Courtesy of Zelda Barnz

In an artistic fusion of Broadway charm and cinematic magic, the Yale Artists Cabaret — or YAC — will debut its show, Afterparty, in the Saybrook Underbrook on Feb. 16.

Members of Yale’s performing arts scene will grace the stage, singing and dancing to over a dozen songs from shows such as “Wicked,” “She Loves Me,” “La La Land,” “Hamilton” and “Grease.” The same set will be performed twice on the night of Feb. 16 — at 8 p.m. and at 10 p.m.

“We pick a theme that will allow for a fun diversity of songs, styles and performers,” said Abby Asmuth ’26, a co-director of Afterparty and a WKND editor for the News. “With this show, it was really themed around ‘A night out.’ There are so many great songs from the musical theater canon about going out and about that first date magic … It’s a cabaret, so there’s no plot to it, but there’s a bit of a fun arc of ‘we start off with the invitation and end with the aftermath of the party.’” 

The YAC seeks to bridge the gap between other performance groups on campus, according to Isabella Walther-Meade ’25, who is slated to perform. The YAC invites all members of Yale interested in song — whether they come from an a cappella, opera, theater or other performing arts background.

Afterparty’s choreographer, Sadie Pohl ’26, spoke about the heavier emphasis on dance in this show as opposed to previous YAC shows. 

“[The performers] emphasized that this was a really great opportunity for everyone to lean into choreography,” Pohl said. “For people who wouldn’t usually try it out, this is a great way, a stress-free way, to learn it.” 

The songs to be performed will showcase the diversity of Yale’s performing art talent — encompassing various styles of music, ensemble sizes, visual effects and choreographic arrangements.

Walther-Meade spoke to the News about the songs she will be performing, including “Someone in the Crowd” from “La La Land,” a dance number with four students.

She will also be singing “Some Enchanted Evening,” which she said “is a reimagined arrangement that the music director, Sam Tucker-Smith [’27], did of this song from South Pacific that is usually sung by a man. It’s really good, and I’m really excited. It’s not a traditional pick but I really like this one.”

The show is directed by Asmuth, Benjamin Jimenez ’26 and Soleil Singh ’24 and produced by Jimenez and Lauren Marut ’25. The full lineup of performers and production coordinators can be found here. 

The Yale Artists Cabaret was originally founded in 2021 as a one-off Women’s History Month show.