Brookdale PAC’s Cabaret Café Series Brings Music Up Close for 2026–27 Season

From holiday favorites and soulful jazz to Broadway surprises and classic love songs, Brookdale Community College’s Performing Arts Center is inviting audiences to experience live music in a more intimate setting with its 2026–27 Cabaret Café series.

The popular series features four distinctive performances throughout the season, beginning in December and continuing through April. Each offers audiences a different musical experience while capturing the relaxed, up-close atmosphere that makes cabaret performances special.

The season begins with Cabaret Café: Songs of the Season on Friday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. The special holiday edition will bring together a variety of talented performers for an evening of beloved Christmas carols and seasonal favorites. Featuring timeless classics and songs filled with holiday memories, the performance offers a festive way to celebrate the season through live music.

The series continues Sunday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. with Cabaret Café: Jazz To Warm The Soul, featuring Brookdale’s own Kelli Sanders alongside saxophonist Vel Johnson.

Sanders, a familiar and talented member of the Brookdale community, will bring her vocal artistry to the Cabaret Café stage for an afternoon blending smooth jazz, timeless classics and neo-soul. Sanders and Johnson will alternate featured sets, giving each performer an opportunity to showcase their individual musical style while creating a warm and engaging afternoon of music.

Broadway takes center stage Friday, March 5, at 7 p.m. with Cabaret Café: Broadway Night — Miscast. The playful concept turns traditional casting on its head by giving performers the opportunity to sing Broadway songs and take on characters they might never ordinarily be cast to play.

The result is an evening designed to be unexpected, entertaining and full of surprises as performers step outside familiar roles and put their own spin on Broadway favorites.

The Cabaret Café season concludes Friday, April 9, at 7 p.m. with Cabaret Café: A Night of Classic Love Songs, an exploration of the enduring connection between the human voice and the piano.

The performance pairs beloved love songs with the remarkable piano works they later inspired. Audiences will first hear each composition in its original vocal form and then experience how celebrated composers transformed those same melodies into virtuosic works for solo piano.

Together, the four performances showcase the range of the Cabaret Café series, moving from the nostalgia of the holidays to the warmth of jazz, the fun of Broadway and the romance and artistry of classic love songs.

All performances will be held at the Brookdale Community College Performing Arts Center on the Lincroft campus, 765 Newman Springs Road, Parking Lot 1 or 2 off of Museum Drive.

Tickets are available now through the Brookdale Performing Arts Center:

Cabaret Café: Songs of the Season
Friday, Dec. 11, 2026 | 7 p.m.
Purchase Tickets Here

Cabaret Café: Jazz To Warm The Soul
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2027 | 2 p.m.
Purchase Tickets Here

Cabaret Café: Broadway Night — Miscast
Friday, March 5, 2027 | 7 p.m.
Purchase Tickets Here

Cabaret Café: A Night of Classic Love Songs
Friday, April 9, 2027 | 7 p.m.
Purchase Tickets Here