FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Award-Winning New Musical Love Is Afoot! Makes Its Cabaret Debut at the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
Nationally recognized musical unveils its celebrated score in an intimate one-night-only cabaret experience
PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 2026) — Nationally recognized musical Love Is Afoot!, winner of Third Prize in the 2025 New Musicals Inc (NMI) Search for New Musicals and a two-time Eugene O’Neill National Music Theater Conference Semifinalist (2025/2026), will make its cabaret debut as part of the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
On Saturday, September 26, 2026, audiences will have their first opportunity to experience Love Is Afoot! The Musical Cabaret at The Velvet Whip Speakeasy, where the show’s award-winning music will take center stage in an intimate, one-night-only performance. A cast of talented vocalists will perform selections from the musical accompanied by richly orchestrated musical tracks, putting the songs—and the stories they tell—front and center, with Luigi Belmonte, shoe cobbler, as the MC.
A NEW MUSICAL TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT
Set in Reading, Pennsylvania, during the 1940s, Love Is Afoot! is an original romantic musical comedy filled with mistaken identities, larger-than-life characters, unexpected romance, and a sweeping Big Band-inspired score.
Created by book writer and producer Michael LaFata and co-creator, composer, and lyricist Perry Sachs, the musical draws inspiration from the wit, sophistication, and musical exuberance of Broadway’s Golden Age while telling an entirely original story for today’s audiences.
“Love Is Afoot! has always been our love letter to the classic Broadway musical,” said Michael LaFata, book writer and producer. “Before audiences experience the full production, we wanted to share the songs that first made us believe this story belonged on the stage.”
THE MUSIC BEHIND LOVE IS AFOOT!
Music is at the heart of Love Is Afoot!—and the score has earned recognition of its own.
The musical’s signature love song, “Special Someone,” earned four awards in film and music competitions between 2020 and 2021, including recognition from the IFS LA Film Festival, Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival, Love Wins International Film Festival, and the Global Music Awards, where it received a Bronze award for Best Song in a Motion Picture. Originally developed when the project was envisioned as a film, the song’s recognition followed the project as it evolved into a stage musical.
“We would be thrilled to introduce a whole new generation to the blaring horns, pounding drums, and distinct memorable melodies that define our Big Band score,” said Perry Sachs, lyricist and composer. “These songs are the heartbeat of Love Is Afoot!“
Sachs, who currently works as a producer with Happy Madison Productions, brings his experience as a songwriter and storyteller to the musical. Working alongside Sachs are jazz composer and musical collaborator Kevin Guillaume and arranger and orchestrator Tim Davis, whose musical contributions help bring the score’s distinctive theatrical sound to life. Together with LaFata’s book, the creative team has crafted a musical that balances heartfelt romance, irreverent comedy, and memorable melodies.
A FIRST LOOK AT THE MUSICAL’S FUTURE
The September 26 performance marks the world premiere ofLove Is Afoot! The Musical Cabaret and the first time the score will be presented in a dedicated cabaret format.
Previous workshop productions introduced Love Is Afoot! to hundreds of theatergoers, while the project’s growing recognition has helped propel it toward its next stage of development. Now, as an official presentation of the 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the cabaret gives Philadelphia audiences an opportunity to hear the music before the full production reaches its next stage.
For Broadway enthusiasts, lovers of the Great American Songbook, and audiences who enjoy discovering new work before it reaches larger stages, Love Is Afoot! The Musical Cabaret promises an evening of music, laughter, guffaws, and romance.
EVENT DETAILS
Love Is Afoot! The Musical Cabaret
Official Selection – 2026 Philadelphia Fringe Festival
- Tickets through the Philadelphia Fringe Festival —>
- Saturday, September 26, 2026
- 7:30 PM – Doors open at 6:30pm
- $20 admission
TICKETS
319 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Parking next door on 10th St.
MEDIA CONTACT
Michael LaFata
Producer/Book Writer – Love Is Afoot!
mlafata1010@gmail.com | 310-746-8015