Centerstage’s cABBAret Brings Joy to Many Students
By Miriam Trujillo
On January 31 and February 1, CUA Centerstage put on its first show of the New Year in the Pryzbyla lower food court. A cabaret celebrating the music of ABBA, which is the Swedish foursome of super troupers that dominated the 70s, took place. Directed by Sophie Williams and Brandon Horowin, choreographed by Clara Garcia, arranged by Lydia Gifford, and produced by Micheal Stromburg, the cabaret really did reflect the colorful, sweet energy that made ABBA so special.
The lower food court in the Pryzbyla Center was transformed into the glittery world that ABBA inhabited. Disco strobe lights displayed colors all over the walls and ceilings, making the whole room seem like a dancing Queen” by ABBA. As audience members got their tickets checked and took their seats, they were offered glow sticks to wear on their heads and around their necks, making the room even brighter. The performers wielded brightly tinted blow-up instruments, saxophones, microphones, guitars, and sported enormous sunglasses. As for the costumes, they merit a column to themselves: bell-bottomed pants, knee high boots, flounces, feather boas, silver capes all filled the space, as the performers’ movements spilled out from the stage into the aisles and the back. The visuals were truly just as important as the music. The performers interpolated dances with their songs, took up all levels of the stage, and backed each others’ solos up with a delightful energy. A dancer to watch especially was sophomore Julia Williams, who performed daring aeriels.
Seventeen students, mainly from the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art but also from other majors such as Media Communications, Psychology, and Drama made up the ensemble. Many of these students were making their Centerstage debut, bringing a fresh new enthusiasm to their material. One such standout was Claire Keller, whose unusually sweet timbre made songs such as “Why Did It Have to Be Me” and “Honey Honey” especially delightful. All the performers, though, looked like they were having a very good time.
“ABBA is just so much fun,” said Carrie Benitez, a sophomore musical theater major. “The music always puts me in a good mood. I was excited to perform this genre of music. I never did anything like this before. To prepare for this show I personally listened to a playlist of all of ABBA’s songs everyday—it wasn’t even on purpose, I just enjoyed it so much that it became a part of my routine. I know some of my cast members who also did the same.”
The enthusiasm of the cast definitely bled into the audience as cheers oftentimes made the music inaudible. The audience participated even more fully since the ensemble, throughout the course of the show, went through the isles, inviting various audience members up to dance. The joy was so infectious that, by the end of the show, the Pryzbyla Center was the scene of a big dance party.
If anything, the happiness of every song made the performance a little tone-note. Surely, more could have been made of “The Winner Takes it All”, truly one of the most heartbreaking songs in the entire pop repertoire. The piece reflects songwriter’s Björn Ulvaeus’ divorce, and it reels with all the hurt and confusion that must inevitably come out of such a falling-out. “The Winner Takes it All” starkly stands out among ABBA’s very optimistic love songs, rounding out their canon into a more artistically perceptive legacy. It would have been nice if this cabaret reflected that a bit more. Nevertheless, the songs were delightful to hear, particularly “Does Your Mother Know” interpreted by the exceptionally strong, nuanced voice of junior Natalie Minter, and “Fernando”, sung with rich elegance and confidence by Benitez. Music as fun as ABBA’s is a delightful way to celebrate everyone’s inner star. In this cabaret, both the audience and the ensemble got a piece of that star power.
“Overall, the biggest note we got from our directors was to be rockstars and to have fun, and that is why ABBA is so great to perform,” said Benitez. “We all became rockstars for a month and it was one of the best performing experiences I’ve had in a while.”
