Notes of inspirational and academy winning lyrics will reverberate through each singer’s vocal chords as the 35-person cabaret group performs at the Octagon Center of Arts.

The Ames Choral Society will perform its cabaret show at 7:00 p.m. Feb. 20 and 3:00 p.m. Feb. 22 at the Octagon Center of Arts in Ames.

Steven Hoifeldt, director, and his wife, Laurie, choreographer, have been working with the society for 33 years.

Along with Steven and Laurie Hoifeldt, Julie Minot, a regular singing participant, will be the hosts for the performance.

Each year, the cabaret has a story line they follow going along with the theme.

“This is our 50th season and we decided to do kind of an awards ceremony thing, so it’s going to be like an Academy Awards or Tony Awards type of thing,” Steven said.

The Ames Choral Society is completely volunteer and new singers are always welcome to join.

According to singer Chuck Jones, who has been involved in every cabaret show since they started, believes there are a lot of new singers this year.

“I’ve been singing with this group for 35 years,” Jones said. “I’ve been involved in theater, off and on, since I was five.”

Before 1992, Jones was a professor at Iowa State for the graduate program of counselor education.

His eyes expressed fulfillment with a life of singing, which distracts from the suspicion that he is battling for his life on the side.

“[I] found out five years ago that I have cancer, but I thought well, so what?” Jones said. “Just keep on.”

With an attitude as contagious as his smile, the experienced singer does what he loves: performing.

This year, Jones is performing a solo he has wanted to do for a number of years called “So In Love” from Guys and Dolls.

Each song performed comes from musicals that have won awards, so each singer will be dressed to impress in formal night wear.

“Doris Nash does the costuming for Iowa State Theater, and she has made it possible for people to rent costumes for different theater groups like ourselves,” Steven said.

Looking glamorous, singing in tune and making the show enjoyable to watch will be an easy note to hit for the Ames Choral Society Cabaret.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the door before the show or at Gallery 319 in Ames.