MARCH 6, 7,8 2020 music by Direction by DARNELL JOHN KANDER PATRICK lyrics by MORRIS Musical FRED EBB Direction by MAYUMI book by JOE GRIFFIE MASTEROFF Choreography by Based on the MORGAN play by John CHRISTINA Van Druten THOMAS and stories by Christopher Isherwood WELCOME Welcome to the middle production of our Senior Company’s Fifth Anniversary Season. It is not new for OVATIONS to bring shows to our young people that relate to what is actually going on in their lives. Cabaret is a musical that not only gives us a glimpse at the past but as a cautionary tale of what can happen when we allow fear and hatred to lead the masses. Cabaret once again allows OVATIONS students to be able to explore mature material in a safe space allowing them to have very open and frank conversations that for young people are often skirted around or all together ignored. During our process we’ve been able to discuss and explore some of the more mature and complicated themes found in the material; 1920’s Berlin and its sexual revolution, fear and hate mongering, propaganda and it’s conse- quenes, the rise of the Nazi party and much more. When we looked back at these historical events in which Cabaret is based upon, the students felt that a lot of the bad stuff that happened in the show leading up to the Holocuast were similar to things happen- ing in the world today in 2020; in the US and elsewhere in the world. The students “ The world is a collectively decided that this was not just dangerous place to a time capsule but instead a reminder and warning should we allow similar things to live; not because of happen again! It is their hope, and mine, that our audiences will listen to this story the people who are and not fall silent when witnessing the evil, but because of same injustices to those around us. When students are being threatened and the people who don’t punished for speaking out for what is right, do anything about it.” OVATIONS takes seriously the responsibility to provide a safe place where young people Albert Einstein can hone their voice and actually be heard. It is a strange reality we live in that our soci- ety thinks of young people as children until the age of 18 when magically they are adults. This show, especially in the current polarizing society, continually challenges me about how I treat and communicate with young people. Our hope for this production is that our com- munity leaves understanding that young people are hungry for knowledge- thirsty to be a part of our society- and desperate to stand up for inequality. Unlike the characters in the script, our students are living in a time and a society where the access to knowledge and availability to have open conversations about tough subjects is available and happening. Students are able to peacefully protest and make heard their thoughts and feelings on in- justices they see happening around them. Our kids are empowered to speak out, question and seek understanding and put into action their efforts to leave this earth a little better than they found it. I am thankful to know that I have students who are truly thinking about the future and how their story will affect others for many years to come. Make sure to check out our website at www.OVATIONStheatre.com for information our upcoming auditions for Ragtime and our Summer Teen intensive production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and much more. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. - Darnell Patrick Morris, Founder & Producing Artistic Director Student Production Note At our time at OVATIONS, we as students and actors are expected to look closely at our productions and find the underlying themes behind our songs, dances, and lines. Although our production of Cabaret has it’s fair share of glitz and glamour, we found that these very assets to our show are the tip of the iceberg to this time period and behind the excitement displays dark and haunting topics that forces the audience to look within themselves. Taking place in 1930’s Berlin, the audience finds themselves in the Kit Kat Club, an exciting and seductive club. Weaving through the Club’s number of performances, a series of stories displays the truth behind the fun numbers and how it is so easy to be distracted when those just like us are in need. As the numbers progressively give the audience more and more hints about the dark truth of 1930’s Europe, the audience soon realizes minority communities just like them includ- ing jewish, LGBT, and impoverished communities are drastically controlled and changed by the power of intolerance. In the rehearsal process, we compared and contrasted a series of similar events between then and now and realized though our story takes place decades ago, we as teenagers can’t live complacently in the Kit Kat Club. When we see those in need around us, it is stronger to stand up for human justice, rather than living in fear of being different. In our rehearsal process, we are challenged to speak our mind on these topics within the show because at OVATIONS, it truly is a collaborative process between our artistic staff and us actors. Though our numbers require high energy and fun character choic- es, we worked to understand why and how each number moves the story along. In the infamous and shocking number, “If you could see her through my eyes,” the audience watches a hilarious number about the Emcee and his proclaimed love for all things, a monkey. Throughout the number, the Emcee attempts to convince the audience the monkey is worthy of his love because she performs a series of valuable actions including reading music and refraining from drinking. Once the audience least expects it, the Em- cee compares the monkey to a jewish woman and the audience realizes they have been laughing at the dehumanization of an entire demographic. It’s this number, and so many just like it, that throws the audience for a loop and makes them question how easily they can be distracted from the jarring truth of Berlin. At OVATIONS, we strive to connect our art to current events and hope the audience will take away the message that being a bystander is just as cruel as being a perpetrator. When watching Cabaret, the audience came to the realization that they aren’t complete- ly at fault for the horrific events of the second world war, but contributed to it’s cultural tolerance because they were overpowered by a much greater force, fear. We hope when leaving the theatre, the audience knows they have a voice and can truly make a differ- ence as long as they speak up for what it is right, even when they feel the whole world is doubting them in the process. -Jordan Kelberg Cast List Double Cast Breakdown & Performance Schedule RED CAST BLUE CAST EMCEE Jack Rosenberg Ian Coursey SALLY BOWLES Raina Weinberg Mia Ehrlich CLIFF BRADSHAW PG Ruff Alexander Finch FRAULEIN SCHNEIDER Eva Salins Danielle Carter HERR SCHULTZ Sam Salem Ari Hovis-Afflerbach ERNST LUDWIG Austin Rose Danny Seligman TWO LADIES PERFORMERS Max Miller & Mikayla Reich Angelo Harrington & Jordan Kelberg RED CAST: Friday, March 6 at 7:30 and Saturday, March 7 at 2:00pm BLUE CAST: Saturday, March 7 at 7:30pm and Sunday, March 8 at 1:00pm FRIDAY 3/6 SATURDAY 3/7 SATURDAY 3/7 SUNDAY 3/8 @2pm @7:30pm FRAULEIN KOST* Lilly McKinnon Eliana Posin Starr Ruben Kendyl Morrison CHILD SOPRANO SOLOIST Ronan Mailhot Sadie Schulman Liam Darnell Cece Tello The Following Roles Perform at All Four Performance MAX ......................................................................................................................................................................Alex Levy SAILOR 2 ...........................................................................................................................................................Miles Carr GORILLA ............................................................................................................................................................Grace Corbett RUDY............................................................................................................................................Alex Levy THE KIT KAT GIRLS ROSIE...................................................................................................................................................................Jordan Kelberg LULU .....................................................................................................................................................................Zoe Ferguson FRENCHIE ........................................................................................................................................................Isabela McDonald TEXAS ..................................................................................................................................................................River Isleib FRIZTZIE ............................................................................................................................................................Kassidy Kepner HELGA .................................................................................................................................................................Mikayla Reich THE KIT KAT BOYS BOBBY ................................................................................................................................................................Angelo Harrington VICTOR ..............................................................................................................................................................