Attention musical theater lovers of all ages! Don’t miss the talented vocalists in George Mason University’s School of Theater as they sing the beloved music of acclaimed composer William Finn in Mason Cabaret–Heart and Music: The Songs of William Finn (2/6). "This year’s Mason Cabaret features an extraordinary group of Mason students, and with 24 cast members, it is the largest ensemble in the 14 year history of the program," said Erin Driscoll Gardiner, co-director of Mason Cabaret and assistant professor at George Mason.
“William Finn was known for telling deeply personal stories with humor and vulnerability. With musicals like Falsettos, he expanded what musical theater could sound and feel like," said James Gardiner, co-director of Mason Cabaret and adjunct faculty at George Mason. Finn is best known for his two Tony Award–winning musicals: Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Both have seen notable revivals in recent years, with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee currently achieving glowing reviews off Broadway at New World Stages. Falsettos was revived on Broadway in 2016 with Christian Borle, Stephanie J. Block, and Andrew Rannells. Other notable works by Finn include Little Miss Sunshine, Elegies, and The Royal Family of Broadway, to name a few. “William Finn invites us to sit inside contradiction and the chaos of someone’s inner life, reminding us what it truly means to be human," said Erin Driscoll Gardiner.
André Bishop, producing artistic director of Lincoln Center Theater, recently shared in a New York Times obituary of Finn, who sadly, passed away in April 2025 at age 73: “He became known as this witty wordsmith who wrote lots of complicated songs dealing with things people didn’t deal with in song in those days, but what he really had was this huge heart—his shows are popular because his talent was beautiful and accessible and warm and heartfelt." James Gardiner added: “we believe musical theater is at its most powerful when it allows itself to be messy, vulnerable, and deeply human.”
Don’t miss the magic of Finn’s compositions live—join George Mason’s musical theater ambassadors, The Mason Cabaret, on February 6 in the intimate Gregory Family Theater. Get your tickets today!