No Title Needed Episode 71 - Cabaret Magic with Dustin Klein

Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of no title needed coming to you from the beautiful

Feinstein's Cabaret here at the Hotel Carmichael in Carmel, Indiana, USA.

I am Cynthia Collins.

Without his spectacles today, it's a brand new day here at no title needed.

I'm so excited, but we're very excited in all honesty to have our guest Dustin

Klein with us today. Thank you for being here. Thanks for having me.

My gosh. And I was great.

Play us see when I saw your name. Oh my gosh. Well, on the dock, I was

happy to come see you because we're going to work together.

We are. So what do you guys think?

I don't like that. It's not that long ago. I think I've always seen you around.

Like I've seen you for a long time. Right. We look, I always knew who you were.

Yeah, probably because of Tom Alvarez. Right.

And then you guys started the magic thread, Cabaret, and you were here.

Carmel for a while. So like I always knew I was new. I was playing at Von

Mar and you were shopping or something. So wait a second. Okay.

Now we got to go back. All right. So yes, but you two just met today.

Yep. New house. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So Dustin, you are many things,

but you're a fine, fine musician on the piano. You compose, you know,

you're composed. Have you ever done lyrics or just just a compass?

I've done lyrics. But it's not my specialty. Okay.

I like to take the lyrics and then put put them to music. Yeah.

You know, that's kind of how I work, which is where Tom came in.

In that all right. Specifically. Yeah.

I'd never go. I mean, we composed our musical, which you're

going to talk about. Yeah. I told Tom. I said, well, I want to do this musical,

but I need a lyricist. And he's like, well, I'm a writer.

He'd never written lyrics to songs, but he was like, well, I'm a writer.

I can do it. He said, I'm like, okay, I don't know, whatever.

She. Okay. And then I realized he really was good at it.

And he was, he was amazing. And then he would hear me the, the lyrics.

And then I would, you know, at the piano, start writing the melodies to the lyrics.

And that's kind of, I think some, some songwriter teams do it the opposite way.

You know, I just do kind of, yeah. That's why it's curious. Yeah. Yeah.

So, so let's go because we're going to talk about, and the musical,

obviously we're talking about is calder, musical about Alexander Calder,

which is going to happen next here in 2027. Yes.

Let's go back to what you're doing before. Now, you guys, you and Tom Alvarez have this

magic thread cabaret. Yes. Give me the exact type. Magic thread cabaret.

I was okay. And the magic thread, you know, is peeler. What's that? You know,

and I love how Tom explains it, but it's, it's that magic connection between the song and the soul.

The magic thread that brings you into the, like, cabaret brings you into the music,

the connection, you know. Yes. Intimate. Yeah. Like that. Like that. Yeah.

So you guys, you're next show, right? Yeah. The next thing that's coming up is pretty big.

It's very exciting. Very exciting. There you go. One of our probably biggest guests

that we've had, Annie Empton, Calaway. Here is a national cabaret star. She's just so amazing.

She's a songwriter. I respect any performer that can play piano, and sing, and write music.

And she's all, she's just got all the, the talents. And for people don't know her because we

we know who she is. Yeah. Her sister is a Liz Calaway. Liz Calaway is a very well-known

theater, Broadway, um, spectacular, both. The talent in both of them is, like, off the charts,

and they do shows together. Okay. That's because they're sisters. So they do cabaret shows all over.

Sisters? Sisters? Almost like they should do that song, you know. Right. And um,

with Boa, Boa's too. Exactly. With their feathers. And, but they've been performing together forever.

But they each have their own careers. Uh-huh. You might know Anne Empton, Calaway.

Did you ever watch the show, The Nanny, with their after-assure? Yeah.

She did the opening number. She did the, she sang and wrote the opening song.

She was walking in a bridal shop and flashing queens.

Till her boyfriend ticked her out in one of those crushing seas.

What she did to do, where was she to go? She went out on her feet.

So over the bridge and flashing to the chef field's door.

She was there to sound makeup, but the father saw more.

She had style, she had black. She was there. That's how she became The Nanny.

Okay. The Nanny. Yeah.

This is very sweet. Yeah. Okay. So that's, that's one of her, you know, clean kisses.

But she's pretty incredible. She, she, she's coming to the Magic Threat cabaret. Yeah.

What venue is that? So we're presenting her at the cabaret. Oh. Okay.

Downtown on Pennsylvania. Yes.

And that's March 20th and tickets are on sale now. So if people go to the cab,

the cabaret in the Apple's website, community events tab, they'll, the show is listed there.

So how did you and Tom, Alvarez, who we had on the show? Yeah.

How did you guys even get together to do this company? Well, you know, we met at a,

like a Christmas party or something, you know, where there's like tons of people and we

you just started talking about our passion for musical theater and for cabaret and I started

talking about what I did. And then he saw me perform. And I guess he thought I, you know,

he wanted to work together. And I guess, you know, I had the talent. I guess I don't know. But

yeah, he said, let's, let's get together. And then we wrote this musical. And then that kind of

led to the company and the cabaret, actually, the musical we wrote. You know, as we're lovely,

guys, because you're in all over the place and different venues now, right? Yes. I feel like

we performed in all the theater around town. Yeah. And you were in Carmel for a while. Yes.

Yes, we were. The cat. Where was it called? The cats. It's like, yeah, that little,

little, it was great for cabaret. Well, I was for the, when they had the cabaret in there.

And I don't know if you were in there. I saw picture. That's where you made the Chitty,

Chitty bang bang car for that company that's in there. Yeah. Okay. He's just still the cat.

Which is still the cat, but it used to be just a cabaret space. Now they kind of turned it into

a little theater. Yeah. Okay. When it was the cabaret space with the tables and chairs. It was

really, really. Yeah. That's what we did. We set up chairs and little, like little lamps like

this. That's exactly it was really cute. Yeah. Yeah. It was great. Yeah. But a lot of our, our audience

goers for attendees from Indianapolis. It's so weird. You know, Indianapolis increment.

Oh, I don't want to drive away after it. And then you have people in Carmel to say,

oh, I don't want to go downtown. So it's like, but it's so close at the same time. I know, right?

So, but either way, people complain. So we now we just do wherever.

Okay. Because you guys are all over the place. Yeah. Just wherever we, but so, so you guys kind of,

okay. So you met, you started the company, you're like, we're just going to try this. Yeah.

Not easy. No, not easy. Yeah. Starting from nothing. That's right. You know, so 10 years now.

Right. Do you remember what the first thing you guys did? Oh, my gosh. First cabaret. Yeah.

Was the winner of the Michael Feinstein American song about competition here at the play.

Yeah. Yeah. Lucas De Bard. Okay. He was, um, what I think the first, one of the first winners of

that competition. Yeah. Yeah. From Indiana. Yeah. And it's super presented. Yeah. And that was,

that was really fun. And then we've done, I think 20. This will be our 22nd show. Okay.

Part of the lose. Yeah. That's why I'm like losing my hair. But yeah. Um, it's been a lie.

But I think back, it's just so many. I mean, I don't know, my gosh. A lot goes into fun raising.

You know, marketing. It's all about the money. It is. Yeah. Do anything. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Real quick. So we're gonna take a break here really quick. But through those 10 years. Yeah.

Who, who, who, who what's, who's been, who've been like, and him to cowboy highlight?

Who else has been a real highlight? Oh, my gosh. We had Anthony Nunziara. Oh, yes. Who is

very talented, very talented and great, amazing talent. Um, I, I've loved doing the ones and I play

in a lot of the shows we do perform also. Like I told you, I just have to wear, so I wear some

sparkly jacket. It's my normal thing. He did. Yeah. Today I just, I, I tamed it down. Yes. But, um,

but yeah, the Judy Garland Cabaret, I think, was one of my highlights with Katie Gentry.

I love that music and it was so fun to play and pretend I was with Judy Garland. I, she's

picked out. Um, yeah. We just did. Oh, gosh, Broadway's bad girls a couple of years ago. That was,

do you like, I've heard of that recently for the first time. That was my idea. You know,

um, I had another title, but then Tom said, I don't know, maybe make it the bad girls,

you know, not the other word, but I remember Tom talking about it. That's where, yeah. Yep. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

So I, I said, I hope we still great to have a cabaret of all the villains, you know,

the villains are the most fun to me. Great idea. Yes. Yes. Of course. So we did a review of that.

Oh, that's cool. Oh, my gosh. That was so fun. Okay. Listen, we got to take a break. I hate

cutting people off. Right? We got a quick break. Yeah. We'll be right back with Dustin Klein

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All right. Hey, everyone. We are back with our guest, Dustin Klein, musician extraordinaire,

magic thread cabaret with Tom Alvarez. We talked chat a little bit about that,

that history. Now let's get to the real history of your life. Please. Okay.

It's perfect to take a while. I was born. Yeah. This is therapy session now.

No, you're from Indiana. Yeah. Yeah. I grew up in novels between Noblesville and Carmel area.

And then I went to Noblesville High School, but then I got fell into music. You know, when I was

13, I started piano lessons. And so, but I grew up in a house. My mom, I credit my mother,

because she used to play. She's a record collector. And so I grew up with, you know, all the Broadway

musicals playing and Barbara Streisand. Of course. Very man-alow and all those songwriter singers.

And so I, I, that's what influenced me. And so I thought, oh, I want to be able to play that

music. And so then I started taking lessons in it just naturally. I tell my mom, you're so lucky.

You never had to say, get in there and practice. Every parent has to beg their kids to go into

practice. And I was like, she never had to say that. I was just motivated. Yeah. So I just fell

into it. And yeah. And then I went to music school, Indiana State, and then Butler. And got my

master's a Butler. And then, and then I started teaching. Well, I was also performing, but you

know, all of us as artists, we have to have a day job, right? At, at, at playing the piano in

the department store. Oh, yeah. Well, that happened too. That was, yeah. I, gosh, I used to play

for everything back in the day. You know, I don't think I could do that again now. But on Mar,

people throwing money in the piano and, and a couple, there was this old couple that would come

though every week. And they would dance. And that little atrium. And I would play like some song

from the 40s or something. And those are, those are neat memories. Yeah. But I realized playing

there was good training. It taught me how to read an audience. Because I would really watch who was

around. And then choose what song I was playing based off the people, like if I saw people like

that. Oh, I bet they would love this song from, you know, the 1940s or something. And, and if it

was like a younger crowd, I would play a more of a pop song or something. So, yeah. Just kind of

had to read the room. And then the woman who played after you. Yeah. The woman that was the

saloon bar saloon player from like the 20s who broke the strings and, and told her I need to go jump

off the cliff. Yeah. And I'm like, great. No, I have to play on the piano with broken string. Because

she got so carried away with all these men at the piano that she was seducing. I don't know.

In one more. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Oh my god. And, you know, just the public, such weird things there. You know, people that would,

I remember someone that would follow me around. I thought I had to call security. Oh my god.

Just, you could you're just playing the public, right? Right. People think you're accessible.

Yes. So anyway, but played for nursing homes. Of course. Yes.

All that stuff growing up and, but then I started teaching at the orchard school for about 20 years.

I taught music and theater there. And then just started at Carmel Clay schools two years ago.

This is my third year. So we're okay. So we're kind of a West Clay elementary. Okay.

And I love doing elementary because those kids are so, the kids are so amazing. It's sweet.

I did middle school before and I, that's tough. That's right. I did that for 20 years. I made my

coffee. I'm I'm done with that. Right. So I'm used to hug me, you know, and I don't have my own

kids. I love kids. They're not jaded yet. Yeah. Everybody gets into your high and they're like,

yeah, too cool. Oh, you know, too cool. Everybody's like, uh, you know, junior high.

Right. Well, middle school here. I'd say junior high, but, um, yeah, junior high years are tough.

Oh, it was, yeah. But I love kids. I don't have my own. But it's, it's so it's nice to have

those kids and then when you bring music into, I want them to have the magic of what music was for

me, you know, when I was growing up and it was kind of my escape, you know, music and theater. So,

so yeah, so I've taught there for, and we're doing the Lion King right now, junior. So I direct

a musical. Yeah. 86 kids in the show. So last year I had 86 for being the beast. Yeah. So I

direct a musical there once, once a year. And then, um, how do you, how do you wrangle? Do all

this kids? Oh, well, then I have the shows, you know, with Tom too. But yeah, um, you know, I have

a lot of help. Yeah. Therapy. No, um, but they, they, they, they, they, they, they, don't,

aren't the mothers come in and help? Oh, we've got it. Child child, child Wrangler. Yeah. Yeah.

We have a great PTO. Um, and Carmel here, there's just so much support for the arts. It's so amazing.

It's incredible. So it's just been so great to have that support and I'm very lucky actually.

It's a great school system. I mean, like one of the best in the state, you know, so I just,

it's, it's been a real nice change. And, uh, and then the stuff with what I do professionally,

right outside of that. And so I'm right. I'm always kind of going people, you know, doing,

doing something. Yeah, you're busy. Yeah. Yeah. Which is good. Yeah. Because we all want to be

busy, right? Keep, keeps our keeps us out of trouble. Yeah. Right. And I always wanted to do

kind of what I'm doing now. Yeah. And, and meeting Tom, you know, it was sort of a nice partnership

and it gave me the opportunity to have someone that could help with the business end. Right.

And then I can do the artistic side and, and, uh, and he's, he's just been a great business partner.

We've, I don't know, proud of everything we've done over the last 10 years. Well, you should be

in 10 years. And then this musical called her. Yeah. Okay. So, well, let's get into that because

we got it. We got to cover called her. Okay. So Alexander called her sculptor in steel.

Like what you do. Yeah. Steele metal. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Yeah. This man and the

mobile, which was his famous thing that he came out with now, I have to say before Tom Alvarez

introduced me to this musical. I didn't know who Alexander called her was. I freely admit it.

I didn't. And then, uh, though, knowing that the mobile, like you see that,

no, no, I knew that. Well, I didn't know. You made that. Right. I had no idea. You just know that

those pieces. Yes. I know. They're moving. They're mobile. Like a baby crib or something.

They'll have a crib. You know, right. I mean, so I didn't know who he was either. And here,

I'm up right to write music about the guy. Right. So go into this. This musical because you did

it. You did do a production of it already. We did. We did two productions. Okay. Um,

and writing a musical was kind of like, are we crazy? How do we've never done this before?

I've never done this. But I always, like I said, it was a dream to do something like that. So, um,

I always say, like, if I die tomorrow, it's like, check. Yeah. I mean, I mean, that is the,

I will say that is probably the best, most rewarding thing I've ever done is to write music and then

see it dance, song, performed, and watch the audience, the reaction. It's just beyond belief.

Yeah. To experience that. What made you guys pick holder? Well, okay. So that is a good question

because I didn't know who he was either. And then, um, I was actually at Orchard and our

art teacher was doing a unit on Alexander caller with the students. And there's a book called

Sandy Circus with these amazing illustrations. And it's about his life when he was a little boy

because he would use wire employers and he would make sculptures and our little wire

characters of faces. And, and he created a circus of wire that like the first art that moved

you put on shows. And then he started going to New York and Paris. And, and this book was so

theatrical in the pictures. And I thought, oh my gosh. And they said, well, can you write a play?

A children's play about his life. And then I showed it to Tom and I said, I'm writing this play.

And he said, well, this should be a musical. I mean, look at this, his life is so colorful. And,

and I thought, yeah, I mean, I can just seize in Paris. He's got the orange bike. He's got the

wire and voila. And the streets come alive. Well, it was hanging out with some pretty famous

people. Yes. Oh, yeah. Josephine Baker and Gertrude Stein. Yes. And like everybody was over there

in Paris, the expats, you know, like we're going to Paris. And, you know, that was like this whole

you know, Exodus of the United States and everybody went over there to Paris to do their thing.

Right. You know, and he kind of went along. He was hanging out with all these big names,

but didn't he make wired sculptures of each of them? Yeah. And they became. I like a lot of

his early stuff. Yeah. Because it's so, it's more theatrical like that. And so we have a, a scene

where the circus, it's like comes alive, right? Yeah. So we kind of bring his art to life and

his story. Yeah. Like the mobile, we have a ballet with the dancers that are the mobile. And

and it's just and people just loved it. And it's imaginative. It's kid friendly. Yeah.

Yeah. It's inspiring. And so you're going to be involved. So right. So, but that's not the reason

I'm bringing it to mom because it's not about me, Dustin. You're the guest. But you guys do

still excited. Yes. Static. You are going to it's going to be mounted again. Yeah.

2027, I believe, is the goal. Yes. And we've never had it orchestrated for an orchestra. Right.

So we're having that done in the next this year. Yeah. We've been a ranger. And I can't wait.

Because that's been another dream is to hear the music. That'll be great with my music with an

orchestra. And I think you're going to do it at the Toby, which is now at the IMA. Yeah. The IMA.

We're looking at what I hear. Yeah. Tom. Thinking June of 27. Right. Right. Right. Exactly.

Because you need time. These things need time. You know, even though you've done it before.

It's the toll new. And we're looking to do kind of a concert version. Yeah.

With the musicians. And it will be. We make some mobiles. Hey, we go. Yeah. Yeah. That would be fun.

Yeah. That would be amazing. Yeah. I'm all about set design. Yeah. Right. And you make those

mobiles. We'll go nuts. And there are not a lot of music. It was about artists. True. I mean,

all right. There's a Sunday in the park with George. Right. That's the top of my head.

It's the only one I can think of. Right. Yeah. So I love that. It's that

combination. It's going to be cool. Yeah. We have to wrap this up. Unfortunately.

I can't believe it's been. It's been. It's been. It's time to gather. So that makes me think

of the song. Well, of course. We get all singing. Yes. Because Carol is. Yeah.

Together. Inspiration to all of us. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. All right. So.

The people are going to see this on the screen. And Hampton, calories coming in the magic

thread. Cabaret in March. Say the dates again. March 20th.

That's an evening show at the Cabaret. Okay. It'll be great. And the Cabaret Latino.

2026. We're doing at Hendrix Live. Okay. On the west side of Indianapolis at a big 600C

theater. We did it this year. Okay. For Hispanic Heritage Month. And we're bringing it back

a little bigger version. Great. So that's exciting. Excellent. So that's what's on the

show. That'll be October of this year. Okay. So that's what you guys go on. Yeah.

Have going on. Sorry. I'm just. I just want to get everything in. Oh, yeah.

Guys are doing. But it's a good thing. It's excellent. It's amazing. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much. It's a talk to you. Yeah. And thank you once again for joining us here.

And no title needed at the beautiful finesteins Cabaret. Come on over. See you show. Yeah.

It's great time. Right. Every time. Every night. Every time they get something going on.

And it's a wonderful, beautiful space. You will not be disappointed.

That's what it is. Isn't it? Thank you for chiming in Dustin. And I find a little

play here. I loved it. I know. It's see? Everyone loves it here at finesteins. So come on over.

Thank you so much. Cynthia Collins. Scott Osborne. And we will see you next time.