Cabaret Club Sees Huge Uptick in Number of Actors
Arcadia’s student-run theater musical theater club, Cabaret, has seen a notable increase in activity between last semester’s and our upcoming show. A typical cast consists of around 20 – 30 people; this number includes board members, directors, and cast members. The fall 2024 show, with the theme Heroes and Villains, offers a cast of 30 – 40 people instead. As the club’s vice president, it is honestly incredible to see such an uptick in members and general club interest!
Even supporters who are not in the club have risen in numbers. People come to watch their friends perform during rehearsals, and other members show up to shadow direct – this is an option for first-time club members, where they attend rehearsals alongside a director, getting to watch and note how rehearsals operate so they can direct in any future semester.
As the number of people interested or involved rises, there are a couple of challenges that we do have to face, though. The casting process becomes a bit more difficult, with directors staying until 3 a.m. this time around to finalize all roles after callback auditions. The hours spent are necessary to ensure that every club member has at least one role. Roles are also not all equal; some roles count as solos, while others are minor, such as a featured ensemble. Once an actor is chosen for a larger role, they are less likely to be considered for any others until all other Cabaret members have their own role(s). It can be tough to keep the process fair with so many more people, but every board member and director is committed to getting the job done.
As Cabaret President Link Bertrand ’25 put it, “Casting this time around was exceptionally difficult because we try really hard to make sure everyone gets something that they can be proud of. With 30+ people, we spent a lot of time making sure everyone got a role they can brag about.” Discussing another of Cabaret’s challenges, Link described how “into the semester, people drop the club, so then the directors have to go back to a drawing board and recast.” These sentiments are pretty evenly shared by all directors, including our fellow beloved board members, Secretary Kayla Pimpinella ’25 and Treasurer Jackie Engler ’25.
There is a reason we are all so dedicated to overcoming the club’s challenges: it is completely worth it! We have such a lively and delightfully campy show in the work, and as our president stated, Cabaret always strives to be “a place where people can perform free of judgment.” As our student members come up with and vote for all possible themes and then songs to include, we always end up with such a grandiose spectrum that will please any viewer, from musical fanatics to Disney fans, to regular ol’ Joes. Heroes and Villians was especially able to be taken in so many different genres, including “Zero to Hero” from Hercules, and “Easy Street” from Annie. I am involved in five different numbers; I am directing “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Blood in the Water” from Legally Blonde, and I was cast in “Creepy Old Guy” from Beetlejuice, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan, and “God Games” from EPIC: The Musical. There is also the full company number that all members must perform in, either as a major role or ensemble, and this year it is “Ready As I’ll Ever Be” from Tangled: The Series.
I am so excited to direct and perform this year, especially with so many talented actors surrounding me. I’m extremely confident to work with my Professor Callahan, played by Raymond Hairston ’27, and with my Moana, played by Cassandra Rivenburg ’26 – two incredibly skilled actors and singers. Cabaret rehearsals are currently in their early stages, but it’s never too early to mark your calendars for December 14 at 8 p.m. – whether you’re a diehard hero supporter or an against-the-grain villain fan, we’ll see you then in the Little Theater!
