'Cabaret On Main' In East Haven Debuts Saturday

EAST HAVEN, CT — In 2013, Billy DiCrosta and Neil Fuentes introduced the New Haven Academy of Performing Arts, an ambitious project that sought to mentor young talent from across the state.

Over 1,000 students, 40 theater productions, and numerous awards and accolades later, the duo’s dream of providing a supportive and fun environment to nurture young talent takes flight once again with their newest installment and expanded theater concept, “Cabaret on Main.”

Located at 597 Main Street in East Haven, construction of the Cabaret on Main theater began in September 2021. A celebratory performance and grand opening event will take place on Saturday, September 17, for invited guests, the theater community, and members of the media.

The new theater and expansion of the original New Haven Academy of Performing Arts space, is a 1550-square-foot state-of-the-art performance space with high-tech surround sound, lighting, and projection mapping visual art capabilities. The theater can be set with traditional seating for a capacity of 100+ or a cabaret-style experience with tables and chairs.

Cabaret on Main will also serve as the home for the duo’s new non-profit theater company “Broadway on Main,” as a host for other theater companies throughout the state and will function as a multicultural center for the arts and LGBTQIA programs.

“New Haven Academy of Performing Arts, Cabaret on Main, and Broadway on Main will be a vibrant performing arts hub that will showcase the colorful beauty of Connecticut’s diverse population," DiCrosta and Fuentes said. "Ours will be a center for theater arts that welcomes participation and involvement through programs for and led by our multiple cultures, our LGBTQIA community, and by any and all who want to share their talent, stories, and ideas with an ever-growing audience.”

DiCrosta and Fuentes believe there is a need for more accessible art forms in East Haven, and their new theater space and educational programs will bring just that. The new Broadway on Main non-profit theater company will offer scholarship assistance for qualified kids and teens who wish to study the performing arts but are lacking the resources to do so. Broadway on Main will provide comprehensive professional theater education and performance opportunities in a safe, supportive, bilingual environment to youth and adults of the Greater New Haven Community, and we will create meaningful partnerships with community organizations.