Cabaret star, drag queen and UK expat Dolly Diamond – famous for shows like Piano Bar and The Real Queen of Moomba – has been announced as the latest artistic director of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival. She will helm the MFC from 2017, saying of the appointment, “What an honour to be asked… what a long overdue honour.”
The MCF is an annual celebration of dance, music and all manner of performance cabaret, which will take place from the 20 June to 2 July 2017. Now in its eighth year, Diamond has been there since the beginning. “I've been involved since its conception, as an artist and as a punter,” Diamond said. “I've loved watching it grow over its relatively short life. I think it's incredible how quickly it's found its artistic niche and is continuing to entertain the masses year after year.”
Taking the reins from outgoing AD Mike McLeish, Dolly said she couldn’t wait to, “unearth a lot of new talent for 2017, as well as inviting back some of the cabaret darlings we all love and admire.”
The MCF has also launched its annual call for artist submissions, inviting potential acts to audition to be part of next year’s event. Submissions close at the end of November.
Head to the Melbourne Cabaret Festival website for more details.
