“Broadway Backwards: A Miscast Cabaret” To Raise Money For The Talent Machine Company

In an upcoming cabaret, The Talent Machine Company will feature actors in roles that go against expected casting in more than one way. Though Talent Machine is a children’s theater, “Broadway Backwards: A Miscast Cabaret” will feature actors ages 18 and older performing in a variety of roles in which they would not usually be cast. The show is a benefit fundraiser for the children’s shows.

“This cabaret is just one very small piece of how I’m able to give back to something that gave so much to me as a kid,” said cabaret director and Talent Machine alum Sarah Johansen.

Talent Machine holds four performances for kids and teens each year: two summer shows, a holiday spectacular and a spring production. In partnership with The Penguin Project, the spring musical is open to performers with disabilities ages 7 to 21 and pairs performers with volunteer peer mentors. The cabaret will raise money for the children’s performances, which the actors participate in without having to pay substantial fees.

“I think it’s a great organization; I think the arts are so important,” said Arnold resident and cabaret cast member Layne Cassidy, who performed with Talent Machine until graduating from Broadneck High School (BHS). “It really is a place of community at the end of the day.”

Johansen, who grew up in Arnold, performed with Talent Machine from the late 1990s through her graduation from BHS in 2010. Last year, she and fellow Talent Machine alum Taylor Rector had the idea to bring together adults to perform in a cabaret-style show featuring solos, duets, trios and group numbers. “Broadway Backwards” will be their second adult cabaret.

In addition to directing, Johansen is co-hosting the show with Rector, as well as writing a script that will connect the various performances together. The script will make the show fall somewhere in between a full show and a standard cabaret in terms of style.

“It’s a fun muscle to flex,” Johansen said. “As someone who directs, you’re not usually part of that part of the process.”

Though some of the performers are working with the group for the first time, many of the actors are Talent Machine alumni enjoying the opportunity to return to their musical theater roots. Some of the actors had not participated in any productions in a long time.

“It really means a lot to me to be able to incorporate music and performing into my busy schedule,” said cabaret cast member and Severna Park High School alum Abby Burns. “Going to rehearsals with such a vibrant, accepting and talented group of people has been such a joy.”

Rehearsals have taken place at Talent Machine’s usual space at Stageworkz in Millersville. Though they’re putting a lot of work into the production, the cast has also enjoyed rehearsals having a more casual approach. “We go to rehearsal at night and then we sing and have fun and play,” Johansen said. “It’s a combination of philanthropy and a fun activity for people. It’s a very social activity, but we do take the show very seriously.”

Johansen hopes that the cabarets will continue to take place regularly, maybe even moving from once a year to twice a year. “It is a new series, so it kind of is like a big experiment,” she said. “We got a lot of great feedback last year about people enjoying the show. So hopefully if we keep the themes different every time and we keep that kind of new and fresh, people will keep coming back.”

“Broadway Backwards: A Miscast Cabaret” will take place at Live Arts Studio in Annapolis Mall at 7:30pm on Friday, March 27. Johansen recommends PG-13 as a rating for the audience. To purchase tickets and learn more about the show, visit www.talentmachine.com/cabaret.