DIRECTORS' NOTE

Over the last 11 years, Mason Cabaret has honored the work of Stephen Sondheim, Duke Ellington, John Kander & Fred Ebb and many more. This year as we discussed possible themes and composers to highlight in this year’s cabaret, we felt it was time to honor the work of a female composer/lyricist. As we attempted to narrow down our choices to just one composer/lyricist, we realized the incredible breadth of work and contribution of a multitude of female artists over the last century and change.

Tonight’s cabaret honors the work of 11 female voices, from work created in the heyday of Tin Pan Alley to the incredible work being created today on Broadway. These women broke the glass ceiling in an industry that was, and still is, dominated by male voices.

The show’s title “Baby Dream Your Dream” is taken from the musical Sweet Charity written by composer Cy Coleman and lyricist Dorothy Fields. Over Dorothy’s five-decade career, she wrote the lyrics for over 400 songs for the stage and screen with 12 different composers. Dorothy was a mentor to Fred Ebb and Stephen Sondheim referenced Fields' work when writing one of his greatest songs “Losing My Mind” from Follies. She is the first female lyricist to ever win an Academy Award and yet her work is often overlooked when discussing the history of musical theater. Tonight, we hope to honor the work of Mrs. Fields and the female voices that followed. We hope you’ll agree that their work is remarkable, and their impact is undeniable.

Erin and James Gardiner