The young members of Marion’s Junior Show Choir are breaking out their “Thriller” moves, practicing their moonwalks, and donning silver sequin gloves all for the sake of the First Congregational Church of Marion.

On Saturday, the choir will perform a series of songs by Michael Jackson as one of the many acts of the church’s “Life is a Cabaret” variety show.  Other acts include covers of songs by the Beatles and Queen as well as jazz and classical music.

The event has been organized by church members Cassandra Morgan and Jamie Wiksten as a fundraiser for the church’s annual Christmas Cantata in December.

Of the performers, Morgan said, “Most of the participants either play or sing in the Cantata. They’re giving back. I think everyone is having a good time doing it. It’s a volunteer effort by the community to help the church.”

It was the kids who chose to do a tribute to the King of Pop. All big fans of Jackson's work, they said the hardest part was narrowing down their set list to a handful of songs.

“It’s been a whole lot of fun,” said choir member Claire Barry. “We all really want to sing.”

The show also gave the girls a chance to show off their dance moves.

“We have a lot of dancers in the group,” Wiksten said. “I really rely on my dancers to guide the others.”

As for the kids, being prepared is key to getting those tricky dance moves down pat. The girls had been practicing their routine since January.

“Practice, practice, practice is what I say,” said choir member Bella Carrillo.

All budding entertainers, the girls say they would like to be performers when they grow up.

“Performing is my life,” said choir member Abby Wiksten. “I’m going to be Hollywood.”

The advance buzz on the show made it a sell-out the week before it opened.

“We sold 200 tickets, more than we had tables for,” Morgan said before the show. “We’re at full capacity.”

“Life is a Cabaret” will open on Saturday, March 23, at the First Congregational Church of Marion’s Community Center at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general seating and $15 for table seating. Tickets are available at The Bookstall in Marion and the Marion General Store. For more information, call Cassandra Morgan at 508-942-6483.