Submitted by Denis Kelly
As many as 19 student performers sang some 17 songs, including many from Broadway Musicals or from popular recording artists, at the 2018 “Cabaret Night,” which was staged by the Watchung Hills Regional High School (WHRHS) Script and Cue Student Drama Troupe, on Thursday, October 18, 2018 in the school’s Performing Arts Center (PAC).
As has become the practice during the last several years, the PAC was adapted into an intimate space for the Cabaret, with both the performers and audience filling the PAC’s full stage, arranged sideways.
Audience members entered from the back stage door off the corridor near the music and drama classrooms. House lights projecting hues of blue and fuschia replaced many of the customary white lights, and the stage curtains were drawn fully up to reveal the curtain riggings and exposed brick walls. The effort bathed the stage with an intimate “coffee house” atmosphere, which was also reminiscent of a drama rehearsal space. The smaller stage also brought the singers closer to the audience, perfect for the songs sung by the mostly solo or duet singers.
Included among the performers were many of the cast members from the Fall Drama, presented by Script and Cue. Arthur Miller’s iconic Tony Award winning drama, “The Crucible,” was staged by the student actors and crew of Script and Cue November 15-17.
The one exception to the solo and duet performers was a student band that has been tentatively named by its members “Band To Be Named Later.” Band members included junior Sam Bouffard of Green Brook Township as lead singer, junior Ben Kazokowski of Green Brook on guitar, junior Thomas Dardis of Warren Township on guitar, senior Will Broder of Warren on drums, and junior Alti Kabukcu of Warren on keyboards. Sitting in with the band on bass was J.P. Bouffard, the lead singer’s dad. They played two songs as the first act after intermission: “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” by John Mayer and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” one of George Harrison’s masterpieces with The Beatles.
Junior Jack Melillo of Stirling and senior Kayla Martins of Warren acted as host and hostess for the night. They introduced the acts and also sang songs. Kayla Martins sang “When I was Your Man” by Bruno Mars. Jack Melillo sang “She Used To Be Mine” from the musical “Waitress.” He also sang a duet with junior Christine Tanko of Green Brook, “Super Friend,” from the musical “The Flash.”
Tanko also sang solo on “My Funny Valentine” by Rodgers and Hart. That song has been performed by hundreds of artists since its debut in 1937 in the musical “Babes in Arms.”
Among the other performers were: Freshman Jordan Pincus of Green Brook, who sang “Everything and More” from the musical “Twisted;” senior Claire Vickery of Millington, who sang “IDon’tWantToBeYourMan” by Billie Eilish; and senior Kaelin Churchill of Stirling who sang “Mamma Mia” by the pop group Abba and from the Broadway musical and movies, “Mama Mia.”
The other singers before intermission included: Sophomore Paul Riedler of Green Brook, who sang “If You Want Love” by the artist NF; sophomore Malvika George of Warren, who sang “What Baking Can Do” from “Waitress;” and junior Kyra Anthony of Green Brook, who sang “When He Sees Me” from “Waitress.”
After intermission, the singers included: Sophomore Nina DiNorscio of Gillette, who sang in French and played ukulele on the classic “Le Vie en Rose” by Edith Piaf; senior Summer Stuart of Watchung, who sang “Toxic” by Britany Spears; sophomores Olivia Kider of Warren and Maddie Johnson of Gillette, who sang “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga; and junior Giovanna DiSanto of Green Brook, who sang “Pretty Funny” from the musical “Dog Fight.”
Photos by WHRHS
(above) The full cast of the 2018 “Cabaret Night,” staged by the WHRHS Script and Cue Student Drama Troupe.
(above) As has become the practice during the last several years, the PAC was adapted into an intimate space, with both the performers and audience filling the PAC’s full stage.
(above) Junior Christine Tanko of Green Brook Township sang “My Funny Valentine” by Rodgers and Hart, at the Cabaret. The song has been performed by hundreds of artists since its debut in 1937 in the musical “Babes in Arms.”
(above) Senior Claire Vickery of Millington sang “IDon’tWantToBeYourMan” by Billie Eilish at the Cabaret. The 2017 song appears on the album “Don’t Smile at Me.”
(above) Senior Kayla Martins of Warren Township and junior Jack Melillo of Stirling acted as hostess and host for the night, introducing the acts at the Cabaret.
(above) Freshman Jordan Pincus of Green Brook Township sang “Everything and More” from the 2013 musical “Twisted” at the Cabaret. Twisted, which opened in Chicago in 2013, is subtitled, “The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier.” It is a parody of Disney’s “Aladdin.”
(above) Senior Kaelin Churchill of Stirling sang “Mamma Mia” at the Cabaret. The song was a mega hit in the 1970s for the pop group, Abba, which formed in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. The 1975 song has since been used as the title song for Abba’s long running Broadway musical “Mamma Mia” as well as a series of similarly named popular movies.
(above) Sophomores Olivia Kider, left, of Warren and Maddie Johnson of Gillette sang “Poker Face” at the Cabaret. The song is the 2008 mega hit by Lady Gaga. It appeared on the album “The Fame.”
(above) Junior Kyra Anthony of Green Brook sang “When He Sees Me” from the 2015 musical “Waitress” at the Cabaret. The movie of the same title premiered in 2007.
(above) Sophomore Malvika George of Warren sang “What Baking Can Do” from the musical “Waitress,” at the Cabaret.
(above) Sophomore Paul Riedler of Green Brook sang “If You Want Love” by the artist NF at the Cabaret. The 2017 Hip-Hop/Rap song was written by Nathan John Feuerstein, who is known professionally as NF. It appears on the album “Perception.”
(above) Senior Summer Stuart of Watchung sang “Toxic” by Brittany Spears at the Cabaret. The 2003 song appeared on her album “In the Zone.”
(above) The one performance at the Cabaret not delivered by solo and duet performers was a student band that has been tentatively named, tongue in cheek, by its members, “Band to be Named Later.” The band members included, from left, junior Ben Kozakowski of Green Brook and junior Thomas Dardis of Warren on guitars; senior Will Broder of Warren on drums; Junior Sam Bouffard of Green Brook as lead singer; junior Alti Kabukcu of Warren on keyboards; and sitting in with the band on bass was J.P. Bouffard, the lead singer’s dad.
