Student Spotlight: All that Jazz, a Student Cabaret

By day, it was a conference room.  By night, it became a cabaret hall.   On November 18, the talents of the students at Reid Hall were on full display

November 28, 2016

By day, it was a conference room.  By night, it became a cabaret hall.

On November 18, the talents of the students at Reid Hall were on full display. Under the direction of a team of local singers, actors and musicians, undergraduates from the programs of Columbia, Smith, Vassar-Wesleyan, and Sweet Briar had rehearsed for more than a month to fine-tune the songs and spectacles of the Fall 2016 Cabaret.

Produced around the theme of "Un amèricain à Paris," the evening featured classic Parisian songs of a bygone era: Sur les quais du vieux Paris, Sous le ciel de Paris, Ne me quitte pas, La marche de Ménilmontant.  To kick off the show, a student appeared on the balcony of the adjoining library with her ukulele, singing J'ai deux amours. A trio of students performed a six-handed piece on the piano, other students performed skits, recited poetry, sang and danced. The room transformed into a typical French bistro and the audience encouraged to sing and dance along. The music was contagious; on Monday morning, one could still hear the occasional refrain of Piaf or Chevalier being hummed in the hallways.

What hidden talents does the next group of students hold? We'll find out in a few months, at the Spring 2017 Cabaret.