EAST PROVIDENCE

Her blond tendrils cascaded around the 5-year-old’s wrinkled bridal veil. The cheeks had a bit of rouge and Tesse Foley gripped the bouquet of assorted fake roses as if someone was going to snatch them away.

And without prompting, the pre-kindergartner at St. Mary Academy-Bay View clicked together her ruby red, Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz shoes and beamed a smile whenever the cameras neared.

She stole last month’s pre-show while surrounded by 25 years of bonnets, sequined pumps, stage makeup, princess crowns, pearl strands, boas, top hats, puffy ball gowns and rainbow clown wigs that packed nearly three rooms.

It was one of several events to excite all for this weekend’s special Manhattan at the Bay fundraiser and theater performance. Cabaret 25 celebrates the Catholic girls school’s shows over the last quarter of a century. The first was Godspell, and others include London’s Broadway Best in 1988, 1990s Under the Big Top and Journey On 10 years later.

Snippets, scenes and songs from past cabarets are being resurrected. Original cast members were contacted and one, who made theater her livelihood in the Big Apple, plans to make an appearance.

“I’ve been the luckiest person,” said artistic director Christine D. Kavanagh, who has been there since the beginning with musical director Diane Gualtieri, choreographer Cindy LoSasso, percussionist Karen Mellor and a couple of others. “There’s not a day I have come to this job and not wanted to come.”

As the new music and theater teacher, Kavanagh was asked in the early 1980s to put together a “small show,” according to the school’s Web site. She rounded up students from Bay View and all-boys La Salle Academy for Godspell. There were 30 in the cast and the gymnasium was turned into a night club scene with tables, chairs and a stage.

Subsequent shows were also small and lasted about 25 minutes each, but were well attended. The productions moved to the auditorium in 1986. The cast grew and the props, most of which Kavanagh bought, started to fill space. Joan Murphy, a parent who owned a bridal boutique, became the cabaret’s first costume designer and then within a short time, the Bay View Players took their shows on the road to places such as the Providence Performing Arts Center, the American School in Paris, and the Warwick Musical Theater.

Kavanagh said the turning point was the London production in 1988.

“It was the show that you work very, very hard on and it was incredible,” she said. “We had to stay at the top of the mountain after that. It’s hard to do.”

Her favorite? “All of them.”

Yet she, and others who have been there since day one, said memorable moments include having 20 Annies, a tap-dancing caterpillar, the Can-Can and the time Gualtieri said, “OK, that was good. Now can we try it like this?”

“Whenever I saw the costumes, I always wanted to join,” said 14-year-old Emily Barkan, who is one of more than 100 participants in this year’s cast and crew. “I was in the sixth grade when I saw my first show, Phantom of the Opera. The girl was on the piano and I was blown away by the talent. It was amazing and I wanted in.”

Maggie Dunleavy, 12, of Cranston, said she is honored to be a vocalist this year. She was sitting with little Tesse and other future Manhattan at the Bay performers who were playing dress-up in last month’s pre-event.

The redhead had a lime green boa that she tossed over her shoulder. With the most dramatic acting voice, (like she was auditioning for next year’s show) she said, “I heard [the color] goes well with my hair.”

For more performance times, tickets or other information regarding the many weekend events, visit www.smabv.org or call (800) 595-4849. Cabaret 25

Tickets: $25; $20 for balcony

Showtimes: Today, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Tomorrow. 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:15 p.m.

Sunday. 3 p.m.

Where: St. Mary Academy-Bay View auditorium, Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence

apina@projo.com