Flashback Theater Co. presents the 12th Annual Season Announcement Cabaret brought to you by LCTourism! This year, the annual event’s theme is “Lighten Up!”. Performers and musicians will “light up” The Virginia stage in Downtown Somerset (214 E. Mt Vernon St) on April 11th at 7PM. In between live music and performance acts by local artists, Producing Artistic Director Sommer Schoch will announce the 2026-27 Season of Productions. New and returning audiences are invited to spend an evening celebrating the joy of local theater! To keep this event accessible to the community, tickets will be sold on a Pay-What-You-Can sliding scale.
12th Annual Season Announcement Cabaret Theme: Lighten Up
This year’s “Lighten Up” theme is inspired by recent events. As politics shift and our community changes, Flashback strives to be a beacon of joy and inclusion for all. As theatremakers, we feel called to brighten the mood and remind people that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that laughter is always something to share. The lineup includes a delightful selection of musical theatre showstoppers, beloved popular songs, original comedic monologues, and more.
What is the Season Announcement Cabaret?
The Season Announcement Cabaret is a tradition that began during FbTC’s very first season. Gathered in the wine cellar at the former Cooper Community Arts Center, audience members, donors, and supporters of Flashback gathered to see artists share their talents and get excited about what the new year at Flashback had to offer. As FbTC has developed each year, so has the Cabaret; growing from a small intimate setting to a lively celebration in Somerset’s beloved renovated movie house, The Virginia.
Each Cabaret performer receives complimentary coaching as part of their participation in the Cabaret, giving Lake Cumberland’s incredible local talent the chance to stretch and grow as performers. This year, Kimberly Heinrich brings 30 years of voice teaching experience as vocal coach. Schoch will coach actors on their acting and performance skills.
12th Annual Season Announcement Cabaret Lineup
Acts will be accompanied by pianist Debby McDonald, guitarist Bradley Gilmore, bassist Rick Winstead, and percussionist Justin Petrey. The live band always brings an exciting dimension to the event; giving performers the opportunity to “rock out” on stage.
Billy Christopher Maupin – “Colored Lights” from The Rink
Bailey Patterson & Alexia VanNoy – “Wish I Were Here” from Next to Normal
Johnna Atkinson-Bigelow featuring Jenny Cleberg – “Defying Gravity” from Wicked
Gregory Blair & Martha Pratt – “Bloom” from In Pieces
Michele Hinton – “My Moon,” an original poem
Chris Harris – “A Tree Grows Impatient,” an original monologue
Brian Estes – “Feeling Good”
Erin Wolford – “Beautiful City” from Godspell
Noah Tomlinson – “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles
Debby McDonald – “Song About the Moon” by Paul Simon
Scott Sexton & Company – “Light” from Next to Normal
David Eads – Monologue from Dreams in Captivity
Martha Pratt – “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman
Wynter Mason – “Morning Person” from Shrek
Alexia VanNoy – “Sugarcloud” from Ride the Cyclone
Brianna Phipps – “Everybody Says Don’t” from Anyone Can Whistle
Joy Chaney – Monologue from You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Neil Sudhakaran featuring Jenny Cleberg – “Teacher’s Pet” from School of Rock
Get Tickets Today!
To support Flashback Theater’s mission of making theater accessible to our whole community, the Cabaret is a Pay-What-You-Can event. A donation of $25 is recommended, but there are several pricing tiers available based on what is affordable to you and your family. We strongly recommend reserving your seats in advance by visiting www.flashbacktheater.co/events or calling the Flashback Theater box office at (888) 394-FBTC, ext. 1.
FbTC looks forward to bringing the community together for the Season Announcement Cabaret. Hopefully, as we look forward to the next season, the good times will keep on rolling.
Location:
The Virginia
214 E Mt Vernon St
Somerset, KY 42501
Date and Time:
April 11th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Reservation Link: https://bit.ly/3P2iEtu
Cost:
Suggested donation of $25 | Reservation Required
Sponsors & Supporters
The 12th Annual Season Announcement Cabaret is proudly supported by our Title Sponsor, Lake Cumberland Tourism (LCTourism.com).
Flashback Theater Co. is grateful to our 2025-26 Starlight Sponsors: Applied Behavioral Advancements, The City of Somerset, Kentucky Tourism Arts and Heritage Cabinet, and The Shubert Foundation. Spotlight Sponsor: M&W Printing; as well as our Footlight Sponsors: David Daring Rentals,, First & Farmers National Bank, The Weigel Family, United Cumberland Bank, T. Ronald Kidd Trust, and Somerset Community College.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Flashback Theater Co. with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.