The main tent at Arts Fest filled with families who came to see MT Cabaret belt out showtunes in their performance entitled “Songs of Enchantment” on Saturday. The setlist centered around magic and fairy tales, and a live student band accompanied the singers.
Children were encouraged to sit in the front and interact with the singers, and audience members were asked to join in a sing-along, making it a fun and interactive experience.
The program opened with a duet of “What Else Can I Do?” from the Disney movie Encanto, sung by Katie Shepard, MCAS ’28, and Allie Burns, MCAS ’28, with Kyle Cedrone, MCAS ’26, on the guitar.
Three songs from the popular Broadway musical and recent motion picture Wicked were performed. In “What is This Feeling,” Glinda (Elena Skirgaudas, MCAS ’27) and Elphaba (Veronica Wells, MCAS ’26) showed emotion in their performance, acting out the tension between the two characters. Maggie Hayes, MCAS ’25, Sanjana Pillai, CSOM ’27, Skirgaudas, and Burns sang the lively and engaging “Popular.”
Pillai impressed the crowd with Elphaba’s showstopper “Defying Gravity,” with Skirgaudas coming onstage as Glinda during the song. Due to the recent movie sparking a resurgence in Wicked’s popularity, these songs were a big hit with the crowd, most of whom sang along with the performers.
Solo performances included “The Place Where Lost Things Go” from Mary Poppins, sung by Ji Chen, LSEHD ’25, and a heartwarming rendition of “Neverland” from Finding Neverland, sung by Andrew Kang, MCAS ’26,—a musical about the family who inspired J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.
Renee Salvo, LSEHD ’28, followed with a performance as Wendy from Peter Pan, singing “Dream with Me.” During the song, Salvo waved a magic wand toward the audience, much to the delight of the children sitting in the front rows. The performers fully embodied their characters as they sang, adding an extra layer of engagement to the show.
The show featured medleys of popular Disney and musical theatre songs. One highlight was Bella Jean Starlin’s performance of a song from Moana, which was especially popular among the little ones familiar with the movie.
The Princess Medley followed a princess (Cate Maslan, BCSSW ’26) and a wannabe (Burns) who keeps trying to steal the spotlight while wearing a sparkly tiara. The back and forth between the two was quite humorous as they interrupted and attempted to out-sing each other.
“I Will Prevail” was performed by Hayes, in character as the Mad Hatter from the musical Wonderland. Sona Bardakjian, MCAS ’25, followed as Nancy Tremaine from Disenchanted to perform “Love Power.”
You can’t have a Princess Medley without an accompanying Witch Medley—and Salvo and Shepard delivered just that. Their dancing and movement throughout the performance brought the songs to life and added extra energy to the show.
The finale featured “Holding Out for a Hero” from the musical Hercules, performed by Maslan, Salvo, Bardakjian, Burns, Hayes, and Pillai. The six singers choreographed the number themselves, ending the show on a high note, as the audience erupted in applause.
The performance truly had something for everyone, blending classic show tunes that resonated with the adults and Disney favorites that captivated the children.
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