Photo by Corey Maher
CLAIRE O’REILLY
Special to The Leader
As many shuffled in and out of Tim Hortons on Tuesday night, students dressed in all black get-ups got ready to take the stage. The café buzzed with conversation and nervous-excited energy. It was time for Vocal Point’s annual Cabaret.
“It’s actually been happening for a very long time,” said senior music education major Brandon Minicucci, who is also Vocal Point’s musical director. “I joined the group about three years ago, and we always did it. It’s always been in Tim Hortons as long as I know.”
“We sing group numbers, and then also solos and duets,” said junior business and Spanish double-major Brook Mellon.
Cabaret is Vocal Point’s halfway-through-the-semester performance, before its annual showcase. “It’s a great opportunity to showcase everyone’s voices, as well as get our name out to promote the show,” said Minicucci.
As people in charge of the tech worked to set up the microphones, the audience waited for the show to begin. Three microphones lining the outskirts of the stage waited patiently to be put to use under the bright lights. A Vocal Point member got up on the stage — a tease for the audience, as it seemed like they were ready to kick the show off. She was just doing a mic check.
Finally, after a few technical difficulties, and some pre-performance claps from the audience, one of the male members of the group steps up to the stage. “We’re ready to begin,” he said.
tarting the night off with some humor, that same member broke into a solo and was then cut off by Mellon. “There’s a reason you weren’t in it last year,” she said jokingly.
The first performers of the night, for real this time, were members of the Women’s Choir, singing “Brighter Than the Sun,” written by Colbie Caillat.
“They’re pretty good,” said junior biology major Emilee Russell.
Photo by Corey Maher
The hosts retook the spotlight and filled the café with more humor. They joked about the weather being nice and not needing a roof, which sets up the next performer — freshman theatre arts major Kristine Sodergren singing “I Don’t Need a Roof” from the movie-turned-musical, “Big Fish.”
“I saw it on Broadway back in December before it closed,” said Sodergren. “It’s such a touching movie, the story is great.”
In “Big Fish,” a father tells stories to his son, but his son feels like his father’s life is all a lie. He goes off on an adventure in an attempt to discover who his father really is. While the father is dying from cancer, his wife sings “I Don’t Need a Roof” to him. Sodergren’s strong vocals and facial expressions represented the emotion behind the song well.
Freshman social studies adolescent education major Kiera Perkins believed Sodergren’s performance was extremely powerful.
“I liked the message,” said Perkins. “I like love songs so I really liked that song.” Another performance that stood out to Perkins was the Mixed Choir singing “All that Jazz” from the musical “Chicago.”
“All that Jazz” started off as what seemed to be a solo piece, but then members of Vocal Point all emerged from various spots around Tim Horton’s and took the stage all at once to join in on the song.
Photo by Corey Maher
“I really liked the soloist,” said Perkins. “I liked the feel and the sound.”
Mixed Choir ended the night with an upbeat classic, Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose.”
Vocal Point’s full showcase will be taking place Wednesday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Williams Center Multipurpose Room.