Please do not take the Cabaret Book.
You may download a complete copy at:
www.floridastudiotheatre.org
Ryan Connolly and Luke Minx. Photo by Mathew Holler.
Richard Hopkins, Producing Artistic Director
Table of Contents
What is Cabaret?, page 3
A brief history of the artform.
A Brief History of Soul Music, pages 4-5
Learn about how the artists of the era took
the music industry by storm.
Music Milestones, pages 6-7
Learn about the major events that occured
throughout history with Rhythm and Blues
groups as well as solo artists of the genre.
Throughout the Eras, pages 8-12
Some of the top recording solo artists and
groups during the 60s and 70s.
Jordan Craig. Photo by Maria Lyle.
2
What is Cabaret?
It began in Paris on November 18, 1881, the year in which the first and most famous cabaret
of all, the Chat Noir (Black Cat), was established. Paris, during what the French like to call
the Belle Epoque, was the cultural capital of Europe; the mecca of the arts to which admirers
and young hopefuls flocked from one end of Europe to the other, and indeed from still
farther away. If something caught on in Paris, the immense reputation of the city as the
source of fashion and innovation ensured its rapid diffusion across the continent and beyond.
Besides giving rise to many cabarets in Paris itself, in its own time and after it became
history, the Chat Noir also inspired the introduction of cabaret in major cities throughout
Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Artwork by Théophile Steinlen
In the beginning, cabaret arose as an informal grouping of artists - painters, poets, musicians,
and theatre people - who felt the need to come together. It was intended as something
essentially private. From 1881 to 1917, audiences were made up predominantly of artists,
their friends, and a variety of cultural fellow-travellers. In post-World War I Europe, the
cabaret ceased to be a novelty and by and large fulfilled its function as a locus of an emerging
avant-garde. Cabarets became places of entertainment; their facilities were expanded and
enhanced, their doors thrown open to the public.
When developing FST’s Cabaret we took the diverse and rich history of the form to create
the atmosphere you see today. Set in a turn-of-the-century Parisian Cafe and offering
fresh baked food, the Cabaret is an intimate space for an intimate form of entertainment.
Turn-Of-The-Century Cabaret
by Harold B. Segel
3
In
A Brief History of Soul Music
Diana Ross and The Supremes. The Jackson 5.
Marvin Gaye. Smokey Robinson. These are just
a few names that are associated with the harddriving beats and memorable tunes of a musical
style that defined a generation and is beloved and
celebrated to this very day.
In April of 1960, a young African-American
songwriter named Berry Gordy started a
company with an $800 loan from his family in the
city of Detroit, known as the “Motor City.” Gordy
named the company, “Motor City Records,” after
his hometown.
Berry Gordy outside of Hitsville USA.
4
The original Hitsville USA.
Wanting to pay tribute to the town where
he spent his childhood, he changed “city” to
“town”, thus forming the word “Motown.” He
purchased a building that eventually became
“Hitsville U.S.A.,” where all of Motown’s hits were
recorded. Throughout the 1960s, artists such as
Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye
dominated the airwaves with hits such as “Tears
of a Clown”, “Stop! In the Name of Love”, “I Heard
It Through the Grapevine”, and many more. From
1961 to 1971, Motown had a grand total of 110
Top 10 Hits. Trademarks of the Motown sound
were tight harmonies, hard-driving beats, and
relentlessly catchy tunes.
A Brief History of Soul Music
Soul’s significance doesn’t only come
from the soulful music and stirring
lyrics. America itself was divided
by segregation and the Civil Rights
Movement of the ‘60s. AfricanAmericans were demanding equal
rights, and activists such as Rosa
Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. were paving the way for equality.
Comprised primarily of African
American artists, Motown brought
them to the mainstream and bridged
the gap between white and black
Americans. It didn’t matter who was
white, black, brown, or red, everyone
was dancing to Soul music.
Berry Gordy at the premiere of Motown the Musical.
“We set out to make
quality music, that
everyone could enjoy
and listen to”
- Smokey Robinson
To this day, we still do. In 2003, Berry Gordy and
Smokey Robinson were awarded the Architect of Sound:
Vision Award and the Architect of Sound: Artist Award
respectively for their contributions to the field of music.
In 2013, a musical based on the story of Motown was a
Broadway smash, running for 738 performances. Some of
the original Motown performers are still performing to this
day. Indeed, the legacy of Soul lives on through the sheer
power of the music and the people who created it.
5
Music Milestones
1960
1963
Motown Records is founded
by Berry Gordy, which
recorded much of the Soul
and R&B music we have today.
1961
“Please Mr. Postman” by
The Marvelettes becomes
the Number One song on
the pop charts.
1962
Martha and the Vandellas
have two Top 30 hits with
“Come and Get These
Memories” (#29) and
“(Love is Like a) Heat
Wave” (#4).
The Marvelettes have two
hits with “Playboy” and
“Beechwood 4-5789”
earning spots on the US
Hot 100 Top 20 Charts.
1960
“Money (That’s What I Want)”
by Barrett Strong and “Shop
Around” by The Miracles become
Motown’s first major hits.
6
1964
“Baby I Need Your
Lovin’” is the first
single released by The
Four Tops, as well as
their first Top 20 Hit.
Martha and the Vandellas.
Music Milestones
1966
The Temptations’ “Get Ready”
is a Top 30 hit, coming in at
#29. The Supremes’ “You Keep
Me Hanging On” becomes
a number one hit on the
Billboard charts.
1970
“ABC” by The Jackson 5
is released.
1968
Perhaps Motown’s biggest
hit, Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard
It Through the Grapevine” is
released. It stayed at the top of
the Billboard Pop Singles chart
for seven consecutive weeks.
1971
1967
1965
The Supremes’ “Stop! (In
the Name of Love)” and
The Temptations’ “My
Girl” are both number one
sports on the Billboard
Pop Singles Chart.
“Ain’t No Mountain”,
recorded by Marvin Gaye
and Tammi Terrell, is
released.
1969
“Cloud Nine” by The
Temptations wins a
Grammy award.
“Just My Imagination”
by The Temptations
becomes their third
song to hit number
one on the Billboard
Hot 100.
The Four Tops.
7
Rhythm and Blues Artists
Holland-Dozier-Holland
Someone had to write all the Soul hits. That task belonged to Holland-Dozier-Holland, consisting
of Lamont Dozier, and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland. Eddie Holland was a performer and
songwriter whose 1958 Mercury single “You” was one of Berry Gordy’s earliest productions. His
brother, Brian Holland, found success when he co-wrote The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman.”
Lamont Dozier was a successful recording artist for many labels in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Among them was
Anna Label, which
was run by Berry
Gordy’s sister. From
1962 to 1967, the
three wrote and
produced many of
the songs that would
define the Motown
sound, including
“Stop! In the Name
of Love,” “Reach Out
I’ll Be There,” and
“Nowhere to Run.”
8
Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Rhythm and Blues Artists
The Supremes
Originally known as the Primettes, The Supremes
were the most commercially successful Motown act,
with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hits
Chart including “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “You
Can’t Hurry Love,” and “Love Child.” Founded by
Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross (who
would go on to become the group’s lead vocalist),
and Betty McGlown, they rivaled even The Beatles
in popularity at their peak. To this date, they are one
of America’s most successful vocal groups.
The Marvelettes.
The Marvelettes
One of the most significantly successful girlgroups of all time, The Marvelettes’ hit “Please
Mr. Postman” was one of the first number one
singles recorded by a female vocal act, and the
first one for Motown. Other hits include “Don’t
Mess with Bill.”
The Supremes.
9
Rhythm and Blues Artists
The Temptations
Suave, harmonious, and flashy, The
Temptations were highly influential in R&B
and Soul music. Originally known as “The
Elgins,” they were the first Motown group
to win a Grammy Award in 1969 for “Cloud
Nine”. The Temptations’ biggest hits include
“My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and “I
Wish It Would Rain,” which won the group a
Grammy Award.
The Temptations.
The Four Tops
The Four Tops were considered
the main vocal group of Motown.
Their hits include “Reach Out I’ll
Be There” and “I Can’t Help Myself
(Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).” Founded
by lead vocalist Levi Stubbs, The
Four Tops performed from 1953 to
1997 without a change in personnel.
The Four Tops.
10
Talk about stamina!
Rhythm and Blues Artists
The Miracles
Founded by Smokey Robinson, Warren “Pete”
Moore, and Ronnie White, they were first
known as the Five Chimes. They later called
themselves the Matadors. They settled on The
Miracles once Claudette Robinson (Smokey’s
wife) joined. Their song “Shop Around” was
Motown’s first million-record seller. Their
other hits include “Tears of a Clown,” and
“You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me.”
The Jackson 5.
The Jackson 5
Berry Gordy called The Jackson 5 “the last big stars
to come rolling off my assembly line.” Consisting
of brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, and
Michael, the Jackson 5 were beloved for their
tight choreography, peppy music, and their sheer
energy. They made music history when their first
four Motown singles—“ABC,” “I Want You Back,”
“The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There”—shot
to Number One on the Billboard Hot 100. The
youngest member, Michael Jackson, went on to
become one of pop music’s most iconic performers.
The Miracles.
11
Solo Artists of the Era
Stevie Wonder
Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins, Stevie
Wonder has overcome blindness to become
one of the most talented and influential artists
of all time. His hits include “For Once in My
Life” and “Superstition.” He has received 25
Grammy Awards, the most awarded to any
male solo artist.
Marvin Gaye.
Marvin Gaye
Also known as the “Prince of Soul”, Marvin Gaye
started as an in-house session player, then became a solo artist with hits including “I Heard It
Through the Grapevine” and the Grammy Awardwinning “Sexual Healing.” After his untimely death
in 1984, he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
12
Stevie Wonder
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Su
RICHARD HOPKINS is the Producing
Artistic Director of Florida Studio Theatre.
Since 1980, Mr. Hopkins has guided the
company from a small touring group to a
professional regional theatre. He began his
professional theatre career as a resident actor
with the Asolo State Theatre in Sarasota.
In 1974, he founded the Palisades Theatre
Company in Washington, D.C., which
subsequently moved to St. Petersburg and is
now called American Stage. He served as its
Producing Director from 1974-1980.
Additional experiences include President of the Florida Professional Theatres Association,
Panelist for Theatre Program of Florida Arts Council, and Director/Instructor for Ringling
Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus’ Clown College.
His many directing credits include: Inspired Lunacy, The Best of Enemies, Next to Normal,
Race, Ruined, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Boleros for the Disenchanted,
Permanent Collection, Metamorphoses, The Bully Pulpit, God’s Man in Texas, Hysteria,
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, 2: Goering at Nuremberg, Six Degrees of
Separation, Execution of Justice, Death by Misadventure, Hi-Hat-Hattie, Invictus, Agnes of
God, Beyond Therapy, True West, La Ronde, and Betrayal among numerous other plays
and Cabaret projects including Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet, The Prima Donnettes,
Too Darn Hot, Laughing Matters, Night Train to Memphis, Sophie Tucker, Inspired Lunacy,
Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits, Over the Rainbow, and Let’s Twist Again: with the Wanderers.
Mr. Hopkins is the recipient of numerous awards including the Arts Leadership Award
from the Sarasota Arts Council, the Richard G. Fallon Award for Artistic Excellence from
the Florida Professional Theatre Association, and the Cultural Champion Award from
the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County.
14
15
FST Cabaret: A History
1995 – 1996 Season
Hot 'N Cole
My Castle's Rockin' by Larry Parr
Back to the 40's with the Boiler Sisters
Forever Ivory Rowe by Mark Hunter and
Barbara Bates Smith
An Evening Wasted
Song and Dance by Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Jazz Club
1996 – 1997 Season
By Gershwin
I am an American by Kurt Weill
Motown Cabaret
Always...Patsy Cline by Ted Swindley
1997 – 1998 Season
Honky -Tonk Highway by Richard Berg
and Robert Lindsey-Nassif
O'Carolan's Farewell to Music by Patrick
Ball and Peter Glazer
License to Bash
Over the Rainbow
Gunmetal Blues
Inspired Lunacy (revised)
Rendezvous with Marlene
Carreno
Clearly Invisible by Carl Seiger
Forever Plaid by Stuart Ross
1998 – 1999 Season
Harry Who?
A Brief History of White Music conceived
by Dee Dee Thomas and David Tweedy
Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits
1999 – 2000 Season
Three Girls Berlin!
Sophie Tucker: American Legend by
Jack Fournier & Kathy Halenda
The All Night Strut
2001 – 2002 Season
2009 – 2010 Season
The Rhythm of Life:
The Songs of Dorothy Fields
The Songs of Jaques Brel
Laughing Matters
Sophie Tucker
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
That’s Life
Reflections
Night Train to Memphis
2010 – 2011 Season
The Wanderers
Brassy Broads: The Next Generation
Laughing Matters
2002 – 2003 Season
My One and Only Gershwin
Guitar Girls
A Vaudeville Cabaret
2011-2012 Season
That’s Life, Again!
Shake, Rattle, & Roll
Reel Music
2003 – 2004 Season
Too Darn Hot: A Tribute to Cole Porter
On the Road
One-Hit Wonders
2012-2013 Season
Let’s Twist Again: With the Wanderers
Urban Cowboys
By Gershwin: A Tribute to George and Ira
2004 – 2005 Season
G.I. Jive
The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization
According to Tom Lehrer
Three Friends, Two Guitars
(and a broken tambourine)
2013-2014 Season
The Prima Donnettes
Poems, Prayers and Promises
Too Darn Hot
2005 – 2006 Season
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra
by David Grapes and Todd Olson
Piano Men
Flip Side
2006 – 2007 Season
Over The Rainbow, A Tribute to Harold Arlen
The British Invasion
Laughing Matters…Too
2007 – 2008 Season
Harry Who? The Lullabye of Broadway
European Cabaret
Outlaws and Angels
2014 Summer Season
At The Hop
Clearly Invisible
Somewhere Over The Rose
2014-2015 Season
Dancing in the Street
American Pie
Never Marry A Girl With Cold Feet:
and other life lessons from Vaudeville
2015 Summer Season
Six Guitars
Kings of Country
The Swingaroos
more
information or to discuss
naming opportunities,
2015-2016 Season
2008 –available
2009 Season
2000 –For
2001
Season
Steppin’
Out
contact: Jon Donk, Development
Manager,
at (941) 366-9017
By Mercer
Hula Hoop Sha-Boop
Harry Chapin and Friends or visit www. floridastudiotheatre.org.
Laughing Matters ’09
Brassy Broads
ext. 326Soul Mates: A Journey to Hitsville
Yesterday
Laughing Matters (vol. 5) Lock the Gates!
15
Ryan Connolly and Luke Minx. Photo by Matthew Holler.
Directed and Choreographed by
BILL CASTELLINO
Music Director RYAN TOUHEY
Costume Designer SUSAN ANGERMANN
Lighting Designer TOM HANSEN
Sound Engineer MARSHALL SIMMONS
Sound & Light Operator MARIAH YOUNG