thePurchase
INDEPENDENT
278
DECEMBER
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CABARET
stump, ingby the kevin night seeing an astounding produceducation advocate: tionhigher of “Cabaret” right here at Purchase! That’s right- “Cabaret” has npypirg officially arrived! This student-run producWhen the Affordable College tion will making its grand debut on Nov. 29 Reduction & Access of 2007 andCost will be running until Dec. 2.Act Everyone set chances to expiretoonseeJuly 2012, the haswas FIVE this1stincredible federaland government had a has five-month musical, ordering tickets never been easier.over Just go to:to pay for keeping the debate how www.cabaretatpurchasecollege student loan interest rate at 3.4%. This .brownpapertickets.com pay-for fight focused a much-needed andmainstream you can place your order with ease. spotlight on rapidly rising There is even an option to purchase tickets student loan debt levels. Lawmakers for special seating on the stage, ensuring forcedmiss to address thatwere you won’t a single higher swing oreducation step by affordability. However, theYour spotlight lost those Kit Kat Klub dancers. “Cabaof steadilywill declining state-level and ret”sight experience be enhanced with intimacy lots of laughs, along with a federaland investment in higher education, “mocktail service.” which prompted the student loan debt what with. exactly is “Cabaret” crisis So to begin about? Meet Jesse Penber, a Junior Theatre According to the New York Fed and Performance major and the director of Bureau of Economic Analysis, student “Cabaret.” He called the show “the story of debtKlub, has arisen 511% from theloan Kit Kat deliciously seedy 1999 night-to to look at rising tuclub2011, in thepointing heart of us Berlin.” “Thefees, storywhich of ‘Cabaret’ alternates ition and are up 559 percent between Cliff Nationally, Bradshaw, who comes to from 1985. college revenue Germany in search of something to write generated by tuition recently surpassed about,” Penber said. “He goes there to get that of public dollars, which means stusome new experiences, and he does in the dents are carrying more more of form of Sally Bowles, who is aand nineteenthe cost of attending college. Students year old English singer performing at the New Klub. York State are there’s feeling the pinch. Kitin Kat Then Fraulein Schneider HerrtheSchultz, are in In 2011,and both SUNYwho Chancellor love, andthe it does protect and Newnot York Statethem.” Governor were He went on to explain, “It’s a very successful in passing NY SUNY 2020, dark storyline, and between that there is which annually raised tuition $300 for commentary from the Kit Kat Klub, and consecutive years, thefive dancers have their own totaling stories.” a $1,500 tuition increase. Meanwhile, thetreks averAs this musical’s storyline age student across the country now through the history of Germany, there ispays so much be said for quality ofeach the cast overto $1,000 on the textbooks year, andwhich crew has of grown studentsat who put of thisintwicehave the rate piece together and managed to keep the flation. Clearly, we need to have more historical accuracy and believability in tact. inclusive conversations that address the “Cabaret” stars Gina Amico, Billy increasing of higher education Manton, Miiko costs Valkonen, Tony Mita, and coupled with decreasing aid available. Laura Meltzer, who play Sally, the Emcee, Cliff, Herr Schultz, and Fraulein Schneider respectively. The production team includes the assistant directing of James Mcdermott,
music by Juno Arreglado with piano by Rebecca Chin, choreography by Cyndi Harder, costumes by Jessica Dimartino, lighting After design by Jane Dibartalo, and stage much debate, Congress management by Helena Hadden. voted to keep federal student loan intertheanother musical ‘Urineest rates“Quoting at 3.4% for year, buttown,’ this is not a happy musical,” Penber did so at the expense of the Federal said. “No one has a happy ending. ThePell best Grant did not they canprogram, hope for which is to escape thereceive misery $1.2isbillion it was fordo.” in Presithat 1938, and notallocated all of them dent Obama’s budget. Unfortunately, Along with a dark storyline, this musical is alsopolicy considered pretty raunchy the leftover conversation quicklyto say the least. Penber expressed the sexuality became less about rising tuition and deof “Cabaret” to be a prominent aspect, as some of the characters are actually sex addicts, and the number “Two Ladies” is a humorous ode to having two partners in
A member of the Soul Voices Ensemble belts out a note.
STUDENT DEBT by rachel weiss What good is sitting alone in your INCREASE room? Especially when you could be spend-
bed. However, Penber was never concerned with crossing the line while directing. “There’s no such thing as too far in ‘Cabaret,’” “If about humans do it, it’s creasing aid, he andsaid. more “Know not too extreme. Humans betray Before You Owe” policies further en-each other, have sex with other for reasons couraging student loaneach debt. other than love, humans have obsessions, While “Know Before You Owe” and humans die.” policies areSumming noble inuptheir to in this attempt production educate students about financial aid three words, Penber used, “Desire, regret, options, they fail to offer real and double-edged.” Want to solutions find out the true definitions of those words? Buy your to the student debt crisis. Specifically, ticket today and get ready for a thrilling they do not provide public investment performance! (continued on page 7)