Breakout Session
Everything Changes: A Musical Theatre Cabaret
Monday, June 25 • 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Presenters: Margaret Garrett, John Alec Briggs
Introduced by: Shawn Roy
Location: Cohiba 6-7
This cabaret performance was the product of a fall 2016 sabbatical. In it, I share honest autobiographical stories of my experience as a mother, a daughter, and a wife amidst repertoire from music theater and pop genres. Making this show has given me confidence to be a healthier and more stylistically accurate vocal example for my music theater students. I hope that others will be inspired to explore healthy belt technique, research music theater repertoire, and tell their stories through cabarets. The cabaret was co-written by actress Kelli Barrett, cabaret coach. John Alec Briggs, lecturer in music at Ouachita Baptist University, serves as music director. Selections that will be performed include several music theater pieces and Disney favorites, a “Rock Star Mom Medley” and “Love Song Mash Up” as well as popular hits “Yellow” by Coldplay and “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars, the hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus” by George Beverly Shea and Anita Renfroe’s “The Mom Song,” set to the tune of Gioacchino Rossini’s William Tell Overture. Music theater and Disney selections include: David Shire’s “I Want It All” and “The Ladies Singing Their Song” from Baby, Stephen Sondheim’s “I Remember” from Evening Primrose and “Children Will Listen” from Into the Woods, Alan Menken’s “Mother Knows Best” from Tangled, William Finn’s “Anytime (I Am There)” from Elegies, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’ “Let It Go” from Frozen and Sara Bareilles’ “Everything Changes” from Waitress.
About Margaret Garrett
Maggie Garrett is associate professor of music at Ouachita Baptist University, where she teaches applied voice and vocal literature. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Indiana University-Bloomington, a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and a high school diploma with concentrations in voice and harp from the Baltimore School for the Arts. Students of Dr. Garrett often perform as soloists in operas, musicals, choirs, jazz band, and Tiger Tunes at Ouachita. In 2014 she was a featured artist with Opera in Concert in Dallas, Texas. Other opera credits include the title role in Little Red Riding Hood, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Sandrina in La Finta Giardiniera, Laurie in The Tender Land, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in Rendezvous with Destiny (World Premiere). Her music theater credits include My Fair Lady, A Little Night Music, The Most Happy Fella, Once Upon a Mattress, and Grease. She won the Kentucky NATSAA competition in 2006 and received a Young Leaders Award from NATS the same year.
About John Alec Briggs
While living in New York City, John Alec Briggs wrote and performed three solo cabaret shows, Six Degrees from Mercer, Six More Degrees from Mercer, and Six Degrees from Arlen, all celebrating the Great American Songbook, which were seen in New York as well as on various cruise ships around the world. All three of his shows were selected as “must see shows of the week” by Time Out New York. Mr. Briggs holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Ouachita Baptist University. He attended graduate school at Louisiana State and is currently completing graduate studies in Voice Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College. Briggs also holds a Master of Architecture from Tulane University and is an Associate in the American Institute of Architects. Scenic design credits include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Jekyll & Hyde; Of Mice and Men, Lizzie Borden and Rex, New York City Opera; and Debbie Allen’s Brothers of the Knight, The Kennedy Center. Since 2011 Mr. Briggs has served on the faculty at Ouachita, where he is a lecturer in music, teaching applied voice, co-directing OBU Opera, and directing OBU Handbells.
