The Seton Hall Theater Council has created its own version of a cabaret to highlight how different actors and actresses are able to perform unfamiliar songs.
Tia Robbins, a junior theatre major and performer, said the “Miscast Cabaret” is a one-night event featuring Seton Hall students performing songs they would never be cast in because of age, gender, race, voice or body type.
Robbins said the songs were all chosen by students and that the audience can expect to hear songs from Chicago, Frozen and Legally Blonde.
That means males can sing female roles or young kids can sing adult songs. The song choices for the “Miscast Cabaret” go on forever.
A freshman diplomacy major, Tien Phan, said he finds this event important for students because it will “allow many students who may or may not be a theatre major to come out and show everyone who they can be artistically.”
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Phan is a perfect example of this. He said that students will also benefit because there are many stories to be told. Although Seton Hall has performed Cabaret before, the Seton Hall Theater program has not performed a show like this in its history.
The preparation process for any theater show is challenging, but this one, Phan said, is more individual based.
Each performer or group has to contact Jordan Green, the show’s music director, to talk about song choices and set up times to rehearse the songs with him after an audition.
Phan looks forward to performing with his partner Ella Small, but also to watching the Gentlemen of the Hall perform their song from the musical Chicago.
Small, a freshman double major in diplomacy and social work, said the event is “super fun, low-commitment and a great way for new students to get involved with the theater program.” She really likes that the “Miscast Cabaret” turns Broadway songs on their heads and described the selections as “genderbent.”
Small is most looking forward to making the audience laugh and watching one of her fellow performers play Velma from Chicago.
The performance takes place on May 3 at 7:30pm in the Theater-in-the-Round. The event is free for students. There will be an opportunity to donate to the SHU Theater Council as well.
Erika Szumel can be reached at erika.szumel@student.shu.edu.
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