Saturday, November 8
During the Lunch Break
11:30 am-12:15 pm
In the Campus Center Main Dining Room
The Seed Keeper: A WAUKESHA READS CABARET
Candace Decker and Phil Smith
Candace Decker and Phil Smith explore the importance of seeds as symbols of life, culture, and hope, through stories and songs inspired by The Seed Keeper, The Waukesha Reads book for 2025.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Candace Decker has performed her one-woman cabarets throughout the Midwest and East Coast, including performances in Wisconsin for Waukesha Reads, Big Read in the Falls, Lakefly Writers Conference, Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books, literary and holiday inspired shows. She is a NY Cabaret Symposium Fellow, an Indiana Arts and Wisconsin Laird Foundation artist grant recipient, and guest cabaret artist with the Virginia State Thespian Conference. She’s appeared in Milwaukee area musical theatre performances at Skylight Music Theatre and Forte Theatre Company. She has worked professionally as an actress, singer, and a theatre/cabaret teacher for over 30 years.
Phil Smith is a Menomonee Falls native and Carroll University graduate who has collaborated with Candace Decker on over a dozen cabaret productions, as pianist, singer, composer and arranger. Many of Phil’s original songs – including “Dewey, My Library Crush” and “One Night(Stand)” have been debuted publicly by Candy at Festival of Books events as well as other cabaret performances.
In 2023, Phil was inducted into the Menomonee Falls High School Fine Arts Hall of Fame. You may have heard him in the pit for recent productions of “Dad’s Season Tickets,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Cinderella.” Next up – his composition “Band of Angels” for choir and orchestra premieres this December.
Phil lives in Milwaukee with his wife Nanette and dog, Tripp.