IU's talented performers connect with youth, share passion for performing across the state through Broadway Cabaret
Of all of the activities musical theater major Lindsay Lovlee Carroll has been involved with at IU Bloomington, her participation in the performing student group Broadway Cabaret is one of the highlights.
"My favorite part of being in this group is having the chance to share my love of performing with kids who have the same interests and aspirations as me," said Lovlee Carroll, an undergraduate with minors in psychology and dance. "I just love being on stage and entertaining people, whether it's for a group of high school students or in front of an auditorium full of people."
Chris Meyer
The Broadway Cabaret performs for the Herbert Scholars and their families at dinner in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union.
Broadway Cabaret is directed and choreographed by George Pinney, a professor of theater and drama and an Emmy Award winner, who calls it "a reincarnation of the Jordan River Revue." That group was an annual IU student production that began in the 1920s (then-IU student Hoagy Carmichael was a member) and continued through the mid-1960s.
Under Pinney's tutelage, Broadway Cabaret has entertained throughout the state at Alumni Clubs, community arts organizations, and has been featured in IU's Moveable Feast of the Arts, the Meadowood Retirement Community and for Herbert Presidential Scholars Dinners.
Pinney said students gain invaluable experience in this group. It wouldn't be surprising to see some of its talented 18 members on Broadway in a few years (alongside successful IU theater and drama alums who are already performing on Broadway).
Auditions normally take place during fall semester ("Once you are in the group, your membership is solid for as long as you want it to be," said Lovlee Carroll), and members are divided into two groups in order to split up the shows between them.
Before a show, the team rehearses two to three times a week. Songs are selected by Pinney and music director Terry LaBolt.
Chris Meyer
Broadway Cabaret Director George Pinney watches the group perform from the side of the stage.
This year's repetoire includes "The New World" from the musical Songs for a New World; "Pain," a song about the physical strain of dance; "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man" from Fosse, a Rodgers and Hart medley, and "Here's Where I Stand" from Camp, which segues into a closing with "The New World" again. In between, the group numbers are individual solos or duets, which are typically selected by the students and cast by Pinney. In this spring's performances, Lovlee Carroll sings the duet called "Stud and a Babe" from I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, and "Here's Where I Stand."
Pinney said that in addition to its other performing engagements, Broadway Cabaret travels to high schools across Indiana to perform for groups as small as 30 and as large as 120 or more.
"Our mission is outreach to the community," said Pinney. "It's also a way for our students to get in front of as wide a number of people in as many venues as possible before they graduate."
Lovlee Carroll said the group's high school visits begin with a group number. Sometimes they'll even do a mock Chorus Line audition-selection process to show the students what happens at a bachelor of fine arts audition at IU (two contrasting 16-32 bar songs and a 60-second monologue).
"After the last song, we bow and then begin introducing ourselves," she said. "We usually give our name, year and where we're from. Then we tell the students to ask any questions they have about Cabaret, IU, Musical Theatre or college life in general. If they're interested in the BFA program, we also tell them about the audition process."
After graduation in spring 2010, Lovlee Carroll plans to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in acting or singing. "I absolutely love working on films and I wouldn't object to being a signed recording artist either! But one can never be too picky in this occupation -- I will accept any job that pays the bills," she joked. "I love what I do and I do it because it's so rewarding to know that you can turn someone's day around in just a single performance."
