In 2010 David and Lisa Campbell, who were the Artistic Directors of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival at the time, created a very special program for students in years 11 and 12 who were interested in the world of cabaret. This program was the Class of Cabaret. Sixteen years later, it’s a staple of the Cabaret Festival.
Over the years many students have been mentored by leading industry professionals to learn, shape and produce their own short cabaret set. In 2015 Alex De Porteous was part of the Class of Cabaret and this year she will be MCing two very special nights that look back on some of the class’s graduates over the past sixteen years.
Alex spoke to Glam Adelaide about Homecoming, what cabaret means to her and how important platforms like Class of Cabaret are for young performers.
“It is so important, hugely important. The other night, I was talking at an event about how I don’t know what I would be doing right now if it wasn’t for the Class of Cabaret program and the Cabaret Festival in general. After school, students interested in musical theatre can go on to study it at university or take courses that include cabaret terms. But in terms of school education, there isn’t really an opportunity other than the Class of Cabaret for students to get insights and access to resources and industry professionals currently working in the cabaret space. I was in Class of Cabaret in 2015 and it’s been a really long journey since then but the mentors I had during my time, Amelia Ryan and Michael Griffiths, have continued to mentor me.”
Performing and the arts have also been a part of Alex’s life as she explained to Glam Adelaide.
“I always had a passion for sparkly clothes and sparkly costumes. My family used to joke about me having 30 costume changes in a day, and I say costume changes because I didn’t really ever wear normal clothes as a kid. I’d rock up to kindy in a sequin gown and plastic click clack heels. My dad is really musical and has always had a huge interest in the arts. A lot of his side of the family are musicians so it’s been part of my life. I always look back on my childhood memories and there was always music involved. So I don’t really know a life without theatre, which is pretty special.”
The world of cabaret means different things to different people and we asked Alex what it means to her.
“Connection is the first word I think of because that’s the reason why I love cabaret so much. Prior to moving into the cabaret space, I used to do gigs as a jazz singer. People didn’t really want to hear me talk and they didn’t want to talk back to me either. So, being a cabaret performer now and sharing these experiences with audiences means that it will be different every single time. You can do the same show but it will always feel different because the audience comes in with the intention of connecting with the performer and the story that they’re about to share. So that’s what keeps bringing me back. i just love it; it’s so rewarding and I’ve learned so much about myself and other people through the art form.”
Over the past sixteen years, Class of Cabaret has helped launch the careers of many performers who have gone on to achieve success in the industry. Over two nights during the final week of the Cabaret Festival, Homecoming will spotlight some of these graduates.
“I’m so excited. It feels like a big school reunion. There’s a cast of five, including myself, for each show. I’m excited to see what everyone’s been up to. Scarlett Anthony is an incredible performer who’s been working in the musical theatre space. She’s currently on tour with Heathers. So we’re very lucky to have her here outside of her very busy schedule. We’ve also got performers like Jego Loreto who has been working with a band and really exploring the live music space as well. So seeing what every person brings to the table and what they’ve gathered from their time in Class of Cabaret, but also their journeys are similar to mine. This show is really an opportunity for us to share our stories and what we’ve been up to, but also have a bit of fun.”
Alex also shared with us advice she would give to anyone who is interested in start off in the world of cabaret.
“Say yes to every opportunity. Every single time someone says, ‘Do you want to do a five-minute set, a 10-minute set or a 15-minute set?’ you say yes and you take the opportunity. But also ask questions. It’s important to just see what doors can open up for you because you never know.”
Join Alex and past graduates of Class of Cabaret as they share their stories (and songs) of the now experienced performers who were once starry-eyed students with dreams of razzle dazzle.
Homecoming – Class of Cabaret Graduates
Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
18 – 19 June
https://cabaret.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/homecoming-class-of-cabaret-graduates
