TROY — The show will go on at the Troy Civic Theatre as they return to in-person entertainment this weekend.
“It’s so good being able to breathe again after holding your breath for so long. It’s just, because — with my history of the theatre, my grandmother was one of its founding members, so I literally grew up with the theatre. It’s so nice to be back there, and back home,” Derek Dunavent, technical manager for the Troy Civic Theatre, said.
During the pandemic, members and volunteers with the Troy Civic Theatre tackled some housekeeping tasks, including some refurbishing projects. The theatre also put on virtual performances of a staged reading of the Shakespearian classic “Much Ado About Nothing” in December 2020, and had a hybrid showing both virtually and in-person of the play “The Hallelujah Girls” in May. This Friday and Saturday, the doors to the theatre will be fully open to the public for the Troy Civic Theatre Cabaret, which will feature musical performances from artists in the Troy area and surrounding communities.
“It’s a cabaret, meaning that there’s no linear structure to it. It’s a collection of songs from different musicals. This one in particular, there weren’t auditions for. I asked some friends from Troy and the greater Dayton area who are all great singers and have been chomping at the bit to perform, and they’re going to come in. We’ve been practicing a couple of songs, we’re doing a couple of group numbers, and everyone is going to showcase their talents for us,” Dunavent said.
Performers in the cabaret include Dunavent, Gabriel Ison, Jennifer Kaufman, Tj Montgomery, Elizabeth Maxson, Darcy Maxson, Brian Laughlin, Charis Weible, Gretchen Tamplin, Sydney Edington and Madison Wells. Songs will be featured from shows such as “Man of La Mancha,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “RENT,” “Waitress,” the “Lord of the Rings Musical,” and more. Preparations for the show have been pretty low-key, as the event is individual-driven and put together with only four rehearsals.
“A cabaret — it’s both a celebration of this very talented group of people, and of showing the different breadth of things we can do in such a small amount of time. We didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for this; I gave everyone a call in early May, and we’re going up in mid-June,” Dunavent said. “It’s just coming alive around us, and it’s wonderful.”
While the event is free and open to the public, the theatre will be accepting donations of any amount. Additionally, patrons are recommended to wear masks, and vaccinated attendees may go without masks per CDC guidelines. There will be a socially distanced section available for attendees with roughly 15 seats, as well as two sections that are normal capacity — about 75 seats, according to Dunavent.
“It has been amazing — I have so many people who are just excited. I’m slightly afraid that we’re going to sell out, fill up, and people are just going to come flocking into the theatre and we’re not going to have enough room for everyone,” Dunavent said.
The Troy Civic Theatre Cabaret will be held beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19. For more information, visit the Troy Civic Theatre’s Facebook page.
