The moment Cynthia Erivo stepped down from the stage at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, the air shifted. The Tony- and Grammy-winning star walked the length of the first row, pausing to connect with each audience member in turn. For 6½-year-old Whitney Cabrera, waiting at the very end of that row beside her mother, Jennifer, it was the night of her young life.

Erivo exclaimed, when she spied Whitney some feet away, "Who is this in her witch's outfit?!?" She crouched down to meet Whitney face-to-face. “You're definitely up past your bedtime,” she teased with a smile, "but you can blame it on me."

Whitney remembers it vividly, and Jennifer admits, “We’ve talked about it every single day since.”

When asked what it felt like, Whitney doesn’t hesitate: “It was fun! And exciting.” Her joy was palpable—even over the phone.

Cynthia Erivo interacts with young Whitney Cabrera at the concert.

A Special Mother–Daughter Night
When the San Diego Symphony announced its summer season at the Rady Shell last spring, Jennifer had only one thought: Cynthia Erivo.

“Whitney loves Wicked, but she very specifically loves Cynthia Erivo,” says Jennifer. “She listens to her solo album all the time.”

Determined not to miss the concert, Jennifer set a calendar reminder for the day single tickets went on sale. “I logged in the second they opened and bought them right away,” she says. Whitney, of course, knew immediately she was going. 

Whitney would routinely ask if it was August yet. "I just really, really wanted to see Cynthia Erivo so bad, and it took forever for August!"

The Cabreras come frequently to concerts at the Rady Shell, but this evening was just for mother and daughter. Whitney dressed for the occasion in a green dress and witch’s hat—an ode to Wicked. She giggles as she recalls one last debate over her outfit: “I wanted to bring my broom, too.” Jennifer gently intervened: “We thought that might not have been allowed in.”

A Family Rooted in the Arts
For the Cabrera family, moments like this one don’t happen in isolation. Jennifer and her husband, Paul, have made arts education a priority for their two daughters. Whitney studies violin and trains competitively in dance—ballet and jazz—while also exploring musical theater.

“Being creative is such a big boost for their confidence and helps them be more comfortable in their skin,” Jennifer says. “It gives them variety in their days and honestly makes life better.”

Paul, who grew up in musical theater himself, agrees. “They have a stronger sense of community and are building strong friendships apart from school,” he says. “Their world is bigger because of their involvement in the arts.”

Jennifer adds, “Without music, without dance, without Whitney’s love of creativity, she wouldn’t have been interested in this concert, and she wouldn’t have met Cynthia Erivo. Everything fell into place because of what she’s been doing.”

A Touch of Extra Magic
There was one more surprise that helped make the evening unforgettable. A generous friend and co-worker of Jennifer’s, Mike Cardenas, a regular subscriber to the Symphony’s summer season, offered up his front-row seat when he learned that Whitney and Jennifer were planning to attend.

The tickets Jennifer originally purchased were much farther back, but this act of kindness brought Whitney right to the edge of the stage—the perfect spot for her life-changing encounter.

And how will she remember it? Whitney beams, “I’m going to remember this for 500 years!”

By Cathy Strauss
August 29, 2025