Education takes center stage in this year's Summer Musical Theater Conservatory at ArtsWest as West Seattle students Mandy Barnet, James Grixoni-Lewis, Riana Hidalgo, Emily Meyer, Micah Packard, Cecelia Rehm, and Kelly Thoma help bring Kander and Ebb's musical classic "Cabaret" to the stage for 12 uncut and uncensored performances August 1 to 12.

The award-winning smash Broadway hit musical "Cabaret" is set in a nightclub in Berlin as the Roaring Twenties draw to a close and the pre-World War II social and political mechanisms of the Nazi party gain power and popularity.

With such musical favorites as "Willkomen," "Maybe This Time" and the title song "Cabaret," this musical by John Kander and Fred Ebb offers a compelling combination of entertainment and history.

More than 80 students from throughout the Greater Seattle area auditioned for ArtsWest's Conservatory this year with 28 being selected for cast, crew, and band for "Cabaret."

The cast, composed entirely of high school and college-aged students, includes: Nathanial Cook, Gabe Corey, Isaiah Corey, Zack Desmond, Justin DeWolf, James Grixoni-Lewis, Rianna Hidalgo, Lisa Hill, Gemma Koreski, Andrew Leonard, Genneva Machmiller, Emily McVicker, Emily Meyer, Elizabeth Nestlerode, Micah Packard, Cecelia Rehm, Karin Rudd, Emma Ruhl, Dannielle Simmons, Rio Skorstad, Emma Staake, Kelly Thoma, Nicholas Wichman, and Calin Winn.

Working for the second consecutive year with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsWest developed the Conservatory curriculum with an eye toward general education in addition to classes in theater skills.

"A big theme of 'Cabaret' that I want to be sure to get across to these students involves the consequences of apathy," said Christopher Zinovitch, ArtsWest director of theater and theater education. "Many of our conservatory students will be eligible to vote in the next election and there's an important message here about stepping up and taking on the responsibility to be informed and vote."

The Conservatory curriculum included seven weeks of classes and rehearsals prior to the show's opening on August 1. In addition to the Actor's Seminar which includes special evening lectures and events open to the general public, general class topics include text analysis, an audition workshop, costume and makeup, and a dialect class where Yiddish, German, Russian, American English, and Standard British will be taught by Beth Cooper.

A course in music instrumentation is also on the schedule for student musicians who will be playing saxophone, violin, accordion, and piano during the course of the show. Three professional musicians will join students.

"Cabaret" will run August 1 through 12. Performances: Opening night 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 5 and 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, August 6. Tickets: $12 at the box office at 938-0339 or online at www.artswest.org.

In keeping with the theme, four cabaret-style tables, each seating two guests, will be on stage as part of the set and eight audience members each performance can watch the play while being part of the play. Seats at the tables will sell for $25 each and will include two soft drinks per ticket.

- Carlene Canton, ArtsWest