Cloverdale celebrates Hollywood during award-winning cabaret show

Cloverdale may not be glitzy or grandiose like Las Vegas or New York City, but when it comes to cabaret performances, the small town holds its own — and then some.

When 'That's Entertainment' opens next week at the historic Cloverdale fairgrounds, audiences will be transported to Hollywood for a tribute to some of the most memorable moments from film, music and theater.

A cast of local residents, performing as the Cloverdale Cabaret Players, will showcase their singing and dancing skills during 23 numbers featuring soloists, duos, trios and ensembles. The cabaret is one of several special events during the 128th annual Cloverdale Citrus Fair, one of the state's oldest fairs and one of the earliest held each year in California.

'That's Entertainment' takes the stage Feb. 13, 15 and 16. The three-act dinner show is a small-town production with big-time talent, something that's evolved over three decades from one-act plays and musical numbers into an award-winning cabaret with 'something for everyone,' said Ashlyn McLean, a fair board member and the cabaret's director and choreographer.

'The show is awesome. We have a really professional cast and a really amazing amount of talent. We're so lucky to have the cast we do.'

This year's cabaret features 10 singers and 16 dancers, the show's largest cast 'by far,' said McLean, 30, a stay-at-home mother and a former real estate agent.

She started dancing as a young girl in Cloverdale and taught dance for 11 years, everything from ballet, tap, hip-hop and jazz to musical theater.

Working with the 'That's Entertainment' theme, McLean and her executive committee of Whitney Westfall, Midori Longo Rowlands and Lauren Johnson began collaborating over the summer to select songs and 'create the most diverse show we can,' McLean said.

The program will 'pay homage' to Hollywood screen and song favorites 'in our own way,' she said. 'There may be a twist to it.'

Without giving away too much, she shares that many tunes are familiar. 'They may see something from 'Top Gun.' They may see something from Queen. They may see something from 'Footloose' and they may see something from 'Mamma Mia.' And maybe a little bit from Barbra Streisand. And that's just a tiny little taste.'

Performers range from teens to an octogenarian — students, teachers, tasting room servers, a speech pathologist, an auto parts store owner and an IT specialist among them — selected from auditions, returning from previous shows or recruited by McLean, who also directed last year's cabaret and has performed in several Citrus Fair cabarets.

The cabaret was recognized at the recent Western Fairs Association convention and trade show with a first-place Achievement Award acknowledging excellence for a new event, exhibit or program. The nonprofit trade group serves the fair industry across the western U.S. and Canada.

The award recognizes last year's 'revamped' cabaret and celebrates the 'amazingly talented members of the community' who make it possible, said Cloverdale Citrus Fair CEO Katie Young. Additionally, a photo of last year's cabaret took a first-place award in the association's 'Give it Your Best Shot' photography competition.

Young said that while most fairs typically include carnivals, exhibits, farm animals, live music and displays, there's always something that stands out as unique, too. 'Each fair has a different way to showcase the talent in their community,' she said. In Cloverdale, that includes the cabaret.

The all-volunteer production began rehearsals in September, with singers and dancers meeting separately. The full cast has been rehearsing together the past few months.

Last year's show, the 1920s-inspired 'Hideaway at the Cabaret,' was a sellout that earned accolades from the community. 'This year,' McLean said, 'is going to be off the chart.'

The intimate auditorium, with table seating for 160, provides an inclusive experience for the audience, with stage extensions and performers practically mingling with guests.

'There truly are no bad seats in the house. Sometimes you have dancers right next to you,' McLean said.

Dance instructor and cabaret dancer Alysia Ramirez choreographed one of the numbers, and other dancers shared ideas so that McLean's choreography reflects a team effort. She gives a grateful shout-out to Denise Devlin, director of the Cloverdale School of Dance, for her many years of guidance in dance and performance.

'I love it. I tell you, I live for this,' McLean said.

The production is a family effort, too. Lauren Johnson of the cabaret executive committee is McLean's 23-year-old sister-in-law, and she sings and dances in the production (and is a part-time dance instructor).

Johnson's husband, Jordan Johnson, 24, also sings in 'That's Entertainment.' He works as a ranch lead at Gallo when he's away from the stage, but 'he's killin' it' as a singer, his wife said.

Like her husband and sister-in-law, Johnson grew up in Cloverdale and enjoys giving back to her community as a cabaret member. 'I love to perform. It's not hard to get me into a show,' she said. 'I will definitely be in it as long as I'm able.'

Johnson said McLean brings a contagious enthusiasm to the cabaret. Whether McLean is directing, putting together costumes or perfecting her choreography, she makes an all-out effort, Johnson said. 'That's super impressive to me.'

As opening night nears, one Cloverdale resident doesn't hesitate to share her excitement — Cloverdale Citrus Fair parade grand marshal Mary Jo Winter. Though there's no flashing neon marquee outside the fairgrounds auditorium announcing the Cloverdale Cabaret Players, Winter said the production rivals cabarets at grand venues.

'I promise you,' Winter said, 'it's just as good as anything you'll see in Vegas or New York.'