A Summer Fling With Sunni Stephens
Faena Theater’s risqué revue Tryst Cabaret welcomes a formidable new voice to the stage. Sunni Stephens is teaming up with sensational emcee Kat Cunning for a sultry summer series that will seduce you with tales of love, lust, & intoxicating passion.
Stephens, a recording artist, songwriter, and producer in her own right, is also a saucy chanteuse known for her Vegas-style theatrics reminiscent of old Broadway musicals and her ability to put a pop spin on classic standards like Why Don’t You Do Right, Blank Space and What Lola Wants. “I’m your Billie Holiday, your Diana Ross,” she says of her soft, bluesy vocal range.
“I’m going to tease the heck out of you all night. It’s going to feel like someone blowing soft kisses in your ear. That’s my forte.”
“I don’t perform for people,” she explains, “I perform to them.” Which is what Stephens’ loves most about cabaret: the intimacy, the connection, the energetic exchange. “I make sure the audience is involved by intentionally throwing all of my energy, my physical movement, and sound into their space so they get what they need that night, which is the reason why they came.”
As a Miami local, Stephens is a regular patron at Faena Theater and is honored to join such a high-caliber cast, show and performing arts collective that continually impresses her as an audience member. “First and foremost, I am in love with this theater,” she says. “It’s better than Vegas!” As for Quixotic, she loves the collective’s progressive futuristic style and use of projection mapping. “Their shows are like moving modern art,” she says. “And I am a throwback, which is a nice contrast. I hope to bring that classic cabaret element—the smokey spotlight shining on a woman in a beautiful dress that’s captivating the crowd.”
Speaking of dresses, Stephens has spent the last five years curating her costumes, many of which are custom. She works with a local couture house whose celebrity tailor brings her designs to life. Expect old Hollywood glamour with white Marylin Monroe-inspired gowns, diamonds, feathers and rhinestones. “They’re elegant, not flashy,” she notes. “I am your classic night out” says Stephens.
“I want to bring people back to the Golden Age of Miami when you had Dean and Frankie performing here and you got dressed up to see a really solid performer who is going to connect with you.” Combine that with Tryst’s immersive vignettes featuring live instrumental and contemporary music, jaw-dropping cirque arts, and provocative storytelling, the summer season promises to be a smash hit.
