By Karli Korszeniewski
Stained Glass Productions, a new student-run theater collective at UC Santa Barbara, debuted its first production, “Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret,” with the goal of giving students more opportunities to perform musical theater at UCSB.
The ensemble of 16 students showcased songs from renowned musicals, each reflecting one of the seasons — fall, winter, spring, or summer. The show featured songs from Spring Awakening, composed by Duncan Sheik; Mean Girls, composed by Jeff Richmond; Sweeney Todd, composed by Stephen Sondheim, and more. The directors picked out the musical numbers individually when creating the set list for “Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret.”
UCSB’s Studio Theater was filled with friends, family, and professors who came out to support the cast and directors and watch multiple performances. Each performance had quick set changes, different lighting, and new costumes.
Students performed Sexy from Mean Girls, with most of the ensemble dressed up in various Halloween costumes, including corn on the cob, American singer Pitbull, and Walter White from the TV series Breaking Bad.
The new UCSB Theater student collectiive Stained Glass Productions recntly staged “Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret.” Cast members performed Sexy from the musical Mean Girls. Photo by Karli Korszeniewski
Claire Ruberg, Julia Wergeles, Vivian Oxley, and Veda Arndt-Schreiber, who are second-year Theater and Dance students in the BFA acting program, started Stained Glass Productions because of their mutual passion for musical theater and desire to perform before the end of the school year.
Jake Marshall and Aivarey Sala performing Johanna Quartet from Sweeney Todd in “Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret.” Photo by Karli Korszeniewski
UCSB’s BFA in acting program specializes in drama more than musical theater, so most of its productions are dramatic or comedic plays. The group of students expressed to multiple professors their desire to perform more musical productions, and lighting supervisor Daniel Kelly encouraged them to start something themselves.
They held auditions for “Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret” at the beginning of the winter and had various students show up. Claire Ruberg, one of the directors, said it’s been a great experience directing students from all majors and performing backgrounds.
“One of my favorite things about the cast is that it’s very well balanced between BFA performing students and non-BFA students,” Ruberg said. “We have a handful of students who are not originally performers, but they auditioned for fun and are doing just as great as the other students.”
The student-run group fundraised and promoted on social media to receive funding for its show, raising more than $300.
Ruberg said the production value and time put into the show were all possible because of the directors’ differentiated roles and responsibilities. “Every show is stressful regardless of your role,” she said. “I have three other directors who have been great in structuring out who gets to do what, so we’re not all having a full plate of work to do.”
“Seasons of Broadway: A Cabaret” ensemble performs Song of Purple Summer from Spring Awakening as its closing number.
Claire Rubery and Vivian Oxley were the music directors, Julia Wergeles was the choreographer, and Veda Arndt-Schreiber was in charge of the technical aspects of the show.
Stained Glass Productions will return with more musical theater performances in the 2024-2025 school year.
Karli Korszeniewski is a second-year Film and Media Studies major at UC Santa Barbara. She is a Web and Social Media Intern with the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts.