From The South Orange Performing Arts Center:
Liza Minnelli playing Sally Bowles said it best: What good is sitting/Alone in your room?/Come hear the music play/Life is a cabaret, old chum/Come to the cabaret
Two Broadway stars and New Jersey residents will headline SOPAC’s new Cabaret in the Loft series—a 54 Below-esque experience, west of the Hudson River.
Ginna Claire Mason and Mark Evan
On Sunday, November 13 at 7PM, 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 showtunes—including “Whatever Will Be, Will Be” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me”—and beyond. Formerly Glinda in Wicked on Broadway, South Orange resident Mason will be joined by several, soon to be announced, guests.
“In talking to Ginna Claire,” explains series curator Matthew Luminello, “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, January 29 at 7PM, West Orange resident Mark Evans (Mrs. Doubtfire, Waitress, The Play That Goes Wrong) 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,” says Luminello.
Then, on Sunday, June 25 at 7PM, 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.
More about Ginna Claire Mason:
Ginna Claire Mason rose to fame playing Glinda in Wicked both on the U.S. National Tour and on Broadway. She had the distinct honor and privilege to reopen the show after the Covid-19 pandemic and welcome audiences back to Broadway. Broadway World lauded her performance as “confident and comedic…Her beauty, charm, and hilarious facial expressions make her performance a memorable one.” Mason’s National Tour credits include Newsies (Katherine Plumber, understudy), Flashdance (Gloria), and Duck Commander Musical (Korie). Her regional theater credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hairspray, and Grease.
In additional to her robust Broadway resume, be sure to catch Mason starring in a brand-new Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, A Holiday Spectacular, featuring the iconic Radio City Rockettes, set to release this coming holiday season as part of their signature “Countdown to Christmas” programming. Born in Nashville, Mason received her BFA in Musical Theater from Elon University.
SOPAC is proud to have Mason, a South Orange resident, create a never-before-seen show, specifically for this brand-new series. Drawing inspiration from her idol Doris Day, whose song catalog is packed with over 650 songs including “Whatever Will Be, Will Be,” “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” and “A Bushel and A Peck,” Mason will treat audiences to a delightful evening filled with standards, showtunes, and even a surprise Broadway guest or two. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Ginna Claire Mason in her element, only at SOPAC!
More about Mark Evans:
Mark Evans is a renowned actor, singer and dancer with a large variety of Broadway and West End credits to his name.
Born and raised on a sheep farm in North Wales, Mark was not like the other kids around him. Gay, chubby and certainly not interested in the same hobbies as the “normal” boys.
Thankfully, he fell in love with singing; Wales is considered The Land Of Song after all. Music became an escape from real life. Mark ensured people saw him as “The Performer” and hid away every other side of him. This brought comfort, safety and….a bucket load of trauma to sing and laugh about in a cabaret three decades later.
Hide & Seek is a hilarious and touching show dedicated to anyone who seeks to bring their true selves to the surface.
Mark is excited to debut Hide & Seek, his first solo show in over a decade, at the South Orange Performing Arts Center where he recently starred in the world premier musical The Last Supper delivering a tour de force performance playing twelve different characters to huge acclaim.
Through great music, fun stories and a glimpse into a side of him you have not before seen, Hide And Seek will be a night of thrilling entertainment not to be missed. Music direction and arranging by Meg Zervoulis.
Mark’s Broadway / West End / Theatre credits include lead roles in: Mrs. Doubtfire, Waitress, The Play That Goes Wrong, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, Ghost The Musical, Oklahoma, The Rocky Horror Show, High School Musical, I Married An Angel, Me And My Girl, Mary Poppins, Singin’ In The Rain, Finian’s Rainbow, SPAMalot, and many more.
Mark released his debut album The Journey Home – Deluxe edition in the fall of 2012. He co-authored the book Secrets Of Stage Success with his Wicked co-star Louise Dearman which was first published in 2015.
Mark happily resides in West Orange, NJ with his husband Justin and their daughter Larsen.
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About SOPAC:
Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including the Classical Concert Series, Jazz ‘N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.
