Tank-aret is a cabaret series at the Tank, founded by musical theater writing team EllaRose Chary and Brandon James Gwinn and currently curated by composer Sam Kaseta. Every month Tank-aret will feature an evening of exciting new work by artists not traditionally represented in cabaret and musical theater spaces. The intention is to lift up the voices of women, queer and trans artists, artists of color, differently abled artists, and anyone else who has some cabaret magic to make but is usually not given the space to take risks.

This month’s performance features songs by Janelle Lawrence and Sam Kaseta.

Janelle Lawrence (they/them) is an Afro-Latinx interdisciplinary artist who specializes in highlighting the complexity and layers to and of our lives. What does it mean to specialize in this? Well, it means they use every tool: music, soundscaping, dialogue, poetry, conversation, body, movement, etc., to present and occasionally replicate the parts of us that are unique, special, and still shared. They have had their musicals, plays, and performance art presented in various theater's in NYC and California - but they no longer want that to define their artistic depth and experience. They have been crafting stories, examining us (people), and attempting to bring people together their whole life; storytelling is what they do. www.janellelawrence.com

Sam Kaseta (they/them) is a composer, vocalist, and music director from Hartford, CT. They hold a B.A. in Music (cum laude) from Princeton with certificates in German and theater, as well as a Master’s in Music from NYU Steinhardt, where they studied concert composition with Caroline Shaw and Joan La Barbara. They have worked with theater companies such as Soho Rep., Ars Nova, The Dramatists’ Guild, The Tank, Joust Theater Company, Everyday Inferno, and many more. Find them at: samkaseta.com