ABOUT HILARY

Born in raised in Illinois, Hilary is a Chicago-based cabaret singer who has been captivating audiences for over 15 years.  She received a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory an Composition, with a voice minor, from the University of Illinois in Urbana and a Post Graduate Degree in Music Production and Engineering, with a voice minor, from Berklee College of Music in Boston. After returning to Chicago in 1993, Hilary worked as a freelance audio engineer for a year before quitting her life and starting over as a performer. 

For over a decade, Hilary was part of musical theatre productions at several Chicago area theatres, including the Ravinia Festival, Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre Oak Brook, Drury Lane Theatre Evergreen Park, Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Centerlight Sign and Voice Theatre and many others. In addition, she performed at The Red Barn Playhouse in Saugatuck, MI and Apple Holler Red Barn Theatre in Sturtevant, WI, where she also served as both musical and stage director for 4 years. 

Hilary has served as musical director for over 20 musicals and reviews, including productions for various area community theatres, high schools, community colleges, and summer stock theatres in Wisconsin and Michigan.

Between Chicago, Urbana, and Boston, Hilary has performed with over a half dozen professional vocal ensembles, including Chicago's Grant Park Chorus, performing music from the Middle Ages through the current era, and ranging in styles from chant, classical and avant-garde to Broadway, pop and jazz. 

Hilary’s love of storytelling and her desire and ability to perform music from many different genres lead her enthusiastically to the world of cabaret, which she now considers her true artistic home.  She is a proud member of Chicago Cabaret Professionals and performs her solo cabaret shows regularly at Davenport 's Cabaret Room in Chicago, as well as other public and private venues, locally and across the country. 

In 2005, Hilary was one of only 11 students chosen from across the country to participate in the prestigious Art Of Cabaret at the Perry-Mansfield Fine Arts Campus outside of Steamboat Springs, CO.  There, she has had the tremendous privilege of studying and sharing the stage with cabaret greats such as Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Mason, Shelly Markham, Christopher Denny, and Barry Kleinbort.  Her first solo CD, Taking Flight, with musical direction by the incomparable Beckie Menzie, was released in February 2008.  To have a listen, click here.

Hilary is also the Founder and Executive/Artistic director of Acts Of Kindness Cabaret, a not-for-profit association of cabaret professionals who perform to raise money for local charitable organizations, using the art of cabaret to give back to their communities.  Hilary performs regularly with Acts Of Kindness Cabaret in addition to performing as a solo artist.  For more information on Acts Of Kindness Cabaret, please visit www.aokcabaret.org.