The University of Lynchburg’s musical theater ensemble, Curtain Call, will perform a cabaret-style show at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, in Dillard Fine Arts Center’s Robert C. Hailey Theatre. Admission is free, no tickets are required, and the public is invited.
The show, “When the Chips are Down,” will include songs from more than a dozen Broadway musicals, including “Hadestown,” “Les Misérables,” “Mama Mia,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Frozen,” “Avenue Q,” “Newsies,” and others.
“It’s about how we react when bad things happen unexpectedly,” Curtain Call’s director, Dana Ballard, said of the show’s theme. “What do we do? Panic? Cry? Forge ahead with steely resolve?
“We have talked about the Kubler-Ross ‘Five Stages of Grief’ and looked at the ‘Emotional Phases of a Disaster’ chart and chose songs which reflect all the ways we can deal with a big disappointment.
“I chose this theme because I thought it would be a good way for them to think about this, for now and for things that may happen to them in the future.”
In addition to performing in group numbers and a duet with other members of Curtain Call, Michael Tock ’27 will sing “Goodbye,” from the musical “Catch Me if You Can.”
While he didn’t choose the song, Tock said, “It has had a huge impact on my life, as I heard it once in a cabaret years ago and completely fell in love with it. Now, the opportunity to belt it out on stage for an audience feels like a dream come true!”
One of the songs Kai Gutierrez-Wood ’28 will perform is “The Winner Takes It All,” from the musical “Mamma Mia!” When they saw it listed among the options to choose from, Gutierrez-Wood said they were “extremely intrigued.”
“I had heard the song only once or twice, having watched ‘Mamma Mia!’ one time before this, and I thought it would be a great challenge for me to sing it,” they said. “It’s a beautiful piece and reminds me a lot of my mother.”
Assisting Ballard in producing the show will be Curtain Call’s artistic director, James Ballard, and guest artist Dana Aber, who performed with Curtain Call in New York City in January 2025. In the week leading up to the performance, Aber will coach the students on their songs and work with them on auditioning skills and résumé writing.
“I’m very excited to work with Dana Aber again,” Tock said in early October. “She was incredible in New York. The passion and love that has gone into this cabaret is absolutely incredible.
“Not only by our performers, but by Dana, James, and everyone else who has been working on this show behind the scenes. We all know this could be our last year of Curtain Call, so everyone is on the same page about making sure we go out with a bang!”
In addition to Tock, the members of Curtain Call include Za’Lexia Bogan ’26, Samira Gharavi-Nouri ’26, Oluwatimilehin “Timmy” Mayowa ’27, Janae Sanabria ’27, Kaizer Gutierrez-Wood ’28, Lorelei Mayberry ’28, and Taverez Hill ’29.
