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MUSICAL NUMBERS
CAST LIST
PRODUCTION TEAM
CAST BIOS
MUSICAL NUMBERS
The Music
O Christmas Tree
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
We Wish You the Very Merriest
My Favorite Things
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Sisters
What Christmas Means to Me
Blue Christmas
Snow
It’s a Marshmallow World
Sleigh Ride
INTERMISSION
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of The Year
Sugar and Booze
Mele Kalikimaka
Stardust
You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Christmas Movie Mashup
Grown-Up Christmas List
Carol of the Bells
You Meet the Nicest People/ Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming
A Visit from St. Nicholas
May You Always
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
Eileen Earnest and Alison Rampa
Two Sketchy Dames
Grace Baker
Elaine Diehl
Eric Heatley
Edin Kebede
Niko Kordalis
FEATURING
The Young Professionals Choral Collective Carolers
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director of Theatre Tyler Gabbard
Technical Director Doug Stock
Production Technician Kyle Imbronyev
Sound Designer Avery Reynolds
Spotlight Operator Maria Schlaechter
Operations Manager Shelbi Schindler
Marketing Manager Maria Marotta
Box Office Manager Brenda Berger
Executive Director Matt Distel
CAST BIOS
SARAH FOLSOM As a multifaceted professional performer and teaching artist specializing in contemporary-commercial music, musical theatre, singing voice habilitation, and trans and non-binary singing voice, Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where she is an Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre & Voice Specialist.
Celebrated for her “comedic skill” (Broadway World), Sarah’s latest theatre credit includes the role of “Fruma Sarah” in a new, 2025 production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF produced by The Cincinnati Opera. Yet, she is best known for her “masterful” (Elaine Diehl, WGUC) concert performances of vintage jazz, cabaret, and musical theatre repertoire, recently appearing with Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Opera’s Studio Session Series, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Fitton Center for Creative Arts, Washington Opera House, Vocal Arts Ensemble, The Jazz Series at Memorial Hall, and the May Festival Chorus, as well as competing as a 2021 Quarterfinalist in the American Traditions Vocal Competition.
Also an accomplished concert programmer and arranger, Sarah is one half of the Cincinnati-based musical duo, Queen City Cabaret (QCC), which she co-founded in 2018 with pianist Mathew Umphreys. As an Artistic and Musical Director with QCC, Sarah co-writes multiple musical cabarets each year, celebrating the music, movements, and artists of the 20th century. Through QCC, Sarah released her first album, Count Your Blessings: A Tribute to Rosemary Clooney, and is a resident artist at The Carnegie Theatre in Covington, KY. Additionally, Sarah has produced several musical activism projects through the cabaret, including a city-wide music video cover of the 2017 Women’s March anthem, Quiet, as well as a week-long, virtual music festival promoting voting equity in 2020.
In addition to performing, Sarah has extensive teaching experience and engages in ongoing professional development to keep current with industry standards and advances in voice science. She has worked with professional and pre-professional singers for more than 15 years, and currently has students performing on Broadway, touring as singer-songwriters and commercial artists, and playing theatres and concert halls across the country. A CCM alumnus, Sarah graduated with a Master of Music in Voice in 2015, and has since completed certification at the Contemporary-Commercial Music Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory. She presented her research, “Navigating the Voice Care Team: A Study for the Pre-Professional and Professional Singer,” at the 2016, National Association of Teachers of Singing Annual Conference, and was named a NATS Professional Teaching Intern in 2020.
Additionally, Sarah is an in-demand presenter and adjudicator, recently teaching masterclasses in commercial vocal styles and cabaret performance technique at CCM, University of Nevada-Reno, Xavier University, and Northern Kentucky University, as well as adjudicating the 2025 Overture Awards.
In her teaching, Sarah aims to foster a spirit of collaboration, using evidence-based training tools and personalized instruction to help each of her students achieve sustainable, flexible, athletic, and joyful vocal production, laying the foundation for a lifetime of fulfilling, imaginative art-making.
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.
ERIC SHANE HEATLEY After appearing in the New York Times and being praised as a powerful baritone by The New Yorker last year, Eric Shane Heatley returns to Queen City Cabaret for his second holiday season. A graduate of University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Eric is a frequent collaborator with Cincinnati Opera (where he serves on the Young Professional Board), Cincinnati Song Initiative, and TAFT. In February, he made his Jazz at Lincoln Center debut reprising Ricky Jackson in Scott Davenport Richards’ opera BLIND INJUSTICE—a role he originated and recorded for the opera’s definitive album. Offstage, Eric works as a voice teacher with the May Festival Voice Lesson Program and maintains a private studio alongside his work as an adjunct professor and higher education administrator. Excited to make Christmas a little more cozy with QCC!
GRACE BAKER is a junior musical theatre major at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. This past summer, she performed in GREASE at the Carnegie playing Jan. Also at the Carnegie, she was a swing in SEUSSICAL this past February, and she will be in the ensemble of ANYTHING GOES this March. Grace would like to thank her mom and dad, Sarah and Matthew for letting her in on this awesome opportunity, and everyone behind the scenes at the Carnegie. Happy Holidays!
ELAINE DIEHL hosts classical music on 90.9 WGUC weekdays between 11:00am and 4:00pm, a position she’s held since 2016. Elaine has been deeply involved in the Cincinnati Music Scene since graduation from Xavier University. In the 1980’s she began her rock and roll journey as founder/ lead singer of Elaine & the Biscaynes. She currently sings with the pop/ jazz trio, Boutique, and does studio voice work around town, and is happily found hosting concerts for many local Orchestras and Choirs. Elaine appears annually with the Pillar Award and Devou Cup-winning charitable production, SUITS THAT ROCK (benefitting Arts Education here at The Carnegie) and is delighted to be part of The Cozy Cabaret this holiday season.
EDIN KEBEDE is thrilled to be back at the Carnegie in A COZY CHRISTMAS this season! She is a current junior musical theatre major at CCM. Recently, she was in the Carnegie’s production of THE COLOR PURPLE as Church Lady Darlene. Other credits include: THE LIGHTNING THIEF (Katie/Charon) and HAIR (Tribe, u/s Sheila).
NIKO KORDALIS is a Cincinnati based musician and works as a guitarist and instructor locally. He loves playing music of all styles and began his musical journey with an interest in Blues, Rock, Funk, and with a growing love for Jazz he pursued a degree in Jazz Studies and holds a BFA from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Niko currently teaches private guitar lessons at the Cincinnati Music Academy and has for the past nine years as a part of the wonderful faculty there. Outside of music Niko enjoys hiking, learning new things, playing games with friends, and traveling to experience nature and different cultures.
TWO SKETCHY DAMES Eileen Earnest and Alison Rampa are Two Sketchy Dames full of wine & funny and they are ready to perform some make-em-ups, sketch, and musical comedy! Two Sketchy Dames is a Cincinnati based troupe that began in 2016. Performances include: Detroit Improv Festival, Improv Festival of Cincinnati, Gatlinburg Improv Fest, Secret City Improv Festival, and Damn Good Improv Festival in Louisville (headliner). In 2019, along with accompanist Mike Flohr, they developed COMEDY AND COCKTAILS a delicious cocktail infused floor show combining music, improv, and sketch comedy. During the 2020 season, they recorded AT HOME WITH THE DAMES, a variety show with weekly guest improvisers. In collaboration with Queen City Cabaret, they performed PERFECTLY MARVELOUS a song and comedy show inspired by the Amazon Prime series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” which had two successful runs in 2023 and 2025.