Ten Cent Jukebox Makes it a Musical Fundraiser

Some of Calabasas' finest vocal talent is on display this weekend – and the singers might just be your babysitter.

The Spotlight the Arts Foundation is presenting "Ten Cent Cabaret: A Jukebox Musical Revue" at the Calabasas Amphitheatre (behind the library) as a fundraiser for the nascent Calabasas Theatre Company.

The local performers are all Calabasas and Taft High School students or graduates – but don't let their dewy looks fool you.  This group of youngsters has the pipes and the trained ears to produce toe tapping, harmonically complex covers of the best pop tunes of the past 50 years.

Under the musical direction of Calabasas High graduate (class of '09) and Boston Conservatory sophomore Taylor Shubert, the 14 young singers bring smoothly-blended voices and powerful solo turns to arrangements that have the barber shop quartet vibe of television's "Glee," but without the nerd factor.

Try infusing classic pop tunes from Queen and Green Day with the à capella harmonics of the school choir and you get the idea. Many of the performers will be going on to study at the Boston Conservatory this year, but were willing to give their all this weekend in an effort to help support the new Calabasas Theatre Company (CTC).

"These kids are wonderful to do this for us for free," Company Artistic Director Geoffrey G. Forward said. "The Calabasas Theatre Company will be a cultural treasure for this city."

Forward, clad in a sober tux belied by red and white striped socks and shiny patent leather shoes, admits that the company faces challenges.

"We have a five year charter and we got a small grant from the city to get started," Forward said. "And we have a budget.  We don't have any money, but we have a budget."

What they also don't have is a performance venue. Spotlight the Arts board member Debbie Gambardella acknowledged that she wasn't sure where CTC would end up, but that their first production of Dylan Thomas' "Under Milkwood," scheduled to open next month, could possibly be staged in the amphitheatre or in the Calabasas Library's Founder's Room.

"It's a work in progress," Gambardella said.

But none of those concerns were on display Thursday night, as teenager after teenager got up to croon or belt out favorite jukebox tunes from Elvis Presley to Pat Benatar to Labelle.  A little more work with standing mics and another performance or two will help these performers shake off some obvious jitters, but when they decide to plunge into group harmonies, they offer undeniably sweet and melodic takes on familiar pop music.

Taylor himself has a strong tenor and excellent ear, always on solid pitch and with such a winning smile, that the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber should be worried. Young Paige Berkovitz has a soaring musical comedy voice – if a national touring company for "Wicked" comes back through the area, they need look no further for their Elphaba.  Expect to see both these performers on Broadway someday.

Ally Hammarquist has an unusual, Marianne Faithfull quality to her voice and Gabi Hankins could be a powerful hit rocker chick.

The audience, which will surely double or triple for tonight's and Saturday night's performance, was filled with school friends and grandparents, all swaying to the music and obviously enjoying a cultural night out.

"There was some real talent here tonight," local performer Jackie Goldberg said. "We've needed a real theatre company here in Calabasas for awhile now.  Maybe this is the start."

"Ten Cent Cabaret: A Jukebox Musical Revue" will perform Friday and Saturday nights, August 6 and 7,at 8:00 p.m. at the Calabasas Amphitheatre. Tickets are $15 and $10.  For more information and to reserve tickets, call (818) 4360-530.