performers, drag artists, or performers working in genres of live performance not yet created!

Accessibility and diversity are important to AMTA, and as the course runs online, we encourage enrolments from performers anywhere in Australia. We will be seeking out and encouraging enrolments from artists in regional areas as well as encouraging enrolments from First Nations and BIPOC artists, LGBTIQ+ artists, body and age diverse artists, artists with a disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse artists. We also payment plan options available to financially challenged artists and occasionally we are able offer discounted scholarships (see the enrolment page for more details).

It also doesn’t matter if you have an idea for a cabaret show and want help to develop it or you don’t have any ideas but would love to write and perform in a cabaret show – either way, this course will get you writing, performing and producing your cabaret show.

WHAT WILL WE DO IN THE COURSE?

Split into 3 blocks, the Creating Cabaret Course covers writing, performing and producing your cabaret. You can choose to enrol in the full 8-week course or choose your own smorgasbord of classes.

If you enrol into the FULL 8-WEEK course, you can attend all the classes listed in the blocks below and will complete the course with:

• An understanding of the various styles and forms a cabaret can take and what works for you
• The writing skills and processes that will help you create your own cabaret
• Practical experience of creating a cabaret show
• An understanding of the elements found in successful cabarets
• The ability to bring your cabaret from idea to production
• The history of cabaret and creating from strong foundations
• An outline of your own unique cabaret show or a finished cabaret script (students are encouraged to work at their own pace)
• The skills needed to find and adapt great music for your cabaret
• A wider understanding of the cabaret community
• Contacts for international and national touring opportunities for your cabaret show
• A template of a working budget for your cabaret show
• The skills to create a profitable fan base and activate & grow your social media profile
• The tools of how to market your cabaret show
• A database of valuable contacts for cabaret festivals and venues around Australia to pitch your cabaret to
• The knowledge to pitch successfully to cabaret festivals and venues
• AND MORE...

If you enrol into the WRITING block, you will work intensively with course creator and core tutor Queenie van de Zandt in the following classes:

• The Glorious History of Cabaret
• Exploring Cabaret Styles & Genres
• What Makes a Great Cabaret Artist & A Cabaret Great
• Writing Exercises to Help You Come Up with the Ideas for Your Cabaret
• Pathos is Easy, Comedy is Hard – Comedy Songs & Satire
• Pitching & Workshopping Your Cabaret Idea
• Questions to Ask About Your Cabaret Outline
• Before You Begin to Write Your Cabaret
• Choosing Great Material

If you enrol into the PERFORMING block, you will work with course creator and core tutor Queenie van de Zandt in the classes listed below:

• Putting on a Show
• Creating a Cabaret Character
• Cabaret, Circus, Vaudeville & Variety
• Directing Your Delicious Cabaret
• Perfecting Your Performance
• Sensational Song Writing
• Connecting to Your Audience
• Being Musical with Your Music

If you enrol into the PRODUCING block, you will work with course creator and core tutor Queenie van de Zandt in the classes listed below:

• Getting Grants & Finding Funding
• Marvellous Marketing & Successful Social Media
• Pitching Successfully to Festivals & Venues
• Getting Yourself Programmed
• Find Your Fabulous Fan Base
• Let's Hit the Road – National & International Touring
• Budgeting for Success
• Pitching Your Show
• Where to From Here

When enrolling you also have the option of picking and choosing classes from each block and creating your own smorgasbord of study.

We can’t wait to receive your enrolment and help the next generation of diverse, innovative and enthralling cabaret artists make their voices heard.