Singers shine at Cabaret 2017

The stage is set for the grand performances of choir students. Audio is set up, the lights are adjusted, and the line outside grows longer.

The palpable energy filling the cafeteria added to the emotion when performers sang. A couple minutes before the show people started yelling, “Start the show!” Then the lights turned off and the show began.

The first act was amazing. The crowd took videos and sat in silence, awestruck by the amazing talent and voice behind everyone who went onstage.

Junior Ria Panjwani and entered the stage and sang, “Quiet,” a Cabaret song. She had a wonderful voice that sounded like a Disney Princess, and left the audience on their feet.

Some of the songs in act one were funny and garnered laughs from the crowd, while others left the them in silence.

Senior Lauren Fung’s rendition of  “Someone to Watch Over Me” from “Oh, Kay!” brought the crowd to its feet, cheering. She sang beautifully, with perfect pitch and timing, and was deserving of all the applause she received.

The closer for act one was Jailiah Brooks who sang, “One Night Only” from “Dreamgirls.” Brooks took the stage with authority, hit the high notes, and when she finished the crowds cheers and applauds were so loud, you knew that she encapsulated all the talent of the previous singers and gave us one last amazing song of act one.

Intermission allowed the performers to relax and receive congratulations and the focus of Cabaret came through. Cabaret was great for showcasing the talent of some of choir’s students, but it was also a fundraiser for the Chicago trip A Capella choir will be taking in April of next year. There was a raffle and a prize giveaway and that rounded off intermission.

“This year’s Cabaret was very successful for funds raised for choral projects during the year, including our Chicago Trip. The students really worked together to put on a great event that drew an awesome crowd.” said choir teacher Laryssa Sadoway.

The second act consisted of mostly romantic songs. Some were funny, some were sweet, and others were sad. The trio of Anjali Bhat, Anna Wesner, and Kody Swenson sang “Been a Long Day” from “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” The song was endearing and funny. One interesting aspect was how well they sang in unison. Two people singing in unison is a difficult task, but three is incredibly ambitious, and they pulled it off splendidly.

For the pre-finale song Sadoway sang “I’ll be Here” from “Ordinary Days.” It was a bittersweet song. The audience could see the emotion Sadoway put into it while she was singing. Her eyes looked glossy and she choked up, then continued singing with the same passion as before.

The finale of Cabaret 2017 was an ensemble of all the performers of the night singing “All that Jazz” from “Chicago.” It was a lively upbeat song, and everyone sang in perfect harmony with each of their unique voices, and they all linked arms and danced. They ended the show with jazz hands, singing in a quiet whisper, “All that Jazz.”

“Cabaret was an amazing life changing experience, and I’m glad I did it,” said performer Bryanna Craig.