The curtain went up at East Haven’s newest theater, Cabaret on Main, on Sept. 17. The theater, described as a premier performing arts theater and event venue, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting of the stage and an evening filled with performances.

Cabaret on Main, located at 597 Main Street, is an expansion of the original New Haven Academy of Performing Arts space (NHAOPA). Construction of the 1,550 square foot theater began in September 2021 and features high-tech sound, lighting, and projection mapping visual arts capabilities. According to co-owners Billy DiCrosta and Neil Fuentes, the theater can be arranged into either traditional theater-style seating or a cabaret-style experience with tables and chairs. Both configurations can seat approximately 100 patrons.

DiCrosta and Fuentes said the venue will serve as home for their newest nonprofit theater company Broadway on Main.

“New Haven Academy of Performing Arts, Cabaret on Main, and Broadway on Main will be a vibrant performing arts hub that will showcase the colorful beauty of Connecticut’s diverse population, “ said DiCrosta and Fuentes in a press release. “Ours will be a center for theater arts that welcomes participation and involvement through programs for and led by our multiple cultures, our LGBTQIA community, and by any and all who want to share their talent, stories, and ideas with an ever-growing audience.”

Broadway on Main theater company is expected to offer scholarship assitance for qualified children and teens who wish to study performing arts but lack the resources to do so. DiCrosta and Fuentes said the theater company will provide comprehensive professional theater education and performance opportunities in a safe, supportive, bilingual environment to youth and adults in the Greater New Haven community.

DiCrosta, an East Haven native, has performed in productions statewide and studied at Western Connecticut State University and Hart Conservatory. He served as a headliner on cruise ships, but returned to East Haven to establish a theater in his hometown.

He is joined in the endeavor by his husband, Fuentes, a chef who has been featured on the Food Network, the Food Channel, and Telemundo. Fuentes been acting, directing, and producing alongside DiCrosta at NHAOPA since 2014.

DiCrosta and Fuentes will both be honored with Beacon Awards at the 10th annual gala on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at Woodwinds, 29 School Ground Road, Branford. The Beacon Awards celebrate members of the shoreline comunity who selflessly step up to fulfill the shoreline community’s promise as a place of opportunity, well-being, and safety for all. Tickets for the event are on sale through Friday, Sept. 30 at www.beaconawardsct.com/tickets.

Cabaret on Main will next host the NHAOPA Halloween Spooktacular on Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23. For more information about Cabaret on Main and upcoming events, visit cabaret-on-main.com or facebook.com/cabaretmain.