Highlands alumni reunite for 11th annual cabaret concert fundraiser

Maggie (Baird) Griffith first fell in love with musical theater at 5, when she and her mother would sit in the audience at Highlands High School and dance along in their seats with whatever ballads or toe-tapping numbers were being performed.

“I just couldn’t get enough of the life and energy that the shows brought to the stage,” Griffith said.

Two decades in, Griffith feels the same.

The 2004 graduate requested a part in this year’s Musical Alumni Cabaret Concert on Saturday. She’ll perform “No More Fear” from “Freaky Friday.”

The 11th annual fundraiser benefits the district’s 2023 musical, “The Addams Family: School Edition!”

Directed and coordinated by musical director Michael Zeiler, the concert will feature more than two dozen district alumni, as well as the high school honors choir, Variations show choir and the musical cast.

Coincidentally, Griffith last shared the Highlands stage with Zeiler during her junior year in the school’s production of “Annie Get Your Gun.”

She also performed in 2004’s “West Side Story.”

“The feelings of nostalgia over our past, and the excitement of seeing the amazing work that he and the students are doing now, is just wonderful to be a part of,” Griffith said.

The cabaret, hosted in the high school auditorium, typically draws a large crowd. This year’s audience can expect an array of showstoppers from Broadway hits such as “9 to 5,” “Chicago,” “Wicked” and “The Lion King.”

Zeiler said the theme is a wishlist of musicals alumni would like to see performed at Highlands.

Among the crowd favorites will be “Good Morning Baltimore” from “Hairspray” and “Take Me or Leave Me” from “Rent.”

“It truly is a phenomenal showcase of our students and the proud alumni that return to give back,” Zeiler said.

“I’m looking forward to working with everyone again.”

A grand finale will feature alumni, along with this year’s musical cast and other high school vocal students, singing “Seize the Day” from “Newsies.”

Megan (Grupac) Gillis, who graduated in 2004, will participate in a group dance during “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.”

She has remained active in district productions for 13 years since graduating by choreographing the featured dancers.

“I’ve always loved being on the Highlands stage, whether it be teaching dances, dancing in musicals in high school or getting back on it for the cabaret,” Gillis said. “The stage is a special and magical place. I am beyond excited to be able to be on that stage for my 14th year as a dancer.”