Cabaret Secrets (paperback)

Supercharge Your Show Today

Written for singers who want to create their own cabaret show, or improve the one they already have, Cabaret Secrets covers everything from finding a theme, scripting a show and running a rehearsal. There’s lots of practical advice on how to find an agent, promoting your show and ordering musical arrangements.

Gary enlisted the help of cabaret stars like Steve Ross, Barbara Dickson and Jeff Harnar who agreed to share their own secrets in the book. He spoke to booking agents, cruise lines, West End musical directors, Hollywood makeup artistes, Broadway singers, lighting designers, sound engineers and celebrity vocal coaches.

The book’s received high praise from industry insiders, including cabaret doyen Michael Feinstein who said, “The wisdom and knowledge contained in Gary’s book is so valuable that I wish I’d had it when I was starting out as an entertainer! It’s a marvellous achievement and could be your secret weapon.”

Author, David Ackert, said the book is a “career GPS for cabaret performers,” and Ruth Leons, Artistic Director for London’s Crazy Coqs described it as, “The best guide ever written for the aspiring cabaret singer. Gary Williams’ generous sharing of his own secrets provides so much valuable information that it deserves to be read by anyone wanting a career in cabaret.”

It’s your personal director. Every artiste needs to know where they can improve and what they should be working on. Having Cabaret Secrets on your ebook reader is the next best thing to taking your director with you, wherever you go.

Save years of hard work. We never stop learning but there are shortcuts. Cabaret Secrets gives you a fast track to success. I share everything I know so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.

Save money. If I only knew these secrets when I first started out 20 years ago I would have saved £1000s on bad musical arrangements, £1000s on wasted publicity and £1000s recording CDs that sounded terrible. With Cabaret Secrets you can get it right first time.

Amazing advice from the best in the business. Learn from cabaret stars like Michael Feinstein, Steve Ross, Marta Sanders and Marlena Shaw. I asked them insider questions about how they decide which songs to sing, how they script their shows and the best lessons they’ve learned. Dozens of great pros were happy to share their secrets with me, so I could share them with you.

Practical advice you can use. Cabaret Secrets is packed with sensible, practical advice. As someone who’s been doing it for a long time, I know the hurdles and challenges a newcomer will face. I tell you what you need to know about writing a lighting cue sheet, making a PA specification and how to choose a recording studio. I even tell you what to pack for a gig on a cruise ship!

Over 80 Five Star Reviews on Amazon UK and USA

★★★★★
“Wow! I wish I had this book 10 years ago.” Amazon Customer

★★★★★
“Great book, packed full of useful tips for both the beginner and the seasoned professional.” L Cookman

★★★★★
“Good, logical advice from Gary and from a wealth of experienced contacts. I used this book as a template for developing my own cabaret, which led to my first professional show at the beautiful Crazy Coqs in London” DeborahSMB

★★★★★
“The bible of truth and downright common sense, for anyone who’s going down the singers-in-cabaret path. Worth its weight in gold, and that’s even before you’ve re-read it a hundred times.” Kenyon

Seven Ways Cabaret Secrets Will Benefit You

Amazing advice from the best in the business. Learn from cabaret stars like Michael Feinstein, Steve Ross, Marta Sanders and Marlena Shaw. They spill the beans on inside information like how they decide which songs to sing, how they script their shows and the lessons they’ve learned.

Practical advice you can use. Cabaret Secrets is packed with sensible, practical advice. You’ll learn what you need to know about writing a lighting cue sheet, making a PA specification and how to choose a recording studio. There are even tips on what to pack for a cruise ship gig!

Get the applause you deserve. Cabaret Secrets takes you through every step of creating a show that people will want to see. Don’t waste hours going around in circles. Just follow this guide and learn everything you need to know. It’s like your own cabaret toolbox.

It’s your direct line to the decision makers. It can almost impossible to get a booker for a major venue on the phone but Cabaret Secrets includes answers from bookers to important questions like, “Exactly what does an artiste need to do to get work with you?”, “How can I make sure you’ll watch my showreel”, “What kind of acts are cruise lines lining up to book?”

Make a special connection. The key to cabaret is making a special personal connection with every member of your audience. Cabaret Secrets explains how.

Save years of effort. We never stop learning but there are shortcuts. There’s days there are few no cabaret schools and few places to go to for help. Don’t learn from years of expensive mistakes. Cabaret Secrets gives you a fast track to success.

Save money. In Cabaret Secrets you’re getting advice worth £1000s. That’s a fact. These tips could help you save £1000s on bad musical arrangements, £1000s on wasted publicity and £1000s recording CDs that sounded terrible. It is truly amazing value for money.

What They’re Saying

“It’s a most tremendous achievement. This book is great for anybody who’s been in the business a long time or who is a newcomer. Everybody in cabaret should be read it” Michael Roulston – Musician, cabaret performer and producer

“…an invaluable guide to negotiating the minefield of creating a cabaret act and making a career and living from it.” Mark Shenton, Playbill

“Your fabulous book will be my bible in the coming weeks as I get my act together and take it to the Hippodrome” Liz Robertson, West End star

“This is simply essential reading for upcoming and professional cabaret performers.” Thanasis Kalantzis

“Williams’s attention to detail is all that you would expect from the author of Cabaret Secrets, a fascinating insider’s handbook on how to nurture an audience for the kind of classic songbook fare that struggles to make itself heard in a world obsessed with The X Factor.” Clive Davis, The Times

“Gary Williams’ book is a godsend for singers. It’s not only a bible for aspiring performers, but also helps pros focus in ways they might not have previously considered. It’s a must-read whether you sing jazz, pop, rock, opera or cabaret. His secrets are worth their weight in gold!” Harold Sanditen – Cabaret Artiste and host of the Crazy Coqs Open Mic