Waterloo student to perform in 'Pal Joey'

Sabrina Killary from Waterloo, a music major, is one of many students involved in the production of “Pal Joey” at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Killary will play the role of Trumpet, as a part of the Orchestra.

“Pal Joey” will be performed by UW-Whitewater’s Department of Theatre and Dance in the Barnett Theatre Feb. 23-25 and Feb. 29-March 2.

“Pal Joey,” written in 1940, is one of many Rodgers and Hart musicals to run on Broadway. It tells the story of a young nightclub performer named Joey Evans with an ambitious dream of one day owning his own nightclub, and seemingly no limits to what he will do to achieve this desire. His large goals and manipulative tactics get suddenly entangled with lust and jealousy when he begins deceptively charming women and letting his selfishness blind him.

UW-Whitewater’s 2024 production encapsulates the show’s unique and complex character relationships and gives new life to a beloved 1940s classic.

“It has been a pleasure to work on the show,” said show director Bruce Cohen, an associate professor of theatre and dance. “It is the most dance-intensive musical that we’ve mounted in the seven years I’ve been here at UW-Whitewater. The students are having a blast.”

Cohen goes on to explain the careful thought that went into the selection process for a show of this nature.

“This show presents a higher degree of triple-threat — singing, dancing, and acting — performance skills than many contemporary shows. This is so important for our students to have experience with.”