You and I
November 7 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
$45.00You and I
Saturday, November 7, 7:30 PM (Doors 7 PM)
Cabaret Show: 7:30 – 9 PM
Open Mic: 9 – 10:30 PM
Tickets $45
Featuring:
- Charlie Widmer, Performer
- Eric Trudell, Musical Director
The Art of Cabaret continues on Saturday, November 7th with an extraordinarily eclectic evening of songs by Connecticut’s State Troubadour, Charlie Widmer. Charlie is an award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer whose career is defined by the rare ability to navigate the worlds of Opera, Bluegrass, Pop, and Jazz with equal mastery. His act, You and I, features a range of material that will leave you in awe of his talent. He’s joined by the very gifted pianist and music director, Eric Trudell.
Join in on the fun! The main show will be followed by an open mic.
The Art of Cabaret
If you’re a fan of the American Musical Theater, you’ve probably heard of the genre known as Cabaret. Cabaret offers audiences a chance to hear performers, many of them steeped in theater practices and repertory, in a relaxed and intimate setting. Cabaret is all about a singer’s connection with you, the audience. It’s all about ‘breaking the fourth wall’-and that’s the excitement inherent in this format.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Charlie Widmer, Performer
Charlie Widmer is an award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer whose career is defined by a rare ability to navigate the worlds of Opera, Bluegrass, Pop, and Jazz with equal mastery. In 2026, he was appointed as the 19th Connecticut State Troubadour, serving as a three-year ambassador of music and song for the state. In this role, Charlie champions “Cultural Literacy,” using his diverse musical background to bridge genres and inspire the next generation of artists through workshops and school residencies.
Born in Zürich, Switzerland, to a musical family of Swiss and Puerto Rican heritage, Charlie’s path took him from the competitive stage of Die grössten Schweizer Talente (Switzerland’s Got Talent)—where he earned a standing ovation for his operatic performance—to the most iconic venues in the United States. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Western Connecticut State University and has since shared the stage as a background vocalist for global icons including Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, and 30 Seconds to Mars at venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall.
As a recording artist, Charlie has amassed over 100,000 streams of his original music. His versatility is on full display as the lead singer and guitarist for the acclaimed bluegrass quartet On the Trail, whose single “What Do I Need With Love” reached #3 on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction Top 100 chart. He was also the frontman for the Hip-Hop/Soul group Sub-Urban and maintains a deep relationship with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, where he frequently headlines multi-genre programs.
Whether he is performing a Puccini aria, leading a bluegrass festival set, or mentoring students on the craft of songwriting, Charlie remains committed to the idea that music is a universal relationship that connects us all. He currently resides in Oxford, Connecticut, where he continues to write, produce, and advocate for the state’s vibrant creative community.
Eric Trudel, Musical Director
A native of Quebec, Canada, Eric Trudel graduated with top honors from the Quebec Conservatory of Music. He won the prestigious Prix d’Europe competition, which enabled him to study privately with pianists Garrick Ohlsson, Jean-Claude Pennetier, Marc Durand, and Louis Lortie. He has taught and performed extensively throughout Canada, Italy, Germany, Austria, Japan, Korea, Spain, and the United States. His New York City credits include recitals at Weil Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall and the 92nd Street Y.
Mr. Trudel has performed in association with many organizations, including the Metropolitan Opera, Yale Institute for Musical Theater, Yale School of Drama, Montreal International Piano Festival, the Banff Center Festival for the Arts, L’Opéra de Montréal, Connecticut Grand Opera, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Oklahoma Mozart Festival, Pro Arte Singers, and Concora. Equally at ease in experimental projects, he has been involved in the creation of the hit musical Nelligan in Montreal, Christopher Cerrone’s opera Invisible Cities for Yale Institute of Music Theater, and the new Adam Bock/Todd Almond musical We Have Always Lived in a Castle for Yale Rep.
His faculty appointments include the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts, the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec in Trois-Rivières, Montréal Opera’s Atelier Lyrique, the Université du Québec à Montréal, and more recently Yale University’s School of Music and Western Connecticut State University. He is currently on faculty at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music and Southern Connecticut State University.
His association with the CBC includes numerous television and radio performances as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist. On CD, he can be heard on the CBC and Star labels, and on the 6 albums of the complete songs of Charles Ives released by Naxos. He recently completed the recording of the complete songs for voice and piano by American composer Scott Perkins, released in 2018.
In 2008, the national publication Classical Singer Magazine chose Eric Trudel to be “Vocal Coach of the Year”, a crowning acknowledgement of his many years of collaborative work with opera singers. He has also been the principal pianist for the Classical Singer Convention Competition since 2006.
