Renovations to the space began in August with Ratio Architects utilizing a $1.3 million budget. It will accommodate 172 people for cabaret-style seating and has free parking for patrons adjacent to the building. With the addition of The Cabaret to the Library Square neighborhood, it will be joining other art-focused businesses, restaurants, apartment communities, and of course, the Central Library. It will also expand downtown Indianapolis’ entertainment corridor.
The space once served as the Rollerland skating rink from the 1940s to the late 1970s. From one form of entertainment to another, The Cabaret will be renovating the space to have a more elegant and industrial feel to it. Performances will begin in early 2018, but Broadway stars, Will Swenson and Seth Rudetsky kicked off construction this month with a ‘minor’ demolition to show their support.
“Buckingham is thrilled to welcome The Cabaret to Library Square. Art and culture are at the center of this newly evolving neighborhood, and The Cabaret is an excellent venue for both locals and visitors to experience these artists. The addition of The Cabaret and The Congress at Library Square has quickly established itself as a hotspot to experience the arts just outside your doorstep,” said Brad Chambers, President & Chief Executive Officer of Buckingham Companies.
The Cabaret began in 1988 as American Cabaret Theater at the Athenaeum. In 2006, due to several issues that were compounded by the Great Recession, American Cabaret Theatre changed course and was reformed as The Cabaret.
Newly named, The Cabaret moved from Chef Joseph’s at the Connoisseur Room to The Columbia Club by 2009. In 2016, a desire for more intimate and communal shows from ticket-buyers and an expanded educational program encouraged The Cabaret to begin research for a new space. The Metzger Building will allow the theater to book shows year-round without having to work around other schedules. This also means that last-minute performers coming through Indianapolis can be booked and set up within a few weeks’ notice rather than having to book a year in advance.
To learn more about The Cabaret, visit their website today and stay up to date on the construction progress happening now.