Kendall Bolam has always wanted to sing “Maria” from “West Side Story.” The Naperville resident is finally getting her chance in the Theatre of Western Springs’ production of “The MisCast Cabaret” at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 22.
At the same time, she’s lending a helping hand to theater colleagues in California, which lost its performance space to wildfires. It’s a fulfilling role, even if her part is living up to the show’s name.
“I’ll be miscast in the sense that I’m singing a song that would normally be sung by a male,” Bolam said. “But I’ll be singing it as a soprano.”
That song means a lot to Bolam because “I grew up watching the ‘60s movie and I always felt that Tony had the best songs in that musical and I was always jealous,” Bolam admitted.
Bolam, who has a theater degree in vocal performance from Southeastern University in Florida, has been performing with the theater company for less than a year, about the same amount of time that she has been on staff at the theater as the development manager.
All 18 cast members are miscast, a concept suggested by Tammy O’Reilly, of LaGrange Highlands, who has performed at the Theatre of Western Springs since 2016.
“It was personal,” O’Reilly explained. “Because I’ve had songs and themes that came from different musicals and belonged to characters that I would never be cast in because of being the wrong gender, or the wrong age, or the wrong ethnicity. I had seen this concept in other theaters. I approached (Executive Artistic Director) Eddie (Sugarman) and our DEI Committee about the idea. I had a feeling that maybe I wasn’t the only one who thought, ‘Gosh I wish I could sing that song.’” The Board of Governors approved the project.
O’Reilly will be singing “I’m Here,” which is sung by Miss Cele in “The Color Purple.”
“I had the honor and pleasure of seeing the original production in New York and it was a moment onstage I will never ever forget,” O’Reilly explained. “I think the words are very powerful and that the hardship and trauma that the character had gone through had a lot of universal overtones for many people.”
O’Reilly will also be accompanying the singers on piano for several numbers; the other pianist will be Michael Oldham.
“We have been looking for opportunities to bring the community together,” said Executive Artistic Director Eddie Sugarman, of Western Springs, who is directing the production. “Also, we’re always looking for opportunities to get our members onstage. This seemed like a great way to do it.”
The members didn’t have to audition — anyone who wanted to be in the show and could commit to the time became part of the production, Sugarman reported. Everyone performs in the group numbers. Those include “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” from “Guys and Dolls;” “Aquarius” from “Hair;” and “Defying Gravity” from “Wicked.”
“Then, folks could audition for solos,” Sugarman said.
Singers chose their solo but it had to be something out of their comfort zone, he said.
The show, at 4384 Hampton Ave. in Western Springs, is a benefit for the Theatre of Western Springs and Theatre Palisades in California, which lost its space because of the wildfires.
“We have a motto — theaters helping theaters,” Bolam said. “I think that’s a really beautiful thing.”
Raising money for both theaters “Has been an incredible bonus to the whole cabaret,” O’Reilly said.
“We’re a charity so we need to fundraise to do our own programming,” Sugarman said. “But we also wanted to help others and create good community.” Choosing a theater that lost everything in the wildfires “seemed like a way we could extend a helping hand across the miles.”
Tickets are $20. Reservations are at theatrewesternsprings.com.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
