By Hadar Katsman, Features Editor
On March 31, after a long day of classes came to an end, the lights dimmed in Koch Auditorium on the Beren campus and an audience sat silently in anticipation as a fairy godmother and her fairy godmother in training skipped up to the stage to introduce what they said would be an ‘enchanting evening.’
And what an enchanting evening it was.
Eliana Diamond (SCW ‘25) and Rivka Inger (SCW ‘25), co-presidents of the Stern College Dramatics Society (SCDS), took the stage to introduce their fellow peers for the annual jaw-dropping performance, in which a group of Beren campus students, different in many ways, but who all share a love for theater, performed songs from a variety of musicals.
“Showcase is the best event on Beren, and being involved in its organization and planning is an honor,” Diamond told the YU Observer. “Being able to bring a night like this together, where women can showcase their talents in a halachic way, is very important to SCDS and to me.”
The theme for the 2025 showcase was “Some Enchanted Evening.” Though it is a reference to the musical South Pacific, “it also encapsulates what the whole night is about,” Diamond said. “It’s a truly magical night for all.”
With a catchy script and the flick of a wand, Diamond and Inger, roleplaying as a fairy godmother and fairy godmother in training respectively, introduced each act to the stage.
The showcase included 14 numbers, ranging from solo performances to ensembles of six, allowing each girl to have her moment to shine while playing a role she felt comfortable in. Each number also had a director to guide them while putting performances together during rehearsal.
One director and performer, Talia Feldman (SCW ‘26), told the YU Observer that being a part of creating the showcase “allowed me to work on my communication, teamwork and leadership skills, and also help others develop those skills.”
SCDS’s musical showcase, with the assistance of the Office of Student Life (OSL) and friends manning the sound system, is entirely student-run. Everything, from the theme and auditions to performance costumes and the performances themselves, stems from the crew’s own determination and creativity in putting the showcase together.
“I think it provides an opportunity to feel empowered,” Feldman said. “We know now that we are capable of putting on a small scale performance.”
Feldman added, “The first thing I did when getting backstage was give high fives to those on stage with me. This was a team effort that we accomplished together.”
Performers practiced their numbers for several weeks. After they performed, they could finally celebrate and reflect on their well-deserved achievements. “After each performance I directed, I was in the stairwell jumping from excitement,” Hayley Goldberg (SCW ‘27), also a showcase director and performer, told the YU Observer. “I just couldn’t contain my pride for the performers and all the work they put in to create such masterpieces.”
Since SCDS put on their first musical showcase in 2022, it has become an anticipated event every year on the Beren campus. The showcase takes place every spring semester, this performance marking its fourth year.
The musical showcase aims to accomplish much, with Diamond saying that “the biggest goal is for audience members and performers to have an amazing night.”
Showcase provides the audience with “a lovely chance for folks to hear live performances of musical numbers they know and love, as well as learn about new musicals,” Diamond said. “I would be beyond ecstatic if people listened to entire soundtracks of Broadway shows after coming to showcase.”
She continued, “For those who enjoy performing, it gives them a supportive and halachic space to do so at YU. The show is for women only, and singers and dancers are encouraged to wear whatever makes them comfortable.”
For Goldberg, showcase is a “precious” experience and creative outlet for Stern’s female theater-lovers to perform, an opportunity they might not get outside of YU.
“I love getting the opportunity to work with like-minded people with shared interests,” Goldberg said. “Spontaneously bursting into song and dance is much more fun when there are other people to do it with.”
Music plays a significant role in many of the performers’ lives, and the SCDS showcase is a unique opportunity for them to express this part of themselves. Gittel Friedman (SCW ‘26), who performed in this year and last year’s showcase, was in her high school’s choir and loves singing zemiros (songs) at the Shabbos table with her family, as well as late-night karaoke with her sister.
“These moments have helped shape who I am,” Friedman told the YU Observer. “Music has this incredible way of bringing people together and helping you feel more in touch with who you are.”
She continued, “It is extremely meaningful for me to try new experiences and singing in the SCDS showcase was so important to me because it gave me a chance to connect with others in a way that’s deeply meaningful.”
Those involved in the SCDS showcase were not limited in their creative expression. Performers could emphasize their dancing, singing, acting and even fashion creativity as they selected their own costumes for their numbers. Showcase is a beautiful night when Beren students get to share a piece of their own magic with their fellow peers.
“It is so inspiring to watch people you might pass in the hallway showcase their talents,” Diamond said. “People at YU are incredibly talented, and I am so thankful we have this opportunity for creativity and individuals to shine.”
The moment the final number concluded and all of the performers came on stage to give their final bow, friends and family, with flowers and open arms, jumped out of their seats and raced towards the stage to congratulate the crew.
“It’s not just about the performance,” Friedman said. “It’s about being part of something that brings people together, and I feel truly grateful to be involved in something so special.”
Photo Caption: SCDS musical showcase
Photo Credit: Emily Goldberg