We all need a place to steep ourselves in creativity and community. Kat Robichaud's Misfit Cabaret provides just that. With original, wildly catchy songs by Robichaud and a stage that showcases the best and brightest of San Francisco’s alternative scene, it’s no wonder this show has built such a dedicated fan following.
Want to see fairytales get gorgeously twisted? Your favorite movies performed as burlesque? Original songs that explore lost loves, inner fears, and a wonderfully weird stream of consciousness? Misfit Cabaret does all that and more. It’s not predictable. It’s not formulaic. But it is one of those rare shows that makes you feel lucky to live in San Francisco.
Founded in 2015 by Kat Robichaud and Jordan Nathan, this quirky coven of artists is now celebrating its tenth anniversary and you’re invited to the party.
What started in a tiny speakeasy in the SOMA district has grown into a citywide favorite, with shows also popping up in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland. Each production is built around a different theme, like “Cinephilia,” “Whimsea,” or “Circus.” A rotating cast of performers from burlesque dancers and drag queens to magicians and circus artists keeps the experience fresh and delightfully unpredictable.
MC Performas a homage to Little Shop of Horrors. Image courtesy of Misfit Cabaret
“Misfit Cabaret is a quintessential San Francisco experience. It's fabulous, clever, and delightfully odd, just like the Bay Area’s underground arts scene itself,” says longtime fan Peaches Christ (Joshua Grannel). “Kat has built a generous showcase that not only highlights her own extraordinary talents but also uses her star power to illuminate other brilliant performers in the community. I absolutely love it.”
Some fans are so devoted they fly across the country just to be in the audience. Jerome Moisand, based in Boston, recalls, “In 2019, I flew from Boston to see my first Misfit Cabaret live in San Francisco. One minute, a terrifying creature with big horns was drinking blood from a cranium. The next, Kat emerged in a simple white dress, dropped to her knees, and sang a stunning version of her new song ‘Keep Surviving.’ I was in awe. I came back the next night and almost every year since for more.” Moisand is now one of Robichaud’s most loyal Patreon supporters.
On show nights, fans are encouraged to dress to the theme, and they never disappoint. The vibe is part punk rock pageant, part communal celebration. The cabaret draws in the city’s queer art scene and performers who live for boundary-blurring expression. You can watch their amazing new video for the song “Charade” here.
“The shows are seen as an escape from the gray world,” says Robichaud, “offering a space where people can feel a sense of belonging and become part of the joyful chaos inside the theater.”
When asked about her favorite Misfit Cabaret moments, Robichaud smiles. “Too many to list. But one that stands out is Operafication, Hilary Whitmore, an opera-singing suspension artist, hanging ten feet in the air on hooks, while stilted performers in spray-painted fencing masks spun her around. I felt, in that moment, that we were creating something truly unique. Another favorite was the first time I sang ‘White Snow, White Dress’ in the tiny speakeasy where it all began.”
https://www.facebook.com/misfitcabaret/videos/838678966324111/
Misfit Cabaret: Till Death Do Us Part plays September 12 at the Great American Music Hall. If you’re ready to air out your inner misfit, you won’t want to miss it.
Tickets: https://wl.eventim.us/event/misfit-cabaret-till-death-do-us-part/657811?afflky=GreatAmericanMusicHall
