LOGAN – About 50 lucky summer citizens packed the patio at Café Sabor on July 18 to enjoy the debut of the first of three Late Night Cabaret shows performed by this year’s cast and crews of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre.
The casual but still classy event was introduced by Vanessa Ballam, the theatre company’s associate artistic director. The gathering was intended to give UFOMT performers the opportunity to connect with audiences in a more relaxed setting, she explained.
The Cabaret event, starting at 11 p.m., came at the end of a long day for the company’s cast and crews, particularly for Ms. Ballam and her husband, Stefan Espinosa. The pair had performed in a matinee of Guys and Dolls at the Ellen Eccles Theatre, then switched gears to play the leads in the Little Shop of Horrors at the Utah Theatre just prior to the Cabaret show.
But that busy schedule didn’t dent the enthusiasm of the Cabaret’s performers, some of whom were members of the singing and dancing ensembles for those aforementioned shows and the UFOMT’s ongoing hit production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
UFOMT newcomer Katie Calderone, who is easily recognizable as the White Cat in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production, led off the entertainment by singing a moody version of “Joey, Joey, Joey” from the 1963 musical 110 in the Shade.
Throughout the evening, the youthful performers displayed a decided taste for tunes from classic Broadway shows that premiered long before they were even born.
Also from Cats, David Postlewate sang a jazzy rendition of “I’ve Got Beginners Luck,” a song written by George Gershwin for the 1937 film “Shall We Dance,” made popular by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
The lovely Palyce Evelyn Berrian also dug deep into the musical archives to find “I Double Dare You,” a 1930s song recently made popular again by Broadway star Audra McDonald. Ms. Berrian joined the Cabaret singers from her roles as Sillibub in Cats and Chiffon in Little Shop of Horrors.
Best known for her breathtaking 2022 performance as Laurie in The Tender Land at the Griffin Farm in Millville, powerhouse singer Trysten Reynolds performed “On The Steps of the Palace” from the popular musical Into the Woods.
Even some of the backstage crew got into the act, as Wig and Make Up Designer Melyssa Swensen led a trio of her crew members in a spirited version of “Mama Mia!,” from the ABBA musical of the same name.
Later in the program, Postlewate returned to sing “On a Clear Day” from the musical On a Clear Day You can See Forever and Maryn Tueller joined Ms. Calderone and Ms. Reynolds as partners in harmony to perform “Sing for Your Supper” from the 1930s musical The Boys from Syracuse.
Toward the end of the night, young Ben Ballam sweetly sang “Moon River,” from the 1961 movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Joining his sister, Ballam has an ensemble role in this year’s production of Guys and Dolls.
The UFOMT has slated two additional opportunities for audiences to catch a similar Cabaret show – with new music and performers – on July 25 and Aug. 1.
Seating for those events at Café Sabor is limited, however.
Tickets for Cabaret shows can be reserved by calling the festival opera ticket office at 800-262-0074 or online at www.utahfestival.org