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Candlelight Cabaret promises to entertain! This is the 3rd iteration that Boutique Theatre has produced where we are able to shine a light on some of the most engaging talent in the region. Come for laughter, come for song, come for theatre. Let us entertain you!
When: June 1st
Time: 20:00
Where: Arlecchino Theater
Walkeweg 122
4052 Basel
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A Sneak Peek at Who's on Stage?
Andy Boller
Ever the multi-hyphenate, half-Swiss/half-American, Andy Boller, native of Springfield, Ohio, USA, is a singer, pianist, and songwriter. His journey with the piano started very early at 4 years old. He has played with numerous bands throughout his career starting with Nuke-a-Billies and then Urbations in the United States. In 1986, his album was released on the Celluloid Record label. Boller left the Urbations in May, 1987 and in 1988 he began performing with Madcat's Pressure Cooker, a band which featured internationally known harmonica wizard Peter "Madcat" Ruth. They released an LP Live at the Pig, and thrilled audiences in the US and Canada. Shortly thereafter, he decided to move to Europe. He's currently with the band, Take the 55 and performs regularly around Basel and throughout the surrounding area. He was recently a featured contestant on The Voice of Germany.
Gioia Gerber
From a young age, Basel-born singer/songwriter Gioia Gerber was positively obsessed with music. More often than not, she could be found singing to herself (or others, if they would listen), be it Jiddish nursery rhymes or Swiss pop songs. Her passion for music continued throughout school, where she took up (and eventually gave up) piano lessons, sang in many a choir and fronted the school band. Aged 16, Gioia took part in the talent show MusicStar, where she made it to the fourth live show. She went on to sign a record deal with Universal Music before the show's season was concluded. In the following year, Gioia released her debut album Lady Sunrain, written and produced by Lovebugs-frontman Adrian Sieber. Gioia moved to London in 2013 to follow her lifelong dream of studying music, where she discovered her passion for songwriting and experimented with many new genres.
Cesare di Leo
Italian musician and composer, Cesare Di Leo, studied classical guitar in Messina and played for many years in several bands known for their versatility in playing different musical styles. While in Italy, Cesare wrote music for several school plays and became a member of S.I.A.E. (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers) working as a lyricist and music composer. In 1996, an original composition written by Cesare was selected for the final phase of the “VOCI NUOVE” national contest in Castrocaro Terme. The composition won 1st prize at a national contest in Genova and was included in a compilation distributed in Italy and abroad by NV Records. From 2006 to 2012, Cesare lived in Warsaw, working as musician and composer for several bands and projects. Some of these projects included working as a musician in comedy shows and vocal classes, playing on National TV (promotional video for Cannes Film Festival and Theme songs for TV programs), and for Insurance and Pharmaceutical companies (promotional/recreational videos). Cesare has been active since 2012 in the Basel music scene with various projects, interacting with musicians, and playing cover in addition to original songs in concerts and events.
Chloe van Drunen, a student here in Basel, has been dancing for much of her life. She trained most notably at the Codarts Lyceum in Rottardam, Netherlands and at the Balletstudio Spiegel, in Bern. She has performed lead roles in A Christmas Carol and The Ugly Duckling. She is currently enrolled in the pre-professional dance program at the Braswell Arts Center and is looking forward to this opportunity to dance in this multi-disciplinary event with Boutique Theatre Basel.
Chloe van Drunen
Basel Improv Group (B.I.G), the improv arm of Boutique Theatre Basel, has been entertaining audiences since 2021. With members hailing from Switzerland, the United States, and the UK, the group has performed all over Basel, including to a crowd of 500 at the Basel Science Slam. They are delighted to bring the B.I.G. talent and humor to any occasion. B.I.G. is made up of Jennifer Cain, Susan Brownfield, Martin Spedding, Carrie Aikman, Tristan Hardmann-Dodd, Kathryn Krupowicz, Sascha Frassini, Suzanne Lucas, and Cesare di Leo.
Basel Improv Group
Die Impronauten are the longest running German-speaking improv troupe and school in Basel. They have been performing and teaching improv for 20 years. They have led countless workshops and events with clients ranging from Helvetia to Gymnasium Liestal. You can catch their shows which they perform regularly at the Tabourettli in the heart of Basel.
die Impronauten
Natalie Müller
After completing her Master's degree in Acting at the University of Essex, East 15 in London, Natalie Müller embarked on an journey, touring extensively for nearly 2 years with three productions, notably including Hamlet across Germany, Japan and China.Since her return to Switzerland, Natalie has engaged with the local theater scene in Basel, gracing the stages of various theater groups such as Theatergruppe Rattenfänger, BEGP, Upstart Entertainment, and the Basalttheater.​ Acting has transcended beyond a profession for Natalie; it has evolved into her greatest passion and pursuit. For her, the essence lies in the collaborative process of shaping characters, responsive acting, attentive listening, and fully embodying each role. Natalie actively participates in approximately 2-3 theater productions annually, bringing her experience and creativity and love for the theater to each performance.
After a questionable childhood in Switzerland, Fred Zimmerman upped sticks and spent over half of his subsequent life in the UK where he learnt many lessons repeatedly. Fred has recently taken to the stage and has appeared in a number of theatrical productions, both in English and German, including (but not limited to) The Fiddler on the Roof, Ladykillers, Between Worlds, and Perfect Strangers. ​He played a mean Friar Laurence in Romeo and Juliet. Once. ​
Over the last five years, Fred has also become a passionate improv actor with a disturbing affinity for weird characters and doing funny voices. On occasion he has been known to dance.
Fred Zimmerman
Albert Luow
Albert Louw brings his mad world to the stage. Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, he is filled with unusual tales and an odd perspective on life. His performances, like his clothes, are psychedelic, energetic, and eccentric-covering everything from tales of wildlife to the origins of civilization. From his base in Basel, where he runs and hosts a variety of comedy shows with On The Run Comedy Club, Albert headlines shows across Switzerland and tours through Europe from stages in Barcelona to Berlin. Never being too predictable he has appeared as a variety of characters only slightly less crazy than his actual self. Over the last 5 years he has featured as an opening act for various acts like Bylgja Babýlons, Arthur Smith, Janine Harouni, Sid Singh, and Barry Hilton.
Mistress of Ceremony, Jennifer Cain Birkmose is Boutique Theatre Basel’s resident improv teacher. She was bitten by the improv bug in 2011 while she was a part of the Brussels Light Opera Company in Brussels, Belgium while she worked as a pharmaceutical executive. Ever since then she has applied her love of YES AND to improv ensembles as well as corporate life, constantly bringing the improv mindset to boardrooms. Jennifer is a graduate of the Second City improv training program and is currently in Second City’s Conservatory program where she performs improv and sketch comedy. Originally from Oregon, USA, Jennifer has lived outside of the US for nearly 22 years. You can find her performing long-form and sketch comedy with her all-female virtual ensemble “Alphabet Salad”.
Jennifer Cain
Master of Ceremony, Altair Koechlin is a studied social pedagogue, a trained voice actor, devoted performer, and self-proclaimed lingophile. Speaking 8 languages and having a booming voice helped him establish the voice acting studio L3 in 2018 which led to many projects, events, and performances. If you ask him what he likes most, he'd answer: "To make people laugh."
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His motto: "Every day I fail to put a smile on someone else's face is a day I lived in vain."
Altair Koechlin