Curtain Rises Tonight on ALJ's Cabaret

The Arthur L. Johnson High School production of Cabaret opens this week with performances beginning Thursday, March 24 through Saturday, March 26. The famed and immensely popular Kander and Ebb musical promises to be an evening of rousing entertainment. Cabaret is directed by Peter Nevargic who says, “While not your typical American musical, our production of Cabaret is a wildly entertaining, as well as a thought-provoking show that is not to be missed. The cast is incredible; the talent level is through the roof. Everyone will be shocked to see how good these kids are.” Junior students and actors Samantha Vargas, Filip Wojcik and Christopher Mugavero headline the show and are veterans of past ALJ performances.

Cabaret is set in Berlin, Germany circa-1930 during the pre-war years also known as the Weimar Era. It was a time of artistic freedom, boundless creativity, and unabashed decadence, all happening while a monster and his Nazi party were looming in the background, poised to change the world.  The musical vacillates between the seedy Kit Kat Club and a rooming house where a young American writer (Wojcik) becomes enamored with the nightclub’s cabaret singer (Vargas), and the two experience pre-war Berlin to the hilt until it all comes crashing down around them. Overseeing the action is the Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Club (Mugavero).

Vargas plays the lead female role of Sally Bowles. This is her fourth year acting at ALJ, including a starring role in Gypsy last year. Vargas says, “The show has a more serious story line this year and I have a lot more singing – a whole number by myself. It’s great working with the same people every year. It is like another family. We are so close and hang out all the time.”  Vargas is a member of the Drama Club, loves to write and plans to contribute to The Quest, the school literary magazine. She wants to major in English in college and also loves to cook.

Wojcik stars as American reporter, Clifford Bradshaw in his sixth ALJ production, including Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors and The Odd Couple. He says, “We started a lot earlier this year. It is a very serious play with less comedy and more about the Nazis and the cabaret club. It is sort of dark. Also, this play has a lot more lead parts than last year, so stage time is split up more and it is interesting to see the characters come out of different people. There is really no dancing for me this year, just a few songs. I think this show will be even better than last year, I am very excited for it.” He is a member of the National Honor Society, GSA, the Science League and contributes to the school newspaper and yearbook. He would like to attend college in New York City and plans to apply to NYU and Columbia University. Wojcik works at Dairy Queen in Clark and likes to play the piano and read in his spare time.

Mugavero performs as the Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Club which is his first lead role in an ALJ production. He says the role requires a lot of singing and dancing. He began performing his sophomore year in The Odd Couple and Gypsy. He says, “The other cast members and I have worked really hard on this production. We are interacting with the audience and trying to grab their attention. This is the last performance at ALJ for some of the cast members. I think it will be one of our best productions and I am proud to be part of it.” Mugavero is a member of DECA and the History Club and would like to be a peer leader and mediator next year. He plans to attend college in the tri-state area, hopefully NYU and has always wanted to major in business or marketing. In his spare time he likes to listen to music which he finds therapeutic and relaxing and spend time with his family.

Director, Nevargic has been teaching English at ALJ for five years. He worked as an actor for twenty years before returning to Rutgers where he earned his teaching degree.  Cabaret is the fourth production directed by Nevargic at ALJ. “This performance just feels different, more important to me… whether it is the timing or the dynamics of the cast or the subject matter. It is not just a happy-go-lucky musical,” said Nevragic.  “People have to really come and think and pay attention because there is a strong message in there. The story takes place just before Hitler comes to power and after that everything changed.”

Performances:

Thursday, March 24 - 7 p.m.

Friday, March 25 - 7 p.m.

Saturday, March 26 - 7 p.m.

Tickets:

Adults:  $10.00

Students & Senior Citizens:  $5.00