Kaledioscope - CCM MT's BIPOC Cabaret
There's no way I should have been allowed to see this for free
Lately, it seems like my theatre adventures have been “all CCM, all the time.” Between last week’s “Spring Awakening” weekend to this week’s BIPOC cabaret (and upcoming Freshman Showcase), I have been spending an inordinate amount of time among the best and brightest stars of tomorrow.
And I couldn’t be happier about it.
“Kaleidoscope,” a cabaret produced and starring some of CCM Musical Theatre’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color for those who don’t know) students, was staged at Liberty Exhibition Hall last Wednesday night. Featuring members of each class, every performance was either moving, sensational, or both. Matt Welsh, a graduate student, accompanied all of the singers - accentuating their performances without missing a single note.
Right out of the gate was the touching rendition of “How Far I’ll Go” by Annalise Prentiss, who, before singing, spoke of learning to embrace her heritage in young adulthood by performing in Spanish. Next, Coty Perno’s emotional performance of “Giant” gave me goosebumps. And then freshman Monique Churchill delivered “Soon as I Get Home” from “The Wiz” so clearly and powerfully I turned to look at the person behind me and said, “This shouldn’t be free.”
And they were just getting started.
Kristen Das confidently performed “Flowers,” followed by senior Sasha Spitz, who proved she can play more than one Disney princess (she was “Cinderella” earlier this year) by giving an epic rendition of “For the First Time in Forever” from “Frozen.” Indya Lincicome was next and captivated the audience, followed by a duet from JT Langlas and Jamal Stone of “Dear Theodosia” from “Hamilton.”
Then, Erin Morton took the stage; the charisma oozed out of her, and wow, can she sing. Madison Mosley, one of my favorites, nearly stole the show with “Don’t Forget Me,” while sophomore Brian Cheung showed his softer side with “Strange” by Celeste. Future baritone superstar Anargha Pal proved he could play “Shrek” tomorrow with his version of “Who I’d Be." Andy Bakun entertained with a well-sung version of “Doesn’t Know I’m There,” and Ranease Brown showed her diverse talent on a song called “Circus.”
Sean Polk II took the stage and built his number so well that he stepped away from the mic and allowed his gorgeous pipes to fill the spacious room acoustically - and impressively. Grace Capeless then sang a great version of “Before It’s Over” before two of the organizers of the cabaret, Lucy Acuna and Sam Yousuf (along with co-organizer Annalise Prentiss), dueted on Ben Platt’s hit, “Grow As We Go.” Essence Bell, another charismatic star to be, sang “Tireswing Song,” and at this point, I was completely starstruck by the entire cast.
And then Julia Schick, whom you might have seen on the Tony’s last year as a scholarship recipient, strode to the mic stand and ultimately brought the house down with a picture-perfect version of “I’m Here” from “The Color Purple.” It’s not hyperbole when I say that last year’s Tony performance will very likely not be her last. This might be the best single performance of a song I’ve ever seen.
The musical theatre students of CCM are special; this is a night I’ll remember for a very long time.
FYI If you notice any errors or spelling mistakes, please reach out to me so I can correct it! I have no editor and I work fast - but I want to be accurate and give you something shareable!
Makes me want to live closer to Cincinnati, if only for the theatre!