The Cabaret Community Mourns the Loss of Its Own Bill Sensenbrenner

It’s with great sadness that we report the death of William “Bill” Sensenbrenner, one of the cabaret community’s own, who passed away on Thursday, February 11 after a nearly three-week battle with COVID-19. Bill, originally from Park Ridge, Illinois, was 66.

Bill was well known to nearly all in the community, not only for his own enthusiastic support of the cabaret art form and for his lively, winning personality, but as the husband of Frank Dain, ASA Treasurer and Board member, performer, designer and most notably long-time editor of Cabaret Scenes magazine. Frank and Bill were married when same-sex union became legal in the State of New York, but had been together for well over 30 years as a loving and dedicated couple. With Frank, he shared a passion for theater, live performance and travel, particularly the many cruises they took together.

Bill was most recently active as a Board member and director of development of the American Songbook Association (ASA), the nonprofit that publishes Cabaret Scenes and which, pre-pandemic, had begun to establish an educational program in underserved New York City schools. Bill retired from corporate life in 2019 to devote himself to his theatrical and arts interests and to support the ASA. In the corporate world, Bill was, for 18 years, an Executive Assistant at Reitman & Belkin, an accounting concern, where he worked directly with the two partners. His duties included correspondence, scheduling, travel arrangements, client relations, payroll and a wide array of tax-related responsibilities. Prior to this position he was the Office Manager at OHare and Associates for eleven years, where he oversaw all office operations for the company.

Bill was also no stranger to the theatrical world. He not only performed in his younger days, but was, from 1987 through 1991, the Associate Director of Theater Operations at City Center Theater. While there he managed the entire performing arts facility of three theaters and two studios, handling contracts, weekly settlements, budgets and compliance of collective bargaining agreements with unions, among many other tasks. Previously, Bill had been the Assistant To The Executive Director of The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, an internship position that was part of the completion of his MBA in Arts Administration from his alma mater, Southern Methodist University.

We, at NiteLife Exchange—publisher Scott Barbarino and staff—mourn the passing of Bill Sensenbrenner and extend heartfelt, deep condolences to Frank Dain and to Bill’s family and many, many friends.