Pinch Cabaret

A celebration of variety, community, and artistic cross-pollination!

The Pinch Cabaret is a monthly variety show presenting 10 minute sets from performers across the artistic spectrum: poets, playwrights, dancers, comedians, drag queens, storytellers, musicians, burlesque artists, historians, improvisers, and who knows what else!

Poster Design by Aaron Read

Upcoming Shows

Pinch Cabaret #43
Sat Oct 25, 2025 - 8pm

Hosted and curated by wascally wabbit Ben Gorodetsky. Expect the unexpected!

Featuring:

  • Anita Valentine is a non-binary drag queen and burlesque artist from southern Ontario. They love shaking tits and ass for lovely audiences like yourselves. Are you ready to fall in love?! For Pinch they will perform a sing and fling number, as Jessica Rabbit!

  • Julie Hall lives in Kitchener for the good biking and good people, making a living as an arts administrator, visual artist, and occasional caterer. Join Julie in speculating on the potential transmigratory source of paranormal memories, for art's sake. 

  • Locally born and raised, JAX (she/her) is a sassy musician, a parent, grandparent, friend and ally bringing a blend of music genres to the stage.  Her Pinch performance will include two original songs written over 30 years ago and never before offered to a live audience, as well as a revision of a 1950's folk song.

  • Michelle W is a queer psychologist and comedian who finds inspiration from science, philosophy, artsy things, nature and the human experience. For this Pinch performance, Michelle teams up with local performer Brandon to deliver a nostalgic and imaginative sketch that will make you feel like a kid again… Featuring a cameo appearance by Marshall – as himself!

  • When Gary Bond isn't doing webinars, he incessantly heckles Ben Gorodetsky with heartwarming affection, takes improv classes, rides his bicycle, talks to strangers and makes his grandchildren giggle.  Since he has trouble making decisions, he’s a dual citizen of Canada and the US - and votes in both countries. For the past nine months Gary has asked everyone “What in the Sam Hill did I talk about at Pinch Cabaret in January?” On October 25th he’ll weave an intricate quilt from our recently discovered ancient ancestors to AI, today's stock market to subliminal marketing. All colourfully illustrated through his PowerPoint slide show. 

  • And for the Pinch Zine Series this month we’ll release “Life is a Cabaret” by Shalaka, Elise, and Natalie. Together they are cultural workers raised by the suburbs, currently based in Kitchener, ON. Equipped with a haphazard set of skills and interests, they began this project with a curiosity of exploring oral storytelling traditions across their families, reflecting on their creative practices in a time of converging crises.Individually they are: Trained as an urban planner, Shalaka Jadhav took the advice of an aptitude test to pursue curatorial studies, and currently practices as an independent curator and writer. Elise Glaser is a print enthusiast, writer, and editor who runs a magazine called Goopy Mag and is a magazine curator at Disko Coffee in Cambridge, ON. Like a confused moth drawn to a blinking street lamp, Natalie emerged from her degree in ecology and is now a freelance graphic designer. Their collaborative zine “Life is a Cabaret” documents conversations spun from Elise’s couch as Shalaka, Elise, and Natalie shared a blanket while watching Cabaret (1972).

Advance tickets are $5 / $10 / $20 / $30 – you choose the option that’s right for you.

Indigenous community members are welcomed to attend for free. Just email Ben@PinchCabaret.com and let us know how many tickets you’d like.

Enormous thanks to Waterloo Region Community Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Cities of Kitchener & Waterloo, and the Registry Theatre for their generous support, allowing for accessible ticket pricing!

VENUE:
We're at Hepcat Swing Studio (42 Erb St, Waterloo)


Perform at Pinch!

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Perform at Pinch! 〰️

Pinch Cabaret thrives on new acts, and that means you!
Email Ben@PinchCabaret.com to submit.
All acts paid $$$!
All experience levels welcome.


Past Shows

Pinch #19

June 17, 2023

Photos by Phi Doan

Pinch #6

May 28, 2022

Photos by Sacha Columbia

  • Pinch #1 - Sep 24, 2021

    Circus Artists Kimberlee Walker & Carly Schelken

    Playwright & Poet Ciarán Meyers

    Singer-Songwriter Rachel Hickey

    All Female and Non-Binary Improv Troupe The Phlegm Fatales

    Image of Carly Schelken by Kaylens Photography

  • Pinch #4 - Mar 19, 2022

    Comedian & Trans Activist Kez Vicario-Robinson

    Writer Johnny Wideman

    Classical String Trio String Theory

    Burlesque Dancer Bonita Chinchilla

    Improv Comedy Duo Braeden Etienne & Sarah Bennet

    Image of Kez Vicario-Robinson

Tremendous thanks to the funders of Pinch Cabaret:

  • Waterloo Region Community Foundation

  • Ontario Arts Council & Province of Ontario

  • City of Kitchener

  • City of Waterloo

Thanks to our funders we are able to offer accessible pricing for all shows: $5-$30, you choose!