APO’s new Homecoming Cabaret provides welcoming stage to share talents
Homecoming is a sacred time of year at Maryville College. The changing colors of the leaves around campus signals a new season, and campus is bustling with activities, visiting faces and current students.
While a large portion of campus events during homecoming are geared toward alumni, theater honor society Alpha Psi Omega (APO) aids in putting on events for students. This year, they held a Homecoming Cabaret for all to enjoy.
The Homecoming Cabaret was an event new to the 2024 Homecoming series, replacing the ghost tours that APO has held in past years. Auditions for the cabaret were held on October 15th, and according to Chapel Shortt (‘25), a member of APO who helped organize the event, it was a successful way to bring joy during the homecoming weekend.
“APO’s intention for homecoming is to put on an event that both the members of APO are passionate about creating and that the Maryville College community will enjoy,” Shortt said.
“This year, there was a lack of interest in planning and participating in ghost tours from both APO members and other theater students. Due to these factors, the cabaret sounded like the perfect event–it allowed us to showcase all kinds of talents and let participants perform what they were passionate about.”
During the show, which took place on Saturday Oct. 26, 11 different acts showed off their individual talents. While most of the acts involved singing, there was a lip-sync performance of a medley from The Little Mermaid from senior Colin Hood (‘25) and Eden Carnes (‘27) as well as a yo-yo act from junior Josh Cornell (‘26).
The smaller-scale crowd showed support for each act, clapping and cheering as the performers walked on and off the stage. One of the singing performers, Calista Jones (‘24), is an alumni of Maryville College, and was asked by APO to perform during the show.
“The culture backstage and the rapport between everyone was exactly the same—it was like I’d never left in that regard. I did feel like I had changed so much as a performer though, as had everyone else. I was so used to us all growing together in school, but to leave and come back was cool because everyone has grown and changed separately from me. It was a treat to see how everyone has progressed, including myself, in one little snapshot,” Jones said.
Jones was a member of APO during her time at MC and has since worked as a professional musical theater performer. The song she sang during the cabaret was one that she learned
post-grad as an understudy for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, but never got to perform. The cabaret allowed Jones to perform her song that might have never seen a stage if there had not been a show such as this one.
While many of the performances at the cabaret were from standing APO and theater students, there was one that came out of left field for some viewers. Cornell had the chance to show a talent that he had kept hidden from friends for quite some time.
“[Yo-yoing] is a hobby that I have done throughout my life, and I thought it would be really unique to showcase at the cabaret,” Cornell said.
Cornell continued explaining his feelings of comfort on the Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall stage, noting that it felt like a welcoming theater where he was able to “let loose and have fun.” When Cornell began his act, the room was in awe. There were sounds of surprise from students who had no knowledge of Cornell’s talents.
“It is just a fun talent. It’s not super known, but most of my friends know I’ve done yo-yoing forever.”
Yo-yoing is just one instance of the opportunities the Homecoming Cabaret gives students. The new event is a versatile, exciting and welcoming showcase of Maryville College’s talented students and alumni. If continued for further years, students and alumni alike will be able to give their talents a stage that knows nothing but invitation, and MC will open its doors to fun discoveries of talent.