Cabarets have been a staple of musical performance for almost 100 years.
In the 1920s and 30s, cabaret shows became popular at small, local cafes in Paris, according to the online publication Talkin' Broadway. The idea of performance art hosted in intimate settings quickly spread all over the world and is still practiced today.
"[A cabaret] brings the focus to the actor and the performance," said Jonathan Jensen, senior musical theater major. "You don't have to have a huge, lavish set to perform a cabaret. You can do it simply with a performer and a piano."
On Saturday, the Ball State University Theatre and Dance Department will perform its own version with the second annual Cabaret a la Carte. The event was organized by Ball State's chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the National Honorary Theatre Society.
Cabaret a la Carte is a benefit show for theater scholarships featuring about 15 performances from students at Vera Mae's Bistro, a local restaurant and bar. Vera Mae's was chosen because of its small, stripped-down environment.
"A cabaret show fits into a restaurant setting," said Michael O'Hara, faculty adviser for Cabaret a la Carte. "It can be engaging and short, and it gives many students an opportunity to perform."
The students in the show are either theater, dance or music majors. They will give simple performances of a variety of songs. Most songs will be solos or duets, and two ensemble numbers will be done at the beginning and end of the show. Many of the songs will be pieces from larger musicals.
Junior theater major John Detty said he enjoys the unique opportunity a cabaret gives a performer as opposed to a big musical production.
"It's about that one moment in that one place," he said. "It's not about the whole arc of the show and following a plot. It's nice that there's still the story, there's still the music and there's still the actor, but it's more of what you want it to be as a performer."
Detty will perform a duet number called "I Am the One," from the musical "Next to Normal." He said it will be different from the way it is normally performed in the larger production.
"Our duet traditionally has a woman involved," he said. "The song is actually about her. But [we] are making it more about us. So you get that freedom with cabaret style."
Auditions for the event were also untraditional. Instead of having students come in and perform a song in order to win a spot in the show, they submitted pieces they had already performed or hoped to do.
The show will feature preview songs from "The Fantasticks," an upcoming Dinner Theatre show; original songs from a musical being written by a group of students at the Virginia B. Ball Center based on the book "Circus of Winter"; and materials from other musicals.
O'Hara said Cabaret a la Carte will highlight these songs in a whole new way.
"It's a more casual kind of show. The whole point is to see some exceptionally talented students sing some really incredible songs," he said.
Amy Harpenau, junior and board member for Alpha Psi Omega, organized the event this year. She said a major goal for the show is to bring Ball State students and Muncie locals together.
"Alpha Psi tries to involve the community as much as possible with the [theater] department," she said.
Jensen, who will perform a solo in the show, said he is looking forward to enjoying the special cabaret setting.
"This is a variety show. You've got your funny songs and your dramatic songs," he said. "This gives you an opportunity to just have a nice meal and a couple drinks and listen to music in the background. It's not really something you have to pay attention to. You can just relax and enjoy the music and the environment without having to concentrate on something."
Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. and Cabaret a la Carte will start at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25, however, it doesn't include dinner. Students can grab a $15 ticket 10 minutes before the performance if there are seats left.
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