MUSICAL NUMBERS
CAST LIST
PRODUCTION TEAM
CAST BIOS
MUSICAL NUMBERS
The Music
The Christmas Song
Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season
Winter Wonderland
Nothing Rhymes with Christmas
Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow
Merry Christmas, Darling
Lollipops and Roses
Jingle Bell-ters
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
The Very Thought of You
The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing
I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Intermission
You Meet the Nicest People/Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Adeste Fideles/Do You Hear What I Hear
Christmas Mem’ries
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
I’ll Be Home/So Far Away
Clair de Lune
Here We Come A-Caroling
Deck the Halls
Sleep Well Little Children/Silent Night
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
The Secret of Christmas
CAST LIST
Queen City Cabaret
Sarah Folsom & Matthew Umphreys , Artistic Directors and Principal Artists
Guest Artists
Avery Bargasse
Byron & Penny Folsom
Annika Jonker
JT Langlas
Victoria Okafor
Featuring
The Young Professionals Choral Collective Carolers
Choreographer Tomi Newman
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director of Theatre Tyler Gabbard
Technical Director Doug Stock
Spotlight Operator Maria Schlaechter
Marketing Manager Maria Marotta
Event Manager Abby Sauer
Box Office Manager Brenda Berger
Executive Director Matt Distel
CAST BIOS
Sarah Folsom (she/her) is a Founding Artistic Director and Principal Artist with Queen City Cabaret.
Hailed as a “masterful performer” of vintage jazz, pop, and cabaret, Sarah is a sought-after performer in clubs and theatres across the country. She has recently appeared as a featured vocalist with The Cincinnati Pops, The Cincinnati Opera, The Vocal Arts Ensemble, The Jazz Series at Memorial Hall, The Young Professionals Choral Collective, The Fitton Center for Creative Arts, The Washington Opera House, The Union Ensemble, and The May Festival Chorus, as well as on Cincinnati Educational Television and TVHamilton. In 2021, she competed as a quarterfinalist in the American Traditions Vocal Competition and released her first album with QCC, Count Your Blessings: A Tribute to Rosemary Clooney.
A native of Tallahassee FL, Sarah completed her Master’s degree at UC’s College-Conservatory of Music in 2015, where she currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Voice. In addition to making a lot of noise, Sarah loves to garden, burn things on the stove, and hang out with her wife Amy and their two cats, Spooky and Jazzpurr.
Upcoming: “Perfectly Marvelous” at The Fitton Center for Creative Arts, “As Time Goes By” at Memorial Hall, “Rocktails” at The Carnegie, and Fiddler on the Roof (appearing as Fruma Sarah) at Cincinnati Opera.
Matthew Umphreys
Matthew Umphreys is a Cincinnati-based musician who loves working with great singers, regardless of genre. He has worked around the country as a pianist, coach, arranger and music director with organizations such as a Cincinnati Opera, Playhouse in the Park, The Carnegie, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Vocal Arts Ensemble, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Song Initiative, The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, the American Traditions Competition, the Skivvies, and Celtic Woman. Matthew is a Founding Artistic Director and Principal Artist of Queen City Cabaret, which released their debut album Count Your Blessings: A Tribute to Rosemary Clooney in December 2021.
Matthew currently serves as Director of Music at Columbia Baptist and Linwood Baptist churches in Cincinnati and he is a sought-after collaborator for recordings and recitals. He holds degrees from Luther College and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In his free time (lol), Matthew enjoys practicing yoga, riding roller coasters and baking muffins.
Avery Bargassé, Guest Artist (Previously featured on our May 2024 show, “Lights, Camera, Cabaret: 100 Years of MGM”)
Avery Bargassé displays an impressive command over many contemporary vocal styles;
including jazz, gospel, pop, soul, R&B, Motown, folk, country and musical theater. Some of his
notable performances include singing the theme song for HBO series The Wire, being a musical
guest for then senator Barack Obama, singing as an opening act for R&B singer Gladys Knight,
singing as an invited guest at the U.S. Department of Justice alongside gospel artists Sandi Patty, Rance Allen and the Winans family, not excluding singing background vocals for both Andy Williams and Josh Groban. In addition, he has made musical appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Soulful Symphony, and is an active member of the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus, where he is also a voice instructor. Avery has enjoyed a continued professional relationship with Cincinnati Opera as core chorister. Bargassé is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, with both a Master’s of Music in Contemporary-commercial voice pedagogy and a Bachelor’s of Music in voice performance. He is currently on faculty at Xavier University as an adjunct professor of Voice.
including jazz, gospel, pop, soul, R&B, Motown, folk, country and musical theater. Some of his
notable performances include singing the theme song for HBO series The Wire, being a musical
guest for then senator Barack Obama, singing as an opening act for R&B singer Gladys Knight,
singing as an invited guest at the U.S. Department of Justice alongside gospel artists Sandi Patty, Rance Allen and the Winans family, not excluding singing background vocals for both Andy Williams and Josh Groban. In addition, he has made musical appearances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Soulful Symphony, and is an active member of the Cincinnati May Festival Chorus, where he is also a voice instructor. Avery has enjoyed a continued professional relationship with Cincinnati Opera as core chorister. Bargassé is a graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, with both a Master’s of Music in Contemporary-commercial voice pedagogy and a Bachelor’s of Music in voice performance. He is currently on faculty at Xavier University as an adjunct professor of Voice.
Byron and Penny Folsom, Guest Artists
Byron and Penny Folsom have been making music together for over 50 years. After meeting in youth choir at their church, Byron, a bass, discovered he had a built- in accompanist in Penny and knew a good thing when he found it!
Byron studied music at Florida State University, performing in concerts and operas there for several years. He later earned a doctorate in Higher Education Administration at FSU and enjoyed a career first as a consultant and then an administration executive at his Alma Mater.
Penny received her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Florida State and enjoyed a long and fulfilling career in church music. She held several staff positions at First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, Florida over a period of 33 years culminating in becoming a licensed minister and serving as Minister of Music. Penny also has dabbled in composition and still enjoys serving as pianist and choir director at the Congregational Church in Orland, Indiana.
Byron and Penny are very proud of their daughter, Sarah Folsom, who exhibits the best of both of them.
Byron and Penny are very proud of their daughter, Sarah Folsom, who exhibits the best of both of them.
Annika Jonker, Guest Artist (Previously featured in The Carnegie’s Production of “Tick, Tick…Boom!”)
Annika Jonker (she/her) is so grateful to be back at The Carnegie for the holidays! Annika is a current junior Musical Theater major at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). She spent her summer at The Carnegie in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (Ensemble; u/s Janet) and TICK…TICK…BOOM! (Susan & Others) and was recently seen onstage at CCM in WONDERFUL TOWN (Violet/Ensemble) and on Carnegie Hall in 30 YEARS OF STEPHEN FLAHERTY. Much love to all her family and friends who support her in everything she does. Instagram: @annika.jonker
JT Langlas, Guest Artist (Previously featured in The Carnegie’s Production of “Tick, Tick…Boom!”)
JT Langlas is thrilled to return to the Carnegie Theatre for the holidays! Currently pursuing a BFA in musical theatre at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, JT spent this last summer at the Carnegie in TICK, TICK… BOOM! (Michael/Others) and BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL (Drifter/Ensemble). Other Cincinnati credits include: THE 70S ON DEMAND (Ensemble, Kings Island), CINDERELLA JR. (The Prince, TCT), and SOMETHING ROTTEN (Ensemble, CCM).
JT extends thanks to Queen City cabaret for this wonderful process. All the love and appreciation to the friends and family that have supported him from day one! Instagram – @jtlanglas
Tomi Newman, Choreographer
Tomi Newman (any pronouns) is so excited to have choreographed for QCC! Current senior musical theatre major at the University of Cincinnati (CCM)! Recently seen on The Carnegie stage in QCC’s Perfectly Marvelouscabaret, Charlie Price in Kinky Boots, and Harry the Horse in Guys & Dolls. Aside from musical theatre, Tomi loves to cook, make candles, and host get-togethers!
Victoria Okafor,Guest Artist (Previously featured on our October 2024 show, “I Put A Spell On You: A Creepy Cabaret” and The Carnegie’s Production of “Beautiful”)
Victoria is excited to return to The Carnegie for Queen City Cabaret’s I Put a Spell On You Creepy Cabaret. Victoria made her Carnegie debut this past summer as Janelle in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Other theater credits include Nehebka in Elton John’s Aida (UFOMT) and Strawberry Seller in Oliver! (UFOMT). Victoria has been working professionally for the past 8 years in the world of opera and has sung with companies all over the country such as Washington National Opera, Opera Columbus, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Birmingham, Newport Classical, Kentucky Opera and Cincinnati Opera. As a lover of new music, she has been able to originate a number of roles with Cincinnati Opera through their Opera Fusion: New Works initiative. Highlights include Alesha in Blind Injustice, Wilhelmina in Castor And Patience and Laura in The Hours. The Hours premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 2023 with Kelli O’Hara in the role of Laura. Victoria had the opportunity to cover O’Hara in Philadelphia for the concert version of The Hours in 2022. Victoria is a HUGE classic film fan and you can find her on Instagram for her series “Songs From Old Movie Musicals that are Stuck In My Head” Upcoming: Blind Injustice at Lincoln Center Instagram @victoria__okafor (2 underscores)
