Aspen High’s Drama Club presents ‘Not a Cabaret’
Olivia Ferrara/Courtesy photo
Throughout the year, Aspen High’s arts and theater students work on plenty of projects, all created and directed by adults.
“We end up only performing in shows or concerts with material that we don’t really get to choose. A lot of the stuff we work on throughout the year never gets seen in front of an audience,” said Clare Williams, a sophomore.
She saw an opportunity to give fellow performing arts students a chance to show off what they’ve been working on all year and started the biannual “Not a Cabaret Student Performance Showcase.”
“I wanted to give students more performance opportunity, especially in times when we don’t have a show going on,” she said.
Olivia Ferrara/Courtesy photo
She said the name is somewhat ironic. It doesn’t follow the technical structure of a cabaret, which typically is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama performed in nightclub or restaurant. But it does adopt the general concept.
The first “Not a Cabaret” was in fall 2022, when students performed a range of acts from playing instruments to monologues. In the upcoming show, Williams estimated 12-13 students will be giving a variety of performances at the two premieres.
“I think every single performance is an opportunity to really grow as a performer and establish your skill. I think it’s really important to be in front of audiences, when you’re working on performing, if you want to get better at it,” she said.
Though this is only the second show the club has put on, she said she hopes they will continue to happen in the spring and fall each year.
“We’re learning a lot more about what needs to happen when preparing a show,” she said.
The show is made possible from a grant the club received from the Aspen Thrift Store.
“We’re really thankful for the community supporting us,” Williams said. “In my experience at the high school, there’s a lot of importance on sports and athleticism. I want to highlight the arts.”
The first performance will be at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Black Box Theater. Tickets are $10 at the door, and the performance will be in dinner-theater style, meaning food and drink will be served while the audience sits at tables and enjoys the performance. The second performance is at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Explore Booksellers. Admission is free.
Olivia Ferrara/Courtesy photo
To reach Audrey Ryan, email her at aryan@aspentimes.com.
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