Cabaret Superstar: Rizo in her new show, “Home”

Cabaret Superstar Rizo Brings “Comedy, Burlesque, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Glamour” to Ancramdale’s Circa 1799 Barn on July 20

Ancram Center for the Arts will present cabaret superstar Rizo in her new show Home at the Circa 1799 Barn in Ancramdale on July 20 at 8pm. Last seen at Ancram Center in 2018’s sold-out Red White & Indigo, Rizo reflects on her artsy hippy Oregon childhood, her life in New York City, and 15 years as an internationally traveling cabaret star. Ever the prodigal daughter, Rizo explores the gravitational pull of home, asking “Does where you hang your hat define who you are?” Tickets are available at ancramcenter.org.

The Circa 1799 barn is located at 105 Simons Rd., Ancramdale. This is an outdoor concert. The grounds will open at 7pm and audience members are welcome to arrive before the 8pm performance to picnic. Seating will be provided, and beer, wine, and snacks will be available for purchase.  

After the concert, join the artists at a Post Show Party at North Star at The Alander, 7519 NY-22, Copake. Party ticket add-on is just $25 and includes a free drink and plenty of nibbles.

Rizo (née Amelia Zirin-Brown), who was once a teenage punk rocker, says on her website that “An anarchist streak still runs through me. I love the idea of claiming something that’s uncool and making it authentic.” To that end, the NYC-based artist has earned a name for herself by transforming nightclub-pop into experiences that are more soulful and theatrical. A provocateur with an electric wit, Rizo channels Edith Piaf and Freddie Mercury.

The New York Times once referred to Rizo as “a formidable belter who can sustain phrases and notes even when sprawled on her back on a piano and scissoring her legs.” Rizo has collaborated with Moby, Reggie Watts, and Yo-Yo Ma, the latter on his Songs of Joy & Peace album, which won a Grammy Award.

She’s received a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship, a Time Out London theater award, and a 2013 London Cabaret Award. She also co-composed music for Adam Rapp’s Los Angeles, as well as theme songs for the Fuse network and E! Entertainment. 

Ancram Center for the Arts is an award-winning theater located in New York’s Hudson Valley. Housed in an historic Grange Hall, Ancram Center has since 2016 presented groundbreaking theater and musical performances by nationally recognized theater artists. Ancram Center for the Arts receives significant annual support from the New York State Council on the Arts and in 2023 was awarded a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. For tickets and information visit www.ancramcenter.org.