South Australia’s own Libby O’Donovan honoured with the 2022 Cabaret Icon Award

Adelaide cabaret artist, Libby O’Donovan has been presented with the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2022 Icon Award at The Variety Gala on the Festival Theatre stage tonight.

The vocal powerhouse and consummate performer is a crowd favourite and has featured in every Adelaide Cabaret Festival for the past 22 years, since its inception.

Libby O’Donovan said she was humbled to win the award:

It is a magnificent honour to have received the 2022 Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Award. Cabaret aligns not only with my artistic passions but also my personal predilections. That which celebrates connection, community, engagement, political commentary, humour, innovation and most importantly, love.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival is my favourite festival and really where I started my career back in 2001 with Artistic Director at the time Julia Holt. In cabaret you get to fully connect with your audience, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity every time you perform on stage and it’s a really beautiful experience. I can’t wait to do it again at this year’s festival!

Libby O’Donovan is a critically acclaimed jazz and cabaret performer and an award-winning Musical Director who has entertained audiences the world-over with her unique talents, performing in New York, Tokyo, Toronto and Australia-wide. Her first show at Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2001 was called Flat On Your Bacharach and her most recent, upcoming show, Sister Elizabeth – exploring the famous nuns of film, TV and pop culture – will be presented at this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival at Adelaide Festival Centre in June.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival Executive Producer Alex Sinclair:

This year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Award could not be presented to a more deserving performer and one with a long and loyal history with Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Libby O’Donovan is such a versatile and talented artist – she has undeniable talent, wit, charm, and the ability to make audiences laugh, cry and cheer with her. Libby epitomises the cabaret artform and we are proud to celebrate her incredible contribution to the performing arts in South Australia and around the country.

Adelaide Cabaret Festival’s Cabaret Icon Award celebrates and acknowledges pioneers and leading figures that have had a significant impact on the Australian cabaret industry. The first Cabaret Icon Award was presented in 2013 when the festival was under the artistic direction of Kate Ceberano. The Award is now an annual tradition the festival is proud to present to the country’s finest cabaret creators.

Previous recipients of the award include the inaugural recipient Reg Livermore AO (2013), Rhonda Burchmore OAM (2014), Frank Ford AM (2015), Robyn Archer AO (2016), Debra Byrne (2017), David Bates (2018), Meow Meow (2019), David Campbell OAM (2020), and Paul Capsis (2021).

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