Mark Evans
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Two Broadway stars and New Jersey residents will headline South Orange Performing Arts Center’s new “Cabaret in the Loft” series, a 54 Below–esque experience, west of the Hudson River.
On Sunday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., Ginna Claire Mason opens this series with a specially curated performance, “Dream a Little Dream: An Evening Inspired by Doris Day.” Mason will treat audiences to an evening filled with Day’s standards and show tunes, including “Whatever Will Be, Will Be,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and more. Formerly Glinda in “Wicked” on Broadway, this South Orange resident will be joined by several, soon-to-be-announced guests.
“In talking to Ginna Claire,” series curator Matthew Luminello said, “it was so clear to me that everything about Doris Day, from her life to her career to her song catalog, just lit up a spark in her. I can’t wait for SOPAC audiences to experience that same spark.”
On Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at 7 p.m., West Orange resident Mark Evans debuts his solo cabaret, “Hide & Seek,” a hilarious and touching show about growing up gay, chubby and certainly not interested in the same hobbies as the “normal” boys. Evans ensured people saw him as “the performer.” This brought comfort, safety and … a bucket-load of trauma to sing and laugh about later. His show is dedicated to anyone who seeks to bring their true selves to the surface.
“It means so much when an artist trusts us as a safe space to not only debut a new piece, but to also see SOPAC as a place where we can nurture their artistry and allow them the opportunity to be vulnerable, expressive and creative,” Luminello said.
Then, on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at 7 p.m., audiences are invited to SOPAC Celebrates Pride, the arts center’s first-ever drag show filled with over-the-top entertainment from regional performers.
For more information, visit sopacnow.org/series/cabaret.
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