FILE PHOTO

Robert McPherson, left, and Angelica Duncan will perform in “Life is a Cabaret” Aug. 10 to raise money for Edgewood’s parks. They, along with other performers, will sing songs from a variety of musicals and movies, including “Wicked,” “Anastasia,” “Avenue Q” and “Cinderella.”

Cabaret event to benefit Edgewood parks

By Meghan Erkkinen

Life is a cabaret for a group of area performers who are putting together a show to benefit Edgewood parks. The show, to be held Aug. 10, will feature eight singers/actors and a piano accompanist performing a variety of songs from musicals and movies.

This is the third year of the event, directed by Edgewood resident Angelica Duncan, daughter of Edgewood Councilmember Enid Duncan.

“The focus of the recital is that we are raising money for Edgewood Parks,” Angelica Duncan said. Parks are an important issue for her mother, Duncan added.

“She understands that the swings in the playgrounds get broken and the slides get busted,” she said of her mother. Last year, the cabaret event raised $1,000 toward a fund to repair damaged equipment.

But for the younger Duncan, the event has another benefit to it.

“As an artist, I think it’s interesting to prove to people that you don’t need a luxurious theater to do this (kind of show) – you can do it anywhere,” she said. “It’s just our nature to be involved in art in one way or another…It’s something that makes us feel like we are human and are all connected.”

The event, she added, allows young performers to do what they love, and also offers the community the ability to experience art in their area.

The show will include musical numbers from “Anastasia,” “Avenue Q,” “Cinderella, “Sweeney Todd,” “Wicked,” “The Wild Party” and others.

“We basically just want to give them a refreshing night of music and theater,” Duncan said. “There’s a lot of comedy involved. Some of the songs are intense, but there’s nothing terribly frightening.”

The event will feature tenor Robert McPherson, an area resident, who has performed all over the world, including at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and at the San Francisco Opera. Pianist and composer James D. Goodman will accompany the event.

“Life is a Cabaret” will take place Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. at 113 Meridian Ave. E., in Edgewood.

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