Wine & Cheese Cabaret To Benefit Choral Art Society of New Jersey

WESTFIELD, NJ — A Wine and Cheese Cabaret to benefit Choral Art Society of New Jersey will be held on Saturday, March 15 at 7 p.m. in the Patton Room of the First Congregational Church of Westfield at 125 Elmer St.

The theme of the benefit, which is open to the public, is "Pot of Gold," and it promises to be a fun-filled evening of entertaining music and delicious food and drink.

The acclaimed cabaret duo Susan Speidel and Joe Regan will provide the evening's entertainment, including a selection of Broadway and popular songs, an Irish sing-along, and a music trivia game. Admission includes charcuterie-style hors d'oeuvres, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Dessert and coffee will also be served.

Fueled by a shared love of musical theater and the Great American Songbook, Susan Speidel and Joe Regan have brought a variety of musical programs to settings throughout New Jersey. They were the inaugural act at the Brookside Cabaret at Paper Mill Playhouse and perform regularly at the Carriage House Restaurant in Millburn.

They have also performed in support of Music for All Seasons, a charity that uses music to aid the healing process. One of their favorite bookings is “Name That Showtune,” a monthly trivia performance for the residents of the Actors Home in Englewood.

Susan Speidel appeared at the Tony-Award winning Paper Mill Playhouse in The Student Prince, Jesus Christ Superstar, and numerous concerts and special events.

Other regional theatre credits include leading roles in Gypsy, Nunsense, Chicago, Follies, Company, Mame, Nine, All Shook Up, The Pirates of Penzance, Sweeney Todd, Ragtime, and Hello Dolly! She has performed her cabaret shows at locations in NYC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, and has appeared with the Seattle and Portland symphony orchestras, the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, and the Key West Pops. Susan currently teaches for the Theatre Conservatory at Kean University and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University. She has received two Broadway World awards and an NJ Theatre Alliance Applause Award.

Joe Regan is a fixture on the piano bar and cabaret scene in the New York metropolitan area. He performs regularly at Don’t Tell Mama Piano Bar in NYC, the Carriage House Restaurant in Millburn, and 16 Prospect in Westfield.

He has performed on international river cruises and at various resorts. Joe opened for Steve Ross at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Chrysler Building and has been nominated numerous times as Outstanding Piano Bar Instrumentalist by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets. Joe is the music director for the First Congregational Church of Westfield and a teaching artist for the Performing Arts School at The Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.

Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in advance due to limited seating. For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Choral Art Society website, casofnj.org/tickets.

Group seating requests and questions can be directed to the group at casofnj.org/contact. The room is handicapped accessible, and there is plenty of nearby parking.

Choral Art Society of NJ, based in Westfield, is a group of avocational singers from many communities who are dedicated to the study and performance of great choral masterpieces, performing works spanning many centuries and styles.

It is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization whose members, with a variety of training and experience levels, share a common joy in singing and community. Its performances are made possible by funds from the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.