Off The Lake Production cast members are rehearsing in preparation for their Fall Cabaret, which will take place this weekend. Credit: Courtesy of Christine Monsour

Off The Lake Productions’ upcoming Fall Cabaret provides an opportunity to delve into a philosophical analysis of morality this weekend through mediums of song and dance.

Christine Monsour, a fourth-year in psychology and theater and co-director of this year’s Fall Cabaret, said this year’s event is hero and villain themed. Entitled “Heroism, Villainy, and Everything in Between,” the cabaret will continue the yearly Off The Lake tradition in which the student-run, service-based theater organization choreographs a collection of songs pertaining to a chosen theme.

Devin Reeves, a fourth-year in sociology and co-director of the Fall Cabaret, said the cabaret is a series of musical numbers from different shows that are unrelated aside from their connection to the chosen theme.



“I’ve just been so excited about the theme. I think everyone’s picked really great songs, and some of them have been surprising, but they still work, and that’s been cool,” Reeves said. “I think it’s just really interesting that we’re able to explore the nuances of who’s good and who’s bad in musical theater in general.”

Reeves said the longstanding tradition of a Fall Cabaret allows the organization a chance to put on a show open to all performers early in the academic year.

“It’s just a great opportunity for all of us to get involved as an org and to perform together. You know, we put on the play and the musical and the one acts later in the year, and those are audition-based, but the Fall Cab is open to everyone,” Reeves said.

Monsour said Off The Lake offers drama, musical and peer theater performances, as well as overarching service and community programs.

“It’s something that we put on as an org as a whole because you don’t have to be just in the musical or just in the play to do it — you can be in anything,” Monsour said. “You don’t have to be a part of any one particular face to be involved in it.”



Consisting of sponsored numbers — numbers designed entirely by an individual or small group — and whole group numbers, Monsour said this year’s Fall Cabaret will be focusing primarily on telling one cohesive story.

“I love seeing everyone put their own personal spin on everything,” Reeves said. “From the sponsored numbers, when we finally get to see what they’ve been working on sort of outside of us, to even the group numbers that we’re in charge of, every person does each little dance move or sings each little line slightly differently, and that’s what’s beautiful about theater.”

Three weeks of rehearsal time has forced the group to overcome obstacles quickly, Reeves said.

“I think the hardest part of this process has just been mostly scheduling, with everybody’s busy schedules and how limited time we have,” Monsour said. “It’s been a lot to juggle, especially with people who have been out sick or have had COVID exposures, so that’s something that we’ve struggled to deal with, but we’ve been able to push past that.”

Reeves said she and her co-director are using this experience to prepare for upcoming Off The Lake endeavors, and they will be continuing their directorial responsibilities beyond the Fall Cabaret.



“For OTL, this is like our first big event of the year, and we have both sets of artistic teams working on it, so that’s why me, the play director, and Christine, the musical director, are co-directing,” Reeves said. “So, it is early in the year, and it does kind of sneak up, and we’ll have three weeks to do it. But it is also a good challenge to rise to.”

Reeves said this year’s Fall Cabaret is partnering with the Kaleidoscope Youth Center, collecting donations for the organization.

“They are our service partner this year, and they offer a safe space and do a variety of programming for LGBTQ+ youth in Columbus,” Reeves said. ”That’s just a cause that is so near and dear to so many of our hearts. So, we’d love it if students came out and supported them as well.”

The Fall Cabaret will take place in the Lawrence Tower Ballroom Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door with at least a $1 donation to the Kaleidoscope Youth Center.

“I think students should come to the show because I think there’s a lot to see from each number,” Monsour said. “Everything is so interesting, and everything is so fun. I think when OTL is performing and having fun, the people watching will have fun.”