Siva Dassel peaks through the curtains of the Kit Kat Club, opening an all-teen performance of "Cabaret," which debuts at Columbia Center for the Arts on Aug. 7. Tay Lynne photos.
Siva Dassel peaks through the curtains of the Kit Kat Club, opening an all-teen performance of "Cabaret," which debuts at Columbia Center for the Arts on Aug. 7. Tay Lynne photos.
Sophia Keolker and ensemble perform a number from "Cabaret."
Sophia Keolker as Sally Bowles in "Cabaret."
Anders Daly and Cadence Ronning in "Cabaret."
Siva Dassel as the Master of Ceremonies dances with a gorilla.
HOOD RIVER — Dripping with glamor and energy, “Cabaret” etches a Berlin colored by vibrant personalities. But the city is crumbling, threatened by oppressive forces of evil and bigotry out to eradicate free existence. From Hood River production company Theatre CamilleLynne, an all-teenage production of the legendary Broadway musical will premiere at Columbia Center for the Arts (CCA) on Aug. 7 and run for two weekends.
Director and choreographer Tay Lynne leads a rambunctious ensemble of all-star Gorge youth — covered in a closet of flashy sequins, feathers, and lace — expertly meshing the show’s extravagant numbers with its timeless political edge.
“Expect the unexpected,” Lynne said. “Come in ready to go on a roller coaster of emotions; it’s fun, it’s flirty, it’s grimy, it’s scary, it’s uncomfortable.”
Active in Hood River Valley High School’s theater program as a student, Lynne went on to study the Meisner acting technique in New York, an approach that prioritizes acting as reacting and shifts focus away from the individual.
After bouncing around for a brief stint, Lynne returned home — back to a Gorge community theater scene chock-full of young talent hungry for more opportunities outside of a school environment.
Alongside her brother, Lynne launched the community troupe Theatre CamilleLynne, which casts ages 12-20 and keeps shows almost exclusively teen-performed and run. The company’s vision was born out of Lynne’s gravitation towards directing youth, which provides a “whole other world of directing challenges,” she said. “I feel like the success is so much more resounding for me watching them grow.”
For roughly two years, the company has operated as a resident at CCA, producing shows such as “Ride the Cyclone” and last Spring’s “Ordinary Days.” Lynne’s work, including “Cabaret,” routinely features a loyal group of returning faces familiar to anyone who follows the local high school scene.
Hoping to push the boundaries and grant her kids the opportunity to vivify something bold, politically engaged, and more mature than what is expected of teen theater, Lynne saw “Cabaret” as the perfect fit this summer.
“Kids are aware and open to things; they know what’s going on in the world, and they want to have the opportunity to share their voices,” she said. “They respond well to mature content because they know it — they live it. Art is my favorite form of protest, and the kids feel the same way.”
The show’s humongous cast and crew have provided new but exciting challenges for Lynne, welcoming around 80% new blood to the program. With several performers coming and going during summertime vacation season, including a two-week absence in New York from National High School Musical Theatre Awards victor Caden Tubbs, it’s been a learning curve.
Despite the odds, the entire cast, from its supporting pieces to the leads, crafts a raucous, funny, and kinetic experience, executing dazzling, animalistic dance sequences and pointed, emotional turns — a “Cabaret” more than worthy of your time.
The story, playfully emceed by the Master of Ceremonies (Siva Dassel), traces the chaotic characters and romances that pass through a lively Berlin nightclub and nearby boarding house during the rise of the Nazi Party. Powerhouse British cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Sophia Keolker) strikes an intimate relationship with American writer Cliff Bradshaw (Tubbs), as the city is gradually shrouded in hate and violence.
Keolker is larger than life as the tragic, unapologetic Bowles. Her impressive British accent, commanding stage presence, and booming singing voice — often overwhelmed with emotion — simply stun.
Keolker’s chemistry with Tubbs is convincing, whether romantic or argumentative. Tubbs brings a level of depth and despair — as his youthful optimism erodes in parallel to his surroundings — that renders the show’s abrupt ending utterly heartbreaking.
Dassel gets completely lost in her character, snarling and laughing at the audience in a thick German accent, unflinchingly and animatedly guiding them through Berlin’s tumultuous turnover. Her Master of Ceremonies works as a vessel for the show’s tonal shifts, growing more sinister and maniacal as the story unfolds.
Anders Daly and Cadence Ronning as Herr Schultz and Fraulein Schneider are a lovable reprieve from the show’s consistent chaos, while Finley Smith as Fraulein Kost delivers its funniest turn.
The show’s glitzy makeup, period-conscious hairstyling, and endless costumes do great work to enhance the experience. Lynne said she took a step back in such departments because of the production’s scale, yielding responsibilities to experts. Cast members Keolker and Evolet Olivo led the charge with makeup, while Ronning’s mother, Shawna — a professional — led a hairstyling team.
The set, featuring three doors and a red curtain, as well as numerous props, including a rotating platform, is aptly used by performers throughout. The show also uses CCA’s large, oval stage and gradually inclining seat layout that circles it to take over the space. Viewers will have slightly different experiences depending on where they sit, offering reason for seconds.
As the lights dim, Lynne hopes audiences will sit and mull over what they just witnessed and draw parallels to what they’re currently witnessing across the country and around the world. The show closes on Aug. 15. Tickets are available atevents.columbiaarts.org.
Commented