A year ago, in September of 2021, Cabaret Theatre made its triumphant return to in-person theatrical productions with the back-to-school revue, Reaching Out, the first show to have been physically performed within the Cab space since the rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (his name is the novel Coronavirus). For this reason, the 2021-2022 season at Cabaret Theatre was no doubt a gift to the students involved— it gave them a sense of normalcy and a return to form with full-fledged productions, sets, costumes, audiences and all.
Now, after a full year of getting back to our roots, it’s time to reassess the paths we’ve set upon since returning to in-person rehearsals and performances. The only thing constant is change, so now is the time to take a step back and ask ourselves some important questions, like, Where Do We Go From Here? More importantly, Where Do I Go? And maybe the most important question of all— Will I? WILL I??? .....also, by the way, Whatsername?
I promise you, all of these pertinent questions are asked, and, in a way, answered, in the kick-off production of Cabaret Theatre’s 2022-2023 season, Same Changes: A Musical Revue.
Dee Danis performing “How to Return Home” by Kerrigan-Lowdermilk
As the name suggests, the show’s thrilling selection of songs are assembled into a whirlwind of all of the emotions that come with the seemingly endless string of changes that we endure in this life: the pain of missing that special person you once loved who’s no longer around; the fear that you feel when you’re at a crossroads, not knowing what your future holds; the joy and freedom of embracing the uncertainty of what the world will throw at you next, and going along for the ride; how good it feels sometimes to just run and spin around while singing an ABBA song.
We’ve all been there. The human experience, y’know?
(Left to right) Erika Lucas, Michael Lazarow, Lindsay Spritzer, and Dee Danis performing “You Live” by Alanis Morisette
And boy, is this show an EXPERIENCE. The fun songs are electric, the ballads are heart-wrenching, and every single cast member is fighting for their life to steal the show with their solos. Every person within the cast has the remarkable ability to both captivate the audience’s singular attention in the moments where they shine as individuals, holding them in the palm of their hand, and also to blend seamlessly together when they’re serving as an ensemble in someone else’s big number.
I should also mention that the blocking in this show is phenomenal. Director Maria Castro has found so many creative ways to incorporate the rest of the cast in many of the numbers led by individual members. One standout is “Under Attack” by ABBA, a group number led by performer Erika Lucas, which features some of the most fun and charming choreography I’ve seen so far in a production at Rutgers. I’ve seen this show twice now and both times I’ve gotten an insane rush of dopamine from certain moments in this song that I can’t even explain, you just have to see it and experience it for yourself.
“I absolutely loved working on this. We all kinda became friends instantly and I think that shows in our performances. Even though we’re all friends there was still so much professionalism, and I genuinely felt prepared going onstage! My most positive experience with student theatre so far.”
(Left to right) Michael Lazarow and Lindsay Spritzer performing “You Live” by Alanis Morisette
Keiran Varian performing “Whatsername” by Green Day
And this is just one number out of over a dozen, all of which are completely stunning. I cannot stress enough that everyone and every song in this show delivers, and it makes for a devastatingly good and entertaining night of theatre
This revue embodies everything I love so much about student theatre at Rutgers— the beauty of raw emotionality, the community and support, the joy, anguish, and hope that can be found and expressed through song. It’s impossible to watch most of these numbers, from the in-your-face headbangers to the subtle, contemplative, gorgeous, quiet selections, without having some feeling within you stirred. The believability that the actors bring to the songs they’re performing and the emotions they tap into is thrilling and beautiful to watch.
Michael Trujillo performing “Gone” by Michael Mott
“The process was so smooth and I loved working with everyone involved. The only thing hotter than Cab is the vocals in this talented cast.”
It’s clear that Maria Castro and assistant Director Naia Edmonds have assembled not just a cast but a team, a group of artists that support one another and love performing together, so tightly-knit and in-sync. They leave the audience with the impression that no matter what struggles and *ahem* changes their characters go through, they’re united with one another in their struggles in the end— and that’s the one thing that will not change.
(Left to right) Zoe Scotto, Shannon Kathleen, and Emily Mautone performing “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
I for one wouldn’t change a thing about this production, so if it’s all the same to you, I hope you’ll give this this show your change— the dollar kind!— when you buy a ticket to see it this weekend. I know I’ll never be the same after watching it, so come give it a gander! It just might change your life too :-)
Same Changes: A Musical Revue plays this weekend at Cabaret Theatre, with performance dates and times as follows:
Friday, September 9th, 2022 at 8:00pm
Saturday, September 10th, 2022 at 8:00pm
and
Sunday, September 11th, 2022 at 8:00pm
