September 14, 2008 - Canada's most beloved musical artists, including Sarah Slean, Steven Page and Patricia O'Callaghan, come together for an intimate weekend of song and story when THE YOUNG CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS presents the inaugural CANWEST CABARET FESTIVAL, October 2-5, 2008.

With too much talent for a single stage, the weekend-long CANWEST CABARET FESTIVAL will transform the Young Centre from a theatre centre to a sweeping upscale cabaret that hosts a series of intimate supper clubs throughout the entire venue.  Each evening, the free-flowing audience will move from space to space with food and wine, socializing with each other and interacting with such featured artists as Apostle of Hustle, Waleed Abdulhmamid, John Alcorn, The Breithaupt Brothers, David Buchbinder, Andrew Craig, Melanie Doane, Kaeja d'Dance, Don Francks, Kobena Aqua Harrison, Patricia O'Callaghan, Steven Page, Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, Jackie Richardson, Suba Sankaran, Sarah Slean, Maryem Tollar and Andrew Whiteman.

The CANWEST CABARET FESTIVAL will highlight the collaboration of artists and disciplines, and celebrate emerging artists. Each of the featured artists will create and perform an intimate and personal cabaret showcasing their artistic strengths and interests.

Another Festival highlight is the SONGBOOK SERIES, where featured artists celebrate the great 20th century songbook in playful and passionate interpretations. In this series, marquee and emerging artists pay tribute to master songwriters Leonard Cohen, Kurt Weill, and Duke Ellington.

The featured artists will also perform in the SALON SERIES, where artists explore a theme or style through cabaret performance. The artists include musicians, singers, actors, poets, visual artists and dancers from across Canada.

CANWEST CABARET FESTIVAL, the first Cabaret Festival in Toronto, brings together Canada's most diverse and exciting artists, under the same roof, for over 50 unique performances. Every corner of the Young Centre will be teeming with activity offering brilliant bursts of art all weekend long!