The Canadian College of Performing Arts (CCPA) is reviving its in-person Piano Bar Showtune Cabaret series in January and February. CCPA managing artistic director Caleb Marshall says that the series serves as a perfect learning opportunity for his students.
“We are trying to train our students in singing, and acting, and dance, and to be able to perform,” says Marshall. “I think the challenge of getting up on stage in a cabaret-style environment to perform songs, and numbers, and duets on their own and sort of control, potentially, and lead the energy of an audience that may not always be quiet, it requires tremendous energy and exuberance.”
The main thing Marshall looks for when selecting songs is a lot of variety and some nostalgia.
“I think a real variety, I mean that’s the number-one thing people are often looking for in a cabaret,” says Marshall. “A lot of the general performance-going audience are familiar with some of the classic musicals and there’s an air of nostalgia about hearing some of those great musical numbers from the musicals of the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and so on. But there’s also really innovative and exciting new musicals that are being developed that haven’t toured in this region yet, and haven’t been necessarily produced by companies because they might still be running on Broadway. So, it’s a chance to also give our audience a flavour of some of the musicals they may have heard about but never had the chance to listen to and see, and give them a taste of what some of that music is. So it’s really a celebration of musical theatre of past and present.”
Marshall says that the best part of putting the show together was being able to make it happen in person.
“The best part for me right now, I think, is being able to return to intimate in-person events,” he says. “To be able to go back to live performance in more social environments like the Fernwood [Inn], where you can eat, and drink, and relax and see a great show intimately that’s not through a screen. It really is a celebration of everything that makes live performance great.”
The main challenge that Marshall faced during the production of the series came down to finding a place to do the show.
“I think the challenge was finding a venue and, you know, that was sort of an idea of looking for a new venue and a new partnership. But, that fell into place very easily and we are very excited to partner with the Fernwood Inn, but this will be the first time we’ve done a show there,” he says.
Marshall says that he believes that audiences play a big part when it comes to going to see a performance.
“Audiences play a really important part,” he says. “Not just to be able to come for enjoyment, and I think they will have a fantastic evening and really enjoy it, but also, performers need audiences. And, for young performers that are in their training, it’s a really valuable relationship to have that shared energy with a live audience.”
Marshall says that the main thing he would love his audiences to take away is an opportunity to see fresh performers that are in early stages of their careers.
“I think this will be a chance for audiences to see performers at an early stage in their career, who I have every confidence will go onto great things, and some day that audience will be able to say ‘I saw that person at the Fernwood do a cabaret,’ once their careers have exploded and they’re finding great success.”
Piano Bar Showtune Cabarets
6:30 pm Wednesday, February 1
Fernwood Inn
ccpacanada.com