CCS Students, Staff Preparing for January 30th Cabaret Night

By ARYA PATEL
COOPERSTOWN

Cooperstown Central School is hosting its annual Cabaret Night on Friday, January 30 from 5-9 p.m. Sponsored by the CCS Music Department and CCS Friends of Music and Art, Cabaret Night is an opportunity for both students and community members to showcase their talents through solo and group musical acts.

The main event is free and open to the public and is preceded by a ticketed dinner of baked ziti, garden salad, roll and beverage—with an ice-cream sundae dessert by donation, compliments of Stewart’s Shops—from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Dinner must be preordered and payments are due by Monday, January 26. The cost is $12.00 when paying online at facebook.com/FomaCooperstownNY or $10.00 by cash or check made payable to FoMA and dropped off at the high school.

Senior Emily Rawitch has been a part of this program for years.

“This will be my fifth year performing at Cabaret Night, and it’s always one of the events I look forward to most from the music department,” Rawitch said. “Having the opportunity to practice singing for a crowd, especially with such talented accompanists, is always so fulfilling, and not only do I always have a blast, but it’s also such a great learning experience.”

Students in the Cooperstown school district have put in hours of time and effort for this occasion, as have members of the community. Acts will be accompanied by teachers Tim Iversen and Kerri Hogle, and by The Old Masters and Small Town Big Band, two local ensembles.

All Cabaret Night donations and dinner tickets will benefit FoMA, which supports students and the arts by providing financial support for musical enrichment programming for the CCS Elementary School, scholarships for students in grades K-12 attending arts and music-related camps and lessons, CCS high-school musicals, writing prizes, graduation awards and summer music lessons. FoMA also offers scholarships to graduating seniors who continue their musical education in instrumental music, vocal music, visual art, writing, theater, or dance.

“FoMA is here to support the arts and music education at CCS. They provide scholarships, help pay for the pit bands in the school musicals, and help to bring some amazing performers to the school for the students, among other things, said FOMA member Jenny Lukovsky.

“Cabaret Night helps to raise money to increase all we can do for the students and is an amazing evening of musical performances. It is a great night to see students performing songs of their choice, to have a delicious dinner, ice cream for dessert, and to bid in the silent auction,” continued Lukovsky, who also serves on the CCS Board of Education.

“There are so many great auction items, from jewelry to Cooperstown Concert Series tickets, to cakes! It is always a really fun night,” Lukovsky said.

Cabaret Night is an evening where CCS students and community members are able to express their musical talents in front of a supportive audience. The dinner—including a silent auction—and performances will take place in the high-school cafeteria and auditorium, respectively.