Cabaret 2026 Steals the Stage

The Holland Patent High School vocal, jazz, and string ensembles tuned up Cabaret for a show that struck a chord with the entire community on April 17 and 18. The annual tradition once again brought together the school’s dedicated musicians for two evenings filled with music, comedy, and creativity.

This year’s show featured a dynamic mix of popular songs and skits, all prepared and performed by members of the music program. Audiences enjoyed standout numbers including “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Happy,” “The Final Countdown,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” The variety of styles ensured that every audience member found something to enjoy. 

Cabaret continued to be a beloved event for students, families, and community members. It offered a chance to see the creativity and hard work of Holland Patent’s young musicians come to life on stage, and this year’s performances lived up to that tradition.

Holland Patent closed out another successful Cabaret, leaving audiences excited for what the next year will bring. 

 

Featured Ensembles: 

Holland Patent MidKnight
Directed by Mrs. Bethany Swift
Choreographed by Mrs. Juliana Muirhead 

 

Alto
Elizabeth Buckland*
Tori Cellamare
Alicia Chopko
Lauren Favata
Elizabeth Firsching
Jalayna Fox
Leah Howard
Abbi Howard
Lilah Pitcher
Morgan Race
Alexia Small
Izabella Walters* 

Baritone
Isabella Bangs*
Norah Bulson
Kaden Dousharm
Miguel Perez
Aiden Pinkos*
Kahlan Williamson*
Matthew Zaishnikov

Soprano
Annie Bamberger
Claire Dedrick
Siobhan Firsching 
Nevaeh Lohnes*
Hailey Pinkos
Vivian VanHatten
Nia Westcott
Kaedence Williams 

 

Holland Patent Golden Knotes
Directed by Mr. Shawn DePalma

Violin I
Holly Buchanan-Wise
Elizabeth Buckland*
Norah Bulson

Violin II
Lucus Crowe
Jacob Dobreski
Clara Poland 

Viola 
Grace Bunker
Morgan Race 

Cello
Lauren Favata
Ms. Miranda Paulino

Bass
Mason Erny
Abigael Stevens
Brett VanNamee*

Percussion
Forest Sann

Guitar
William Makarchuk 

Holland Patent High School Jazz Ensemble
Directed by Ms. Kristin Kelly

Alto Saxophone
Peyton Aldrich

Flute
Olivia Donovan

Bass Guitar
Mason Erny

Tenor Saxophone
Peyton Jones

Trumpet
Joseph McChesney*
Tori Cellamare
Benjamin Reeves

Drum Set
Parker Lange

Piano
Cooper Poland

Baritone
Keira Crossway 

*Denotes Senior Music Student 

 

Senior Recognition

This year’s Cabaret also celebrated the seniors who shaped the music program with their talent, leadership, and dedication. Their contributions onstage and behind the scenes helped build a strong, supportive arts community at Holland Patent. 

Bella Bangs

Bella has been a part of the Knightly Players and MidKnight since her freshman year of high school. She has been doing musical theater in school for seven years, and has been in even more shows out of school with the Capital Theater Summer Stage and RCT. She is in the Holland Patent Midknights and participates in SkillsUSA with the BOCES CTE program. Bella would like to thank her family and boyfriend, and she gives a special thanks to all her teachers throughout the years for supporting her. 

 

Elizabeth Buckland

Liz has been part of the Knightly Players since her freshman year of high school. She has been in the Golden Knotes for four years and MidKnight for one year. You may recognize her from “Alice in Wonderland Jr.”, where she played the Caterpillar. Liz loves performing onstage and is proud to be part of this program. She has been playing violin for 10 years and singing for two years. She also plays guitar and aspires to learn piano. In her free time, Liz edits film scripts and makes press-on nails. Next year, she plans to attend SUNY Poly for business administration. 

Liz would like to thank her best friends, Michayla S. and Kahlan W., for encouraging her to be more involved in the music program, and her music teachers, Mr. DePalma and Mrs. Swift, for being amazing and always encouraging her to try new things. Liz’s advice to underclassmen is to always follow your passions, work hard, and enjoy the time you have with your friends. Sometimes high school isn’t the best, but it does get better. Have fun, do the random side quests, because once it’s over, it’s over. Liz is excited to see many successful HP performances in the future.

Nevaeh Lohnes

Vaeh has been involved in music in high school for two years, but has been participating in activities with music her whole life. She has been in Tri-M, Knightly Players, and MidKnight for these past two years, and has loved (almost) every minute of it. She will be attending SUNY Polytechnic Institute for psychology this fall, with the goal to become a psychologist. She plans to continue making music through community theaters and through her church. To the underclassmen, keep your head held high, because the world doesn’t stop for anyone. 😊 

Joseph McChesney

Joseph is performing in his first Cabaret. He is the first-trumpet player in the jazz band and wind ensemble. He is an active member of Tri-M and appreciates the art of music. He’s been playing the trumpet for nine years and has been able to play in all three ensembles. After high school, Joseph plans to attend MVCC for two years and then ultimately transfer to SUNY Cortland for sports therapy, and he hopes to play collegiate soccer. A favorite memory of Joseph’s is participating in and learning from the Navy Band members. His advice to underclassmen is to make the most out of your high school career because you only get to live through it once. Cheesy out! 

Brett VanNamee

Brett is performing in his third Cabaret this year. Brett is a bassist in the Golden Knotes, as well as an active member of Tri-M Music Honor Society. He is also a former member of the HP jazz band, where he played bass guitar for a year. After high school, Brett plans to attend MVCC for two years, then transfer to SUNY Cortland, majoring in Spanish culture and literature. His favorite memories from Cabaret are from his sophomore year, getting to meet his best friend, as well as his junior year, jumping from spot to spot while performing in both the Golden Knotes and the HP jazz band at the same time. His advice to underclassmen is to not take your days in high school for granted, stay positive, and remember that the good days will outweigh the bad ones. 

Izabella Walters

Izabella Walters is a senior this year at Holland Patent. She was formerly a student in the orchestra from elementary through high school. Now she is both a chorus and band affiliated student; she joined both her senior year. She has participated in the Knightly Players and MidKnight. Her future plans are to attend SUNY Brockport for graphic design. One of her favorite memories is being in the musical for the first time—it was a magical experience. 

Kahlan Williamson

Kahlan Williamson is in her third year of Tri-M. This is her second year competing to sell chocolate and her last year being a part of this family. She knows these people will always welcome her with open arms, but not seeing them every day will be a challenging step in graduation. She says music groups were her strongest and most welcoming. She has found many friends that she still has now, not to mention finding herself in music. She plans to go to MVCC and use the 2+2 Oneonta program for her degree in elementary education. She wants to thank Michayla and Liz, just as she did in the musical program, because they are her closest friends. She can’t wait to grow with them. Just as she did in the last program, she wants to include a Winnie the Pooh quote: “Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” She believes even though we are relatively small in this world, everyone plays a role in hundreds of people’s lives, and every single person in music has helped her become who she is. She wants to thank everyone and wish them good luck in the show.