THE ARTS ETC
________________________________________________
The Drama Studio
presents
The Cabaret
REVIEWED by B. K.GRANT
The Drama Studio never ceases to amaze; every performance is professional and offers sheer enjoyment. So it is with The Cabaret.
Jazz from the big band era is a favorite of this reviewer. As the audience filters in, music reminiscent of Cab Callaway complete with periodic percussion solos sets our toes to tapping. The atmosphere welcomes a selection of snippets – drama, comedy, song and dance – with open arms.
The Cabaret’s hosts, Adaire Robinson and Beki Berliner, do an excellent job of setting each scene; the opener is very well done by the Friday Intro to Acting 201 Class. Each youngster attempts to solve a problem within self, while repeatedly being asked, ‘What Are You Doing?’.
In A Moral Medley, the Aesop Improv Class involves the audience in their wonderful interpretation of the ‘Tortoise and the Hare’ and other fabled concepts, ‘learning who our true friends really are’.
Rachel Moore of the ASW Class performs an expressive monologue from The Murders at Argos (an update of the Oresteia by David Foley with Electra and Orestes as murderous teens). She exhibits great talent for such a young lady, capturing the emotional atmosphere of the tragi-comedy. Caroline Novak, also from the ASW Class, joins her next in a hilarious scene from La Dispute, in which they portray, with hand mirrors as their only props, the most conceited females in the universe!
The first song of the evening is...WOW! While commanding the attention of the entire audience, Molly Bogin belts out ‘The Girl in 14G’. Her operatic range and expressive delivery tell the musical tale of a ‘most unlikely trio’; this teen voice demands to be heard!
Three selections from June’s COWfest (Creative Original Work Festival, formerly know as June Shorts) are offered: a scene each from Drew’s Ice Cream Nightmare and Eenie Meanie Miney Moe, both presented by the ISS-B class, and a peek at The Dream Catcher, by the Inside Out Class. These tidbits succeed in whetting our appetites for more of what’s to come from the COWfest.
The presentation of two distinctive dance pieces is indicative of the imaginative choreography of the young people in the ICW class. The unique use of a swing and a rope ladder with ballet and gymnastics illustrates an artistic aptitude unlike any previously seen by this reviewer.
In a monologue from The Clean House, Caroline Novak again delivers a clear and comically informative performance– with which one can readily identify. She advises: “If I were to die, no one would have to clean my house!”.
The Other Side of Cinderella presented by the APT Class begins to bring the evening to an enjoyable close and offers quite a different take on the old beloved tale - Disney not. Improv Tonight! proves to be the highlight of The Cabaret, with shades of Siskel and Ebert – only better. The last song entitled The Big Black Giant is sung by Peter Payson of the Adult Musical Theatre Class. Whatever Mr. Payson’s endeavors before DS, he missed his calling – in this performance he didn’t miss a single note. And finally, Essence of Titus, a vibrant refining of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus presented by four members of the Suzuki Class; a variety of masks are used to cleverly portray a collection of exciting characters.
The Cabaret’s cast involves over fifty young people, all of whom are energized, dedicated and extremely talented. This reviewer has thoroughly enjoyed every Drama Studio production attended and The Cabaret is no exception. Bravo!
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