Morris Community High School senior selected to perform in All-State production of ‘Cabaret’

Nicholas Russell, a senior at Morris Community High School, will perform as Emcee in the Illinois High School Theatre Festival’s All-State production of “Cabaret” this weekend. The All-State Festival was scheduled to be presented earlier this week, but was postponed because of a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Bolingbroook High School stepped up and offered to host the production of “Cabaret.” The show will be following social distancing guidelines. However, tickets may not be available.

“My favorite thing about theater is being able to tell complex stories that evoke reactions in the audience. For me, performance and art as whole is not so much about me doing it,” Nicholas said, “It’s about creating that reaction and opening dialogue in the audience. Especially, with a show like “Cabaret.” It’s the perfect opportunity to do so and it’s a dream come true to be able to open such important dialogue about different topics.”

Nicholas has been involved in theater, since the tender age of 10, when his mother signed him up for a theater camp.

“He was very shy. One summer, I basically come home one day and told him I signed [him] up for theater camp. He was so upset with me he was like ‘please don’t make me go,’ very shy,” his mother, Nikki Russell, said. “When I went to go watch the little skit they had put together at the end of the week, I was sure he would just be in the shadows. But he loved it. It was great. As a kid he had asthma, so sports were not on the table for him.”

That was the beginning of everything for Nicholas. He performed in a 2013 production of “Peter Pan” at Morris Community High School, as Michael Darling, where he continued to fall in love with performing and find his niche.

Nicholas continues to perform outside of the theater. He currently is captain of the Morris High School speech team and recently had a minor role in the 2021 film “Candy Man,” as a video installation child.

Tyler McMahon, a fellow actor, has directed Nicholas in several shows since 2015 and spoke of his dedication and love of performance, saying Nicholas couldn’t care less what the medium is, he just wants to act.

“He has a great ability to transform himself into someone else. I honestly believe that he is one of those people that was born to tell stories. He found his home.”