By Sean Callahan, News Editor
Cabarets are far from being new to the Company, but for their last show of the spring semester, they decided to put a unique spin on it. The cabaret, “A Homage to the Company: How Far We’ve Come”, could be seen in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Saturday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, April 2, at 2 p.m.
The show included various songs from shows performed by the Company in the past. In between multiple songs, a cast member narrated parts of the Company’s story, including before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The show was split into two acts.
Admission was free for all, including for those outside the SVC community.
Margaret Sullivan, junior music performance major, did not expect to become director of the show, which she said was one of the biggest leadership positions she’d ever held. While it was stressful getting everything in order for the show, she said she was blessed to receive the opportunity and enjoyed the outcome of the show.
“The rehearsal room was one of the best parts. We had a lot of fun backstage, putting everything together, blocking, and learning the songs and dances,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan explained that the cast had begun work on “Homage” during the SVC Players’ work on “Once Upon a Mattress”, the spring musical that debuted in February. However, because the majority of the cast of “Homage” was also in “Mattress”, she kept the rehearsals to a minimum to avoid overworking them.
Once SVC students returned from spring break, the momentum for the show picked up.
“We really hit the ground running after the break. It was two weeks of hard rehearsals and then tech week,” Sullivan said.
Josie Rodell, senior history major and President of the Company, assisted with the cabaret, which is the last show of her undergraduate career.
Rodell described the ending of “Homage” as bittersweet for her, an upcoming graduate. She explained that as President, she knew the Company wanted to do something big for the group’s revival. She recalled being cast in a cabaret her freshman year, which she then did not get to perform in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company rising from the onset of the pandemic has pleased Rodell.
“I’m happy that we are able to put on two shows a year once again, and I’m proud of the work the production team did to put ‘Homage’ on,” Rodell said.
Rodell looks forward to seeing where the Company goes next year, into what will hopefully be another full year of Saint Vincent College theater productions.