Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Spring 2025 11 to perform, but also to stay active and have fun doing it. She writes each show herself, using CDs for musical accompaniment. In the beginning, the shows were two hours long with a different theme per act. The programs are tailored to the Cabaret members, allowing each to show off their skills. Those talents are as varied as their pieces: They have performed songs from musicals, including "What Good is Sitting Alone in Your Room" from Cabaret; "Memories" from Cats; and "Everything's Coming up Roses" from Gypsy. Song and dance routines have included fan- and performer-favorites like "Okie from Muskogee," "Pardon my Southern Accent," and "Orange Colored Sky," and Joan is proud to boast a real raunchy tap dance to "Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy." But the true joy of performance is the audience. The Oklahoma Seniors' Cabaret averages four performances per month, primarily in retirement homes or the local chamber of commerce. Many audience members are wheelchair-bound, especially in the retirement communities, and they love to see their contemporaries dance across the stage. Shows are concluded with a "Good Night" song, then each performer shares their name, age, and what they did before retirement. Cabaret members always stay to talk with the audience afterward, ensuring they speak with every audience member and offer a hug or a handshake. They remain in costume during the meet-and-greet, which is always a classy affair in gowns and sequins. The audience members love to admire the costumes and to reminisce over music they haven't heard in decades. But the nicest compliment Joan ever received wasn't even for the talent itself—though unparalleled—but for its direction. "No one knows what goes into it unless they've directed something," Joan says, a talent that is often overlooked. The Oklahoma Seniors' Cabaret is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Funds are raised through both performance fees and advertising in the show program, but at first Joan wasn't sure where the money should go. There were a few failed attempts to find a suitable organization, especially something that would benefit the local community. Joan's own impaired hearing prompted her to reach out to the John W. Keys Speech & Hearing Center at the University of Oklahoma. Now, their partnership allows all proceeds from performances to help seniors obtain hearing aids. Since their founding, the Cabaret has raised over $65,000 to provide hearing aids to people at no cost. They request nothing from the recipient, only a thank-you note in return. Much has changed in recent years, especially due to COVID-19. The last two-hour show was in 2018 with thirty-three members, but that has reduced to one-hour shows with nine performers. But the show goes on! Joan continues to teach singing and tap to anyone willing to learn, and the Cabaret continues to put on shows in the local community. She currently has four students in their seventies and eighties in her tap class—"and they're very good!" she brags—and runs a magazine ad every month to recruit new members. Now in its sixteenth year, Joan never expected the Cabaret to last as long as it has. "I'm so proud of what we do," she says. The Oklahoma Seniors' Cabaret continues to perform around four shows per month, and is endorsed by the mayor and governor of Oklahoma. She hopes the Cabaret will inspire other areas to create their own groups for seniors. "I would love if there was just one member of SAI who sees us and says, 'I can do that!'" The Oklahoma Seniors' Cabaret can be found on YouTube at: @oklahomaseniorscabaret2727. Oklahoma Seniors' Oklahoma Seniors' Cabaret founder Cabaret founder Joan Colée Joan Colée Alumnae

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