CabaRAY

A little bit about the artists who give so much of themselves for this cause...

Sean Ray

Sean is the Creator and Artistic Director of the annual Cabaret to Fight AIDS, now in its 11^th year.  He made his Off-Broadway debut in the 20th anniversary production of Boy Meets Boy. Regionally, he has been seen in Barnum, Baby, Bye Bye Birdie, The Apple Tree, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Evita, The Pirates of Penzance, Hello Dolly!, Gypsy, La Cage Aux Folles, South Pacific, They’re Playing Our Song, A Christmas Carol and The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.  Locally, he appeared in Tapestry and When Pigs Fly at New Conservatory, as well as Jesus Christ Superstar with Broadway by the Bay.  Sean has been seen in numerous Bay Area benefits and fundraisers, including “Defying Inequality” with the San Francisco company of Wicked.  He has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Symphony Space, Town Hall, The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, Eighty Eights, Rose’s Turn, Brooklyn Academy of Music (New York); Davies Symphony Hall, Masonic Auditorium, The Plush Room, The Rrazz Room, (San Francisco); Alex Theatre (Los Angeles); Palau de la Mùsica (Barcelona); and Amsterdam Arena (Amsterdam).  His solo recording work can be heard on Stage 2: The Human Heart and Encore! The Stage Collection (DINK Records), as well as Look to the Rainbow with the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.  Additionally, he sang with Liza Minnelli on her recording of The Day After That.  Television appearances include The Joan Rivers Show , PBS’s Great Performances (with Patti Labelle), OUT Spoken, and CNN – in which he was featured as an example of the changing face of AIDS.  "Thanks to Donna, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and AIDS/LifeCycle, the cast & musicians, and especially to Dad & Sue – for your unconditional love and support."

Donna Sachet

Donna Sachet has contributed her quick wit, musical talent, charitable efforts, and fun-loving spirit to San Francisco for over 2 decades. She was born at a retreat of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, with whom she continues to appear as soloist, emcee, and celebrity cameo, and served as Miss Gay San Francisco in 1993 and the thirtieth elected Empress of the City in 1995, currently a member of the International Court Council. She has produced her annual Songs of the Season holiday cabaret, benefiting AIDS Emergency Fund, for 21 years and co-founded Pride Brunch 16 years ago, honoring the Grand Marshals of the Pride Parade and benefiting Positive Resource Center. Donna has appeared as national spokes model for Smirnoff Twist Vodka and the face of Halloween in the Castro 2003-2005, co-anchored the live television coverage of the June SF Pride Parade for 8 years, and has been featured in cover stories by the SF Chronicle, Bay Guardian, GLOSS Magazine, and on ABC Television. In 2009, Donna Sachet became the first drag personality in history to sing the National Anthem for a major league sports team at AT&T Park for the SF Giants. Donna currently writes a biweekly column for the Bay Area Reporter, authors LGBT themed quarterly press releases for SF Travel, and stars in the weekly Sunday's a Drag brunch shows, now in the 8th year, at the Starlight Room atop the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. She can be heard singing on the benefit compilation CDs Carols Across America and Songs of the Season 2012. Watch for Sachet: the short film, produced last year, entering film festivals now, and opening to wider distribution soon. Donna is happy to have been friends with Sean Ray for years and thrilled to lend her talents again to this heartfelt evening of cabaret.

Jeanne Batacan-Harper

A member of the Cabaret to Fight AIDS since its creation, Jeanne is thrilled to be back with this incredibly talented group of people who also happen to be some of her dearest friends.  She has been the Dance Director/Resident Choreographer for StarStruck Theatre in Fremont for the past 12 years.  She was director/choreographer for Palo Alto Player’s productions of Altar Boyz and Annie and for the Halloween Haunt musicals at California’s Great America.  Claims to almost fame: Anita/West Side Story (BBBay), Diana Morales/A Chorus Line (PCLO), Mary Magdalene/Jesus Christ Superstar (CLTC).  She is the proud, still blushing bride of Daniel Joseph Harper.  Through her work with ‘Cabaray’, she wishes to honor those we have lost to AIDS, lend strength to those who continue their fight and celebrate those now able to live with HIV - happy, healthy and free.  Thank you all so much for your support.

Wade Marshal Crosson

Wade has been involved with the annual Cabaret to Fight AIDS since the very beginning, and is very excited to be a part of it once again this year.  A human resource professional by day, he very much looks forward to singing with this talented group of people each year.  Wade wishes to express sincere thanks and appreciation to Sean Ray for his caring, encouragement, and talent to make this a truly wonderful experience for all of the singers, musicians, the beneficiary, volunteers, and audience members.  Very special thanks go to our devoted audiences who continue to support this wonderful event each and every year.  Wade lives in San Francisco and enjoys spending time with his partner Matthew, and Poppi - the cutest Beagle ever!

Beth Elliott

Beth is excited to be singing again with the best group of singers and friends in the world.  She feels especially honored to be a part of such a wonderful show for such a great cause.  Beth has been seen in shows such as A Little Night Music, Company, Follies, Jesus Christ Superstar and Tapestry, just to name a few.  Beth has also kept herself busy in the past year, laying out singing tracks for web sites and has also been seen in various on line fitness magazines.  She is hoping this Cabaret will be the best show yet and wants to thank each person for taking time out of their busy schedule to support such a wonderful effort in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Jorge R. Hernandez

Jorge has appeared at Theatre Rhino in Broadway Ballbusters, Stay With Me and It’s Fascination.  He also sang with the San Francisco LampLighters in such shows as The Gondoliers, The Mikado and Yeomen of the Guard.  He left SF to spend some time in NYC where he appeared in the off off-Broadway production of The Promised Land, a rock opera based on the Story of Moses.  He sang with the San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus as a featured soloist.  He can be heard on “Extrabbaganza” and “Q” both recorded at Skywalker Ranch.  He also performed at New Conservatory Theatre in Tapestry.   Jorge is now working as a costume designer for theatre and dance groups and also practices The Art Of Anma or Traditional Japanese Massage.

Melissa O'Keefe

A Bay Area native, Melissa can be found most often tearing up the stage in plays and musical theatre productions, as well as in commercial, print and film work, around the Bay. Some of her recent leading stage credits include: God of Carnage (Annette), {title of show} (Susan), In the Hands of the Raven (Amy), Proof (Catherine), Ophelia, A Musical (Ophelia); The Downside of Suicide (Claire); Desperate Affection (Maddie); Oleanna (Carol); Jekyll & Hyde (Lucy); I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Woman 1); and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator). She regularly sings the National Anthem for the SF 49ers, SF Giants, SJ Sharks and GS Warriors, has voiced commercials on KOIT and KDFC radio stations, and is represented as an actor/model with Cast Images Talent Agency. She is also an avid runner, competing in multiple marathons, half-marathons and 5Ks in 2014 - whew!  Want more info?  Check out her website: www.melissaokeefe.com. 

Pia Trinidad-Sprague

Steve Valdez

Steve is celebrating his 11th year with the annual Cabaret to Fight AIDS.  Steve started his illustrious career playing Sid Sawyer (5th banana to Tom Sawyer) in the 4th grade and went on to perform at Great America and cruise ships before realizing he was not to be the next Liza Minnelli (he didn’t have the family connections)!  A member of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus since 1994 (when he was 20- go with it!), he has been a featured soloist as well as the chorus’ choreographer.  Steve has had the privilege of working with such great talents as Nell Carter, Megan Mullally, Harvey Fierstein, Florence Henderson, Carol Channing, and the multi-talented members of this cast.  He is thrilled to be singing with this group again for such a wonderful cause.

Thena Yacap-Zaragoza

Thena has been seen locally in Fiddler on the Roof, Revelations, Owl, Celebration, The Seagull, Little Shop of Horrors, and Tapestry.  She also appeared in San Francisco’s longest running original musical revue, Are We Almost There?, and can be heard on that show’s original cast recording.  Most recently, she has enjoyed playing the role of “Mommy” to two beautiful little boys, Gabriel and Zachary.  Thena’s love for doing this amazing show is matched only by the love she has for the incredible people she gets to share the stage with every year for the annual Cabaret to Fight AIDS.  Enjoy the show!

Michael Grossman (Piano)

Michael received his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and joined the faculty of the Conservatory as an opera coach / accompanist and Musical Director for the Conservatory’s Musical Theatre program.  Originally from Los Angeles, Michael has been living and performing in the Bay area for 20 years.  When not touring as the Musical Director of Franc D’Ambrosio’s Hollywood, he works with various Bay area training programs and artists.  Michael performs in jazz venues in and around the Bay area and has been the accompanist for the annual Cabaret to Fight AIDS for the past several years.

Daniel Fabricant (Bass)

Bassist Daniel Fabricant grew up in Ashland, Oregon, where he began playing guitar and trumpet in grade school.  Since moving to the Bay Area and transitioning to double bass, he has performed as a freelance sideman with Petula Clark, Keely Smith, Connie Francis, Andrea Marcovicci, Mary Wilson, Joan Rivers, Spencer Day and many others.  He recently completed his education degree at San Francisco State University and teaches private guitar and bass students as well as classroom general music.  He can be found currently performing on Saturday nights at the new Rrazz Room with Terese Genecco and her Little Big Band.

Erika Johnson (Drums)

Erika held the position of Principal Timpani in the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra and has played with numerous professional orchestras.  In addition to symphonic performance, she frequently performs new music, musical theater and cabarets.  Erika performed Deja vu by Michael Colgrass on timpani with the Indiana University Concert Orchestra.  Erika holds a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from Indiana University-Bloomington and a Master of Music in percussion from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  Her teachers have included Gerald Carlyss (Philadelphia Orchestra) and Jack Van Geem (San Francisco Symphony).  Her interests include arranging and performing music for percussion and voice.