DPT’s Holiday Cabaret 2025
Conceived and Direted by Courtney Burkett
Music director and Vocal Arrangements by Eric Gutman
Detroit Public Theatre 2025
Scenic Design by Pegi Marshall
Lighting Design by Neil Koivu
It was so much fun to be asked back to work with Detroit Public Theatre! Their Holiday Cabaret was so much fun to do in 2025. Since I had last worked with them they got a brand new space and it was a blast to make Theatre with them again. This was their 3rd Holiday Cabaret and they choose really fun and quriky songs. They pulled some classics, but used a lot of new and fun songs from the internet.
The set was a purpose built proscenium with with marquee bulbs built in, fun wings and the actors came out and interacted with the audience, and a ton of surprises. There was what we called a “Puppet window” SR where the performers did little Interlude songs while others did a costume change or a set change.
It was a very quick tech period, and a lot of changes made as we went, but that is the joy of doing theatre and creating something new from scratch!
The cast singing "Silent Night" to open the show
The Girls singing "Ho Ho Ho"
The Ladies lose the choir robes during "Ho Ho Ho"
"Ho Ho Ho"
The Guys singing an interlude in the Puppet Window
Mariah and Lulu introducing one of the songs from the window.
X Singing "Have You Heard of Christmas" up in the window
The end of "Passive Aggressive Christmas"
Eric and X. Alexander singing "What Do You Get Your Dad For Christmas?"
Lulu Sings "Home" from The Wiz
Bryana sings "Christmas Makes Me Cry" while Eric accompanies her.
Mariah sings an interlude in the puppet window
Lulu Sings "Merry Christmas Mary Jane"
Lulu sings "Merry Christmas Mary Jane"
Eric sings "The Most Amorous Time of the Year"
Mariah and Bryana singing "The River" as a duet
Mariah singing "Put Your Hand in My Muff"
Lulu and Bryana singing about candy canes in the puppet window
Gutman singing "Holiday Song"
The Cast thanking everyone before the final number
Bryana singing
Whole cast singing "I Don't Need it to Be Christmas at All"
Final Moment
Bows