• DCT's Beginnings...

Downstairs Cabaret opened in 1983 and achieved non-profit status in 1984. The Theatre operated at 166 Andrews Street, underneath Beam's Restaurant, before moving next door to the basement of 151 St. Paul Street. After 14 years, it moved to 20 Windsor Street in the East End's Cultural District. We have offered thousands of performances of more than 235 productions, with annual attendance of 20,000. Since moving to the 20 Windsor Street location, our activity has exploded. In January 2002, the Grosodonia Family donated 540 East Main Street housing a 99-seat theatre, classrooms, and production support spaces.

In addition to its home locations, Downstairs Cabaret has brought performances to many other satellite locations through the years: Gauss Building on Andrews Street, performing space at the Crystal Barn Complex in Pittsford, Fairport Harbor House, Canandaigua Academy High School, Smith Opera House in Geneva, SUNY Brockport, Keuka College, Harro East Auditorium, School of the Arts Ensemble Theatre, and many others.

We have several performances per week, usually of a few different productions, offering a variety of theatrical experiences (ranging from family shows to contemporary productions) and attracting the widest possible audience. We have been very aggressive in our marketing efforts to develop non-traditional as well as traditional theatre audiences.

We have a relationship with several local colleges and high schools, sometimes bringing in students for special student performances with post-performance question and answer sessions between the students and cast. We also provide internship / apprenticeship opportunities for young people from local colleges as well as those as far away as Eastern Washington University in Washington state. This year marked our 15th year of offering classes in acting, voice, and dance for youth and adults.

We have produced, co-produced and booked-in various productions allowing for the finest quality productions possible. Our productions have received public and critical acclaim and have often been the theatrical highlights and in some cases the most popular shows ever produced in Rochester. Highlights of our 235+ dramas, musicals, comedies, and new works have included:

The world premiere of WORD OF MOUTH, which went on to win the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards in NYC, and was, produced off-Broadway by Mike Nichols. A character from WORD OF MOUTH was the subject of a short feature film (Trevor), which won the 1995 Oscar Award for Best Live Action Short. JIMMY TINGLE'S UNCOMMON SENSE transferred directly to New York's American Place Theatre from the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre (Jimmy was then signed to "60 Minutes II" television program, appearing weekly as the Andy Rooney equivalent). WORKING CLASS with Richard Hoehler transferred directly to New York's Mint Theatre to open its season. HUMAN RESOURCES (also with Richard Hoehler) received its world premiere at the Downstairs Cabaret and subsequently played off-Broadway.

Direct transfers or collaborations from Off-Broadway have included MATTY: An Evening With Christy Mathewson and HAVE A NICE DAY; from Chicago: COBB; from Sacramento: FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA; from Philadelphia: LONELY PLANET and PRETTY FIRE; from Buffalo: A...MY NAME IS ALICE and JEFFERY; from Toronto: HALF LIFE, DEARHEART, HOW TO LEAVE ADOLESCENCE AT 30, CLEAN IRENE & DIRTY MAXINE, THE UNFORGETTING, THICK, and THE SLIP KNOT; and from Austin: BEEHIVE.

Downstairs Cabaret is often one of the first theatres in the country to receive the rights to produce newer works outside of New York City, including SHOUT! The Mod Musical; I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE; THE NEWS IN REVUE; SECRETS EVERY SMART TRAVELER SHOULD KNOW; and FLANAGAN'S WAKE.

It has produced the world premiere of many different shows including: FOREVER PLAID; DOUBLE DUET; HEARTS-TO-GO; WHAT WE DON'T CONFESS; and AVA.

Similarly, it has contributed to theatre as an artform by oftentimes producing the second production of other important new works such as THE GREY ZONE , DEARHEART, HAVE A NICE DAY, and CLEARING HEDGES: Babe Didrickson Zaharias.

Downstairs Cabaret was invited to bring its production of THE GREY ZONE (the second production in the country) to The Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.In 2001, Downstairs Cabaret Theatre mounted the 25th Anniversary National Tour of SNOOPY!, in conjunction with Mainstage Productions. Based on the success of that tour, Downstairs Cabaret Theatre subsequently mounted two National Tours of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' with Windwood Theatricals, which toured 80 cities in 35 states. Susequent National Tours have included SHOUT: THE MOD MUSICAL, GEORGE M. COHAN TONIGHT, and THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. The three longest running shows in Rochester theatre history were all produced at Downstairs Cabaret Theatre: NUNSENSE; I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE; and THE WATER COOLERS.

As a professional theatre, Downstairs Cabaret often hires some of the top talent in the country: Broadway (Jo Ellyn Bigelow who appeared in our production of AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND was Bernadette Peters' understudy for Mack and Mabel; David Sitler left the Broadway production of An Inspector Calls to perform the lead role in our production of IN THE BELLY OF THE BEAST; and Will Stutts who has performed numerous one-man shows at Downstairs Cabaret Theatre was on Broadway with George C. Scott, Colleen Dewhurst, and others); Off-Broadway (Amy Coleman of the original off-Broadway production of THE LAST SESSION reprised her role as "Vicki" in our recent production of the same musical); film and television (James Lecesne and Jimmy Tingle). The Theatre also has had several composers and playwrights in residence at Downstairs Cabaret Theatre during productions of their creations.

Downstairs Cabaret Theatre in association with Blandino Productions produced THICK at the 2005 New York International Fringe Festival. THICK was one of 183 shows chosen from more than 800 script submissions, and playwright / actor Rick Bland was awarded Best Actor.