Hello Jason,
IIRC, your theater also functions as the gym (at least, the seats are folding chairs that are not permanently fixed)?
If that's the case, I would skip the lobby decor and perform Cabaret in the round (not using your stage at all). It will be a tech challenge but whatever you spend on lights would hopefully be offset by less set-building expense?!
If the show is in the round, all 36 players and band could be observing the show within the audience. (I'd suggest a ~dozen cabaret tables very close to the aisles). All 36 would need to be in character when the house opens and all of them act as ushers. Include the band, too, although they would need to sit together or cut them down to a small combo and keep them onstage as characters for the entire show. A la Spring Awakening or the Doyle Sweeney Todd/Company on Broadway.
I'd shy away from a 'pre-show' simply because it would make for an unnecessarily long evening (if the pre-show starts at advertised showtime). If the pre-show begins while the audience is entering, I fear frustration on the part of the performers and their families coming to see them. It's no fun playing to an audience that isn't attentive and very difficult for a developing performer to command focus under less-than-ideal circumstances (such as house lights up, people saying hello to friends, etc).
As others have suggested in the other thread re: disappointment, you have set up a varsity and JV divide. Eliminate it by incorporating the JV into the ensemble numbers and also by having the 'varsity' players in the "pre-show" (one team, all ushers, etc.). You might consider 1-2 short pieces to set the environment & tone of a 'cabaret-in-the-round' before the book show starts, but I'd make sure that the cabaret pieces are under show conditions (house lights out) and segue directly (having an Emcee character certainly helps) into the show without implying that it is K&A's work.
Good luck!
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Michael McDonough
Stageworks Media
New York NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2014 12:42
From: Jason Peck
Subject: Ideas for preshow entertainment . . .
I am directing a production of. Kander and Ebb's CABARET at my school. I had 36 audition- took 18 in the principle cast and took 18 to be of some sort of preshow entertainment. I was wondering if people might have suggestions for what I could do with these kids. I plan on decking our lobby to make it part of the Kit Kat Klub and they can float as servers, waiters, or anything really. But I want to give them a chance to shine- maybe a number before the show begins in the lobby. Something. Don't know what. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Jason Peck
Brentwood School
Los Angeles CA
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