The UA Theatre Alliance hosted its Winter Cabaret on Wednesday and Friday, featuring Broadway classics sung by students.
As the performers took to the microphone, there were parents and friends in attendance to support. The selection of songs was collected from Broadway shows like “Pippin” and “Avenue Q.”
The audience had a chance to create an emotional connection with the performers, as each song went along with a memory like breakups or living in the same city forever.
“I think that one of the best things is that we are exposing the students to audiences who absolutely love them,” said Dianne Teague, hospitality chair of the UA Theatre Alliance. “It gives them a great deal of confidence to be around people who are 100% behind them.”
The casual yet intimate setting allowed the performers to express their artistry in a way that larger productions often do not. With bigger productions, they are usually acting behind a character, whereas in the cabaret everyone got to perform as themselves.
“For this show it was very last minute, so we already had songs in our repertoire. I was able to just pull it out then prepare it for this,” said Bridget Bingham, a freshman majoring in theatre with a musical theatre concentration. “Events like this definitely prepare me by helping with my stage presence, just being able to bring joy to others and having just a lot of fun up there.”
Compared to other productions, the cabaret was more personal, with chairs being set up right in front of the microphone. This style of performance allowed the students to experiment with different styles of expression and music.
“I’m just so proud of them for putting themselves out there, and being vulnerable,” said Stacy Alley, head of UA musical theatre. “An experience like this can be scary. It’s very intimate, and you see people’s faces, and you see people’s eyes, and sometimes that can be way more intimidating than performing in front of thousands of people.”
Throughout the night, audience members could see the relationship between the students and the directors as they laughed while putting together a showcase of their talents.
Those in attendance had the opportunity to mingle and interact with one another while praising and celebrating each performer.
“I also just love being surrounded by so many talented people and friends, that we can all get to share our talents with people who might not know what musical theater is or might not know how much this truly impacts our life,” said Keegan Connor, another freshman in the musical theatre concentration.
The event not only highlighted student talent, but also reinforced the supportive community that nurtures these performers. The encouragement and mentorship from faculty, combined with the enthusiastic reception from audiences, created an environment where students felt safe to take risks and explore their creativity.
“I love seeing humans be themselves. That’s my favorite thing in the world,” said Matt Davis, head of directing and stage management. “So I love this art form, and I hope that people come out and continue to support it.”
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct the host of the Winter Cabaret.
