The UIndy Theatre Company presented its annual talent showcase, titled “A Cabaret: An Artists’ Showcase,” on Feb. 20-22.
This was the second annual production of the showcase, according to the theatre’s website. Assistant Professor of Theatre and Director of the UIndy Theatre Program Grant Williams said this year’s showcase was similar to last year’s in its overall feel. However, he said the lighting designer for this year created a more in-depth design and there were two emcees to host the show, compared to one last year. Williams said he wants this show to feel like a coffeehouse, complete with catered drinks and snacks.
“I’d love to see it as a student-driven showcase of talent, mixed talent,” Williams said. “People reading their poems, people dancing, people doing stand up, and yes, doing scenes from acting classes.”
Williams explained some of the types of performers featured. He said he hopes to celebrate the accomplishments of students.
“We had a speech and debate performance last year, and that was wonderful to see,” Williams said. “So just seeing all sorts of artistic talent being showcased in a cabaret-type setting where we can celebrate student achievement, student artistry.”
Junior theatre major and “A Cabaret” Emcee Rae Cook said the showcase featured a variety of performers, including multiple singers, as well as stand-up routines and a music-choreography performance, which they described as resembling a musical theater scene. Sophomore theatre major and emcee Natalie Sayer also said dramatic readings and theatrical monologues were part of the show. Cook estimated around 20 performers total participated in the showcase, which they said also featured class showcases.
“It’s not just a personal showcase,” Cook said. “It’s kind of showcasing the classes that the theatre program has to offer.”
Cook said this production is more student-led compared to other UIndy Theatre works, such as “Circle Mirror Transformation” and “Tick, Tick… Boom!.” They said that in addition to the emcees being students, the lighting design and stage management were also student-run. This is different from other UIndy productions, which Cook said are mainly faculty-led.
Junior theatre major and lighting designer Axel Osborne described the process of designing the lights for the “A Cabaret.” They outlined their months-long process of hanging lights, followed by working on light cues and said each act within the talent show was like a “mini-show.”
Osborne said they start with a general plan of hanging the lights in the studio theatre space and looking at its metal poles. For “A Cabaret,” Osborne said their process is based on the venue rather than the performances.
“It’s similar to, like, a map, where you kind of give yourself a key to figure out what symbol means what on your ground plan,” they said. “And then you start hanging up the lights.”
Sayer said she and Cook wrote a script based on information the performers wanted the audience to know. Sayer and Cook also wrote comedic lines in a “buddy comedy” format, as part of the change to having two emcees. Sayer described her preparation of being an emcee in more detail.
“It’s not a very complicated process,” she said. “But we are figuring out how to do it ourselves as we go along, and that’s been a little bit tricky.” UIndy Theatre’s final production of the year is “Tick, Tick… Boom!” It will be held from April 3-5 and 10-12 in the Studio Theatre of Esch Hall on campus. Tickets, available at Eventbrite, are free for UIndy faculty, staff and students, and are $10 for community members. L/P credit is available for UIndy students.
