I was attempting, once again, to find the perfect gift for my wife to celebrate our anniversary this year. I wanted to do something different, so I investigated the new complex located along the Ohio River called, “Newport on the Levee.” Once I had visited the “Levee” web site, I decided on dinner at the recently opened Mitchell’s Fish Market and two tickets for the eight o’clock show at Shadowbox Cabaret. Once we entered the “Cabaret,” we were greeted by our waitress/performer (yes, they do both) and given the rules for the evening:
“Pretend you’re at a movie and show appreciation for what we do, but no heckling and interaction with us. Enjoy the show!”
We had some drinks (snacks and pizzas are also available) and prepared for the first hour of the two hour presentation. The band, named “Bill Who?” entertained the crowd with various tunes, covering the B-52’s “Love Shack,” while Cabaret performer Gabe Guyer gave the audience an incredible rendition of The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues.” Comical, clever sketches and monologues are inserted between songs, described in the official Cabaret booklet as “SNL meets Monty Python.”
The Cabaret group also double as musicians (as if bartenders and comedians weren’t enough) participating in performances with Bill Who? on virtually every song.
Intermission arrived, and the performers dutifully waited our tables again, supplying us with refreshment for the next hour (although my drink never made it before the second half!) The Cabaret performers continued to entertain the audience with its blend of comedy skits and rock music.
Before we knew it, the show was over and we left the Shadowbox Cabaret extremely impressed with the level of energy and talent that the group had displayed.
The city of Newport, Kentucky, should be proud of “Newport on the Levee” and its potential to become the entertainment Mecca of Cincinnati. Hey Cincy, get your act together and build something like this near the stadiums, or better yet, in the troubled Over the Rhine area!
If you would like more information on the Shadowbox Cabaret or Newport on the Levee, log on to www.shadowboxcabaret.com or www.newportonthelevee.com. These sites will give you the latest on Cabaret show times and ticket prices and the Levee site will give you the schedules for upcoming business and entertainment openings at the complex.