The Theatre Arts vacation has given a new performance opportunity to High Tech Drama Majors students, who are learning both performance and rehearsal practices and are encountering firsthand all aspects of professional theater. The show had complete live accompaniment by renowned pianist Craig Ketter, senior drummer Josiah Szczepanski, and award-winning saxophonist Isaac Ketter under the direction of our multi-talented Musical Director, Valerie Gonzalez. The show was choreographed by County Prep alumnus Mr. John Hines and was directed by Ms. Raluca Shields.
The students rehearsed and performed Cabaret (Original, 1966), a musical written by Joe Masteroff (Book), John Kander (Music), and Fred Ebb (Lyrics), based on a play by John Van Drutten and Christopher Isher. The story warns of how seemingly antisemitism can spring and spread and how hard it can be to stop it. It’s meant to remind us so that we never forget and learn from our harsh history and the stories of everyday people such as Schultz and Schneider or Sally and Cliff, who, in 1930, found the fabric of their lives changed forever before their very eyes. One of the performances fell on January 27th, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which made the performance even more meaningful.
This show is incredibly relevant today. In the past few years, anti-Semitic incidents have risen in the United States at an unprecedented rate. According to the Anti-Defamation League, “In 2021, anti-Semitic incidents reached an all-time high across the U.S. with 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism tracked by ADL. This represents the largest number of reported incidents against Jews in the U.S. since ADL started recording the data in 1979. Antisemitism impacts millions of Jews and people of all backgrounds in the U.S. and around the globe, tearing the fabric of societies wherever it spreads.”
This piece was chosen to showcase our talented performers this year, who touched the audience deeply and even left some in tears. Juniors Eileen Berger, Olivia Marum, and Cassandra Booker performed as the Emcee, Sally, and Fraulein Schneider, respectively. Sophomore Andrew Morgado as Herr Schultz, and Seniors Rapha Dieng and Jacquelynn Leiras performed as Cliff and Kost, respectively. Other performers were Juniors Abigail Burch, Mason Castillo, Emile La Morte, Kichi McNulty, Nicole Nina Leamarye Flores, Sophomores Jillian Vega, Elanie Benitez, Gabriela Diaz, Aidan Chapas, Nel Mickiewiecz, and Freshmen Anthony Wenzel and Alison Turok.
Special recognition also goes to lighting technician and sound technician Seniors Krystal Mack and Mickey Carpio, followspot operator Chloe Jessen, and Back Stage Technicians Davin Abraham, Jorge Cortez, Sohia Donath, and Violet Saynuk under the guidance of our Technical Director Jeremy Falzone, and our Union Stage technicians Gennaro Ilaria and Mo Wade. Violet also assisted Sarah Dziekan and her crew with the set. Our Stage Manager was Junior Hanna Wilson, and our fight choreographer was Danny Paternino. Special thanks go to Ms. Colette Belle-Jackson and Maria Cecilia Angarita, who have helped the singers with vocal coaching.
NY Conservatory of Dramatic Arts came to see the student show and awarded Olivia Marum and Cassandra Booker each $10,000 scholarship. $1000 scholarships were awarded to Rapha Dieng, Eileen Berger, Andrew Morgado, Leamarye Flores, Nel Mickiewicz, and Emile La Morte.
Ms. Shields and Ms.Gonzalez are very proud of the cast and crew whose work has developed through our premiere rendition of this musical.
Cabaret (Original, 1966) was presented through a special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
