By Marilyn Lester***When cabaret legend Sidney Myer writes a reviewer (namely this one) that she absolutely MUST come and see this amazing new talent in his Don’t Tell Mama debut, attention must be paid. Here’s the result in print. Indeed, the then 15-going-on-16 Ethan Mathias, blew socks off—as he did in his recent cabaret, Wait ‘Til You See What’s Next. Since 
Ethan’s 2025 debut, we’ve run a Sue’s Muse and a recent profile by Chip Deffaa, where you can learn all about this young dynamo.
So, what does the phenomenon of this multi-talented young performer mean?
The answer, simply: there is renewed hope for cabaret—a historic art form, which in the post WWII years in NYC was absolutely booming, often serving as an incubator for Broadway talent. Hotel cabaret rooms and supper clubs proliferated; artists such as Mabel Mercer, Bobby Short and Julie Wilson became legends. There was also an explosion of small, intimate rooms, from uptown to down where icons such as 
Barbra Streisand and Joan Rivers got their starts. But over this century particularly, those many rooms dwindled to a handful. Not only did playing spaces for cabaret diminish, but so did the art form itself in the collective conscience of audiences.
So, how do we keep cabaret alive and vibrant for the future? Fortunately, organizations such as the Mable Mercer Foundation, the American Songbook Association and others have missions that target youth and the future of cabaret. And, indeed, incredible new talent does come along: Ava Nicole Frances has recently created a splash, for instance.
Here’s a call to action. There’s no question that Ethan is already a cabaret superstar in the making, and probably destined to take his place beside the likes of Steve Ross, Karen Mason, Jeff Harnar and others. But is there more we can do to discover and nurture more Ethans? To make sure they have venues to play in? To raise the consciousness of those who love live entertainment? Let’s focus on that hope and that mission.
