The lights dimmed, the crowd hushed, and the Bowie High School Choir took center stage. This event, featuring a big finale, showcased a mixture of pop-style songs. The performance wasn’t just about individual talent but also about the collaboration and bond between students who love the stage.
Cabaret isn’t your traditional stationary choir concert. It’s a lively, choreographed event where students perform a variety of solos and duets. The musical numbers are a twist on classical Broadway hits, which students, specifically sophomore Faye Daughtry, enjoy because they are allowed to sing in different settings.
“My favorite part of getting ready for cabaret is getting to learn non-choral songs and having the freedom to work with any choir students on them,” Daughtry said. “Getting to work within a small group is super fun because you can blend different vocals.”
This year’s theme highlights award-winning songs ranging from solos to large group numbers. Choir directors Aaron Bourgeois and Randy Cantu created upbeat choreography full of transitions and movement for the large group numbers.
“We always have a specific theme that ties together the production and keeps for a more cohesive performance. This year’s theme is ‘And The Winner Is…’ which focuses on award-winning songs, artists, musicals, and even TV shows and movies,” Bourgeois said. “The theme this year is nice because it provides a set framework but with a lot of options of songs.”
When it came to choosing the songs for this year’s Cabaret, the process was just as collaborative as the performance itself. Bourgeois explained that he worked closely with the senior Cabaret directors to select class songs based on student interests and what was available in choir sheet music form.
“We allow students auditioning for solos or small groups to bring any song that fits the theme to the table,” Bourgeois said. “If we like the audition, we’ll usually stick with that song because it’s something the student is clearly passionate about, and that always shows on stage.”
One of the best memories Faye recalls from preparation happened late one evening, when a few students stayed after rehearsal to practice vocals. What started as a quick practice turned into a spontaneous session of dancing and singing.
“Most choir students don’t really dance, so singing loudly and dancing at the same time is different and harder,” Daughtry said. “It’s fun that for this type of choir performance, we can hang out and go out of our comfort zone and try things like dancing.”
As always, unexpected problems like a mic malfunction or a wrong sound cue will occur. However, each time, the directors and leaders worked quickly during rehearsals to problem-solve and make sure no duet or solo felt discouraged.
“This year we had almost a month less than we normally do to put things together, but the process sort of looks like how most music based shows look we had auditions and then we worked with the groups that we put in the show how we want this to look on stage lighting sound, etc,” Choir President Bubba Infante said. “We just tried to keep it fun and positive for everyone, even when things get stressful.”
Behind the scenes, students worked tirelessly to juggle rehearsals, nerves, and auditions while balancing schoolwork. In preparation for the performance, students tend to focus on stage directions, music transitions, and vocals.
“Depending on how much time we have after UIL, it can get a little stressful. We have to choose the songs, audition for groups/solos, and also practice the music and dance for the class songs,” Daughtry said. “The last week of rehearsals is in the theater itself, and there are a lot of transitions and dancing.”
Bourgeois hopes to inspire his students to have a healthy mindset and fun energy when performing. His advice is always to enjoy the spotlight and be enthusiastic until the end of the show.
“The biggest thing with Cabaret is having fun and showing enthusiasm,” Bourgeois said. “My advice is to always commit to the bit. The audience will think that a performance is awesome if you’re performing it with the enthusiasm that you see it as awesome as well.”
The night ended with a standing ovation, marking the end of another successful year for the Bowie Choir. For the seniors, it wasn’t just a performance but a final goodbye to everything they’ve built and created.
“It was the perfect way to wrap up the year,” Infante said. “Watching everyone shine on that stage one last time, knowing how much work, heart, and late nights went into it, made the moment even more meaningful for all of us.”
