FHS Theatre to Present “A Cabaret”

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Emma Nicholson

The cast of Caberet rehearsing earlier this week.

Emma Nicholson

When the lights go up and the curtain rises on the evenings of October 17 and 18, you will not want to miss the Franklin High School performance of, “A Cabaret,” under the direction of Marushka Waters.

A long time Franklin High school tradition,  “A Cabaret” is loosely based on the 1996 Tony Award Winning Best Musical “Cabaret”-the story of a dynamic variety show in Berlin during World War II.

“A Cabaret” features an array of songs, dances, and scenes performed (and created) by students. Those interested in lighting and the technical side of theater have the opportunity to participate, running the lights or sound for the show; it may not seem it, but behind-the-scenes work are some of the most critical parts of the show. Additionally, the performance features live musicians as a segue to each act. Talk about student involvement!

Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1996, starring Jill Haworth and Bert Convy. Each year, the FHS performance opens with a enthusiastic rendition of the song “Cabaret,” straight from the musical, usually decked out with props and creativity.

Theatre Classes leveling from I-III are involved in the show, as well as students from Drama club. Each class has the chance to take the stage in a student-choreographed dance to a fun, usually theatrical song. Song choices for this year to look forward to include throwback, “Footloose,” and the classic “Shake it Off,” by Taylor Swift.

In addition to these dances, classes perform short scenes for skits, usually based on SNL-style scenes. Past skits include “Lip Sync Battle,” and other innovative short scenes.

Theatre teacher Ms. Waters says her main goal is that “when students leave FHS, they continue to have a passion for and are supportive of the arts.” For the Cabaret, she says that  “Students are responsible for all aspects of the show; they write, direct, act, design sets, tech, and choreograph. I’m merely present to encourage, support, and enjoy the best job in the world.”

This years Cabaret features 30 students from the class of 2019, many of whom have taken theater with Ms. Waters for 3+ years and will be performing in their final show.


A highlight of the Cabaret each year is the Senior Boys Dance, in which a group of Senior boys take the stage to be a part of a choreographed number backed by a medley of popular hits. This is sure to be a hilarious part of the show, and certainly one not to miss.   Watching students come out of their shell on stage and portray a character, or simply be themselves, is amazing. We are so incredibly lucky as a school to have such a wonderful performing and fine arts department, gifting students with so many opportunities to pursue their passions.

You do not need to be a theatre connoisseur to enjoy “A Cabaret”; come see your fellow classmates perform, as they demonstrate their hard work over the past few months. And who knows, maybe someday you will be up there!

“A Cabaret” will be presented October 17-18 at 7PM in the Franklin High School auditorium, tickets will be sold at the door.