Dancing Through the Decades of Cabaret

Bossa Nova. Broadway. Buffett. It’s been an amazing 20 years of Cabaret events! First established in 2005, Cabaret is the signature fundraiser for the Coastal Symphony of Georgia. It was begun by Elizabeth Freyer the same year that the former auxiliary organization, Symphony Society, was founded. A preeminent black-tie gala with dinner, dancing, and a phenomenal auction, held at The Cloister on Sea Island for its first decade, Cabaret has had a variety of themes and has also moved to other venues since its inception. One thing has remained constant, the desire to keep classical music alive in the Golden Isles by providing support for the Coastal Symphony of Georgia.

The Coastal Symphony of Georgia was born out of the Brunswick Community Orchestra in 1994, when professional conductors were hired to direct the community-based orchestra that had formed about a decade earlier. In 2004, Conductor Vernon Humbert added professional musicians to the mix. Maestro Luis Haza took the orchestra entirely professional in 2013 with a vision to provide the best in musical excellence for the community. That vision and commitment continues today under the baton of Michelle Merrill who became Music Director and Conductor in 2019 after Haza’s retirement. The current season of concerts is the 42nd season of symphonic music in the Golden Isles. Merrill continues to design symphony programs of superlative quality. She enjoys planning music from both the old masters and new works alike and often plans pieces composed by women and composers of color.

Although the auxiliary fundraising arm known as the Symphony Society dissolved, the fabulous fundraising event of Cabaret has continued. 2025 marks the 20th . Before jumping into details about what you can expect at Cabaret 2025, let’s take a look back over some highlights from past year’s galas.

Cabaret events through the 10th Anniversary event in 2014 embraced locales like Venice, Monte Carlo, Paris, and New York. In 2015, The Cloister transformed into a Coastal Georgia Copacabana for “Bossa Nova Rio,” bringing Brazilian flair and entertainment that included music by composer José Antonio Quesada, vocalist Abby Soll, and Mason Waters and the Rum Runners.

The setting for Cabaret 2016 played on Historic Downtown Brunswick’s transformation into Prohibition Era Ybor City for Ben Affleck’s Live by Night. The Cloister Ballroom hosted this upscale “Speakeasy Soirée,” where the cloak and dagger secrecy of Al Capone’s illicit clubs was melded with the exclusivity and opulence of a Gatsby-style gala with casino games, live entertainment and dancing.

In 2017, The Symphony Society “Let Freedom Ring,” and took a patriotic trip back in time to days of the USO, Bob Hope and The Victory Kiss. They revived the era of The Andrews Sisters and recreated the pomp and circumstance of a military ball. With appearances from notable personalities from the era, historic memorabilia, and even a Miss America present, it was a Star Spangled Spectacular from start to finish.

Cabaret 2018 was a truly unforgettable evening with a “Tribute to Broadway” featuring veteran performer Robert Ray and a special “Toast of the Town” honoring Maestro Luis Haza. Atlanta’s “Cabaret King” Ray and his talented company of singers, dancers, and musicians presented an evening of classic Broadway with favorite show tunes from My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Les Miserables, Chicago, and more.

“Music of the Night” performed by California recording artist Nick Palance took center stage at Cabaret 2019 in The Greenhouse, an indoor/outdoor venue offered by The Vine on St. Simons Island. This veteran Broadway singer, described by critics as the new “American Bocelli” for his vocal talent, performed a wide array of songs that appealed to music lovers and stirred feelings of nostalgia.

A centennial celebration of the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age was the fitting theme for Cabaret 2020. The event returned to The Cloister Ballroom at Sea Island once again for that year’s “Gatsby Gala.” The entertainment for the incandescent and opulent evening was jazz performed by the Jordan Gilman Septet.

In 2021, Cabaret rode the waves and adapted to the changing currents of the season impacted by the COVID pandemic, shifting to a later date and an outdoor venue. Held at The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort as a less formal affair than in years past, this Cabaret captured the “Aloha” spirit of the Hawaiian Islands, one of positivity and sharing friendship. There was true Polynesian entertainment and delicious food and tropical beverages to fit the theme. Cabaret 2022 remained outdoors and embraced a “Margaritaville” theme, but the weather was a bit like trying to reason with hurricane season. After a hiatus in 2023, the event returned last year with “Cabaret Symphonique,” a nod to the revues in Old World Paris. Frederica Golf Club hosted the soirée inspired by the original Parisian cabaret artistique, with dinner accompanied by singing, dancing, poetry, and comedic performances.

Cabaret 2025 will return to Frederica Golf Club, but you’ll want to loosen up, channel your inner disco diva, and put on your boogie shoes for this one! And remember, we want the music to STAY ALIVE!

Boogie Fever

Just the word “disco” evokes visions of the dazzling disco balls, flashy fashions, and packed dance floors that peaked in the mid- to late- 1970s in America. It was a time when people from diverse backgrounds came together to dance and enjoy each other’s company much like in the European discotheques. It was also an era when DJs became a major creative force in the music scene, helping to establish hit songs and stars like Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, and Sister Sledge.

In its beginning, disco culture fostered a sense of belonging and community. Everyone was welcome on the dance floor regardless of gender, sexual preference, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, etc. The clubs became havens of inclusivity for people escaping societal norms, and simply celebrating life through music, dance, and fashion. With flamboyant styles and bright colors, upbeat music and flashy dance moves, the scene and vibe offered by New York clubs like the Loft, Studio 54, and Le Club were embraced by the movement.

Disco became the preeminent form of dance music during the 1970s. Characterized by 4 beats on the floor, syncopated bass lines, string sections, brass and horns, electric piano, synthesizers, and electric rhythm guitars, it was music that dancers could get lost in. Deejays chose the playlist for the evening, mixing songs from Funk, R&B, Motown, Salsa, and Philadelphia Soul. Existing songs were remixed, using reel-to-reel tape machines and expensive equipment to add in percussion breaks, new sections, and more “groove.” Singers were encouraged to produce longer tracks, up to 8-12 minutes in length, to keep people on the dance floor.

The 1977 movie Saturday Night Fever and its soundtrack featuring The Bee Gees took disco fully mainstream, along with hits from The Tramps (“Disco Inferno”), Donna Summer (“Last Dance”), Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”), Gloria Gaynor (“Never Can Say Goodbye”), and Michael Jackson (“Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”) and others. The Hustle, the Bus Stop, and the Bump were the moves on the dance floor and the Soul Train dance line showcased the hottest moves. The peak of the movement was the week of July 1979 when seven of the top ten songs in the U.S. were classified as disco songs. Yet, within mere weeks, disco had vanished from the charts.

The music became overproduced, the vocalists less important, the clubs more toney and expensive, the entire disco subculture over commercialized, and, sadly in the view of many – a mass liberation of social pariahs. The whole movement had been overdone, and the “Disco Sucks” wave arose, with that popular phrase displayed on tee shirts and novelty items. That sentiment was no more evident than at Chicago’s Comiskey Park on July 12, 1979, when DJ Steve Dahl led the infamous Disco Demolition Night. Fans were encouraged to bring a vinyl disco album for destruction in exchange for 98 cent admission to the White Sox double-header against the Tigers. The official attendance count for the night was 47,795 (which far exceeded the park’s 44,492 seating capacity) and the crowd was rowdy. While a crate of records was blown up in center field between games as planned, attendees stormed the field and created a disruption that turned into an all-out riot, ending in arrests and the Sox forfeiting the second game. This event demonstrated some of the unwelcome cultural backlash against the groups that the disco movement so proudly included. That backlash and the launch of MTV in 1981 effectively killed the genre.

Post disco music became more stripped down with a focus on rhythm and groove, and disco’s influence has reverberated through the years. At the close of 2024, silent disco parties are a popular event theme, a disco dance was trending on TikTok, and some of the flamboyant fashions have returned. In 2021, the Foo Fighters gave a nod to the era by releasing Hail Satin, an album of disco covers, under the tongue-in-cheek name, The Dee Gees. At the end of it all, one thing is clear: you should be dancing. So go get your disco on at Cabaret 2025 - Disco Night.

Cabaret 2025 Disco Night

The Disco Era was a time when fashion, music, and culture intersected to create new energy and the emergence of a sound that blended Motown, Salsa, and Philadelphia soul. It was a time when music and dance encouraged the simple joy of togetherness in people from diverse communities. The idea was to leave the worries of the world at the door of your favorite disco club and simply have a good time together. With this spirit in mind, the Coastal Symphony of Georgia is busy creating the full disco club atmosphere in celebration of bringing people together for 20 years with its signature gala: Cabaret. The evening of sparkle and shimmer will be held at the Frederica Golf Club, 6:00 pm on Friday, February 28.

“Cabaret Disco Night will be a fun way for us all to turn out to raise funds in support of live classical music concerts, free community concerts, and musical education in our schools,” says Michelle Lasser, Honorary Cabaret 2025 Chair along with her husband Larry.

Party goers entering through a velvet rope entrance will be immersed in a disco club scene with up-lighting surrounding the dining room and a dazzling disco ball taking center stage. Island DJ will be spinning favorite tunes from the era while Patricia Ploeger from OMCORE demonstrates fun dance steps to refresh musical memories of Donna Summer, Sister Sledge, Michael Jackson, and others. A photo booth is planned to tempt sequined ladies and gents in their satin shirts and layered chains – or more traditional gala attire – to capture a memento of the evening.

Customized cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served as Cabaret’s Silent Auction items are displayed for bidding. Great Escapes, Gourmet Temptations, Design and Décor ideas, Style Statements and Special Experiences will be offered by local businesses. Perhaps a sunset cruise for six people on a lovely 1957 classic wooden motor yacht will entice you. Or a beautiful custom planted sansevieria in a vintage artisan pot might catch your eye. A painting of a stringed instrument by local artist Nancy Muldowney might prove irresistible.

These are just a few of the fabulous Silent Auction items that will be available for reviewing and online bidding at cabaretdisco.givesmart.com beginning February 14th. All Silent Auction bidding will be online, and guests will need to have their phones handy for updating bidding at the event.

The traditional Cabaret gourmet dinner is being planned, to be followed by the Live Auction led by auctioneer Brad Brown of Brown’s Antiques. If you missed the trip to a Tuscan villa in the hilltop town of Manciano, Italy last year, you will have a chance to bid on it again this year. The perennial favorite is among other novel items and destinations being offered in the always exciting Live Auction.

Cabaret’s 20th Anniversary will immerse you in the sound, glamour, and energy of Disco while helping ensure the Symphony’s ability to continue to enrich the Golden Isles. Music plays a vital role in a community’s robust arts scene. Leave the concerns of the world at the door of Cabaret Disco Night and come inside to enjoy a memorable evening with friends. Your participation will help us Keep the Music Playing!

Please visit the Symphony’s website at coastalsymphonyofgeorgia.org for ticket information.