The cast of the Fredonia Department of Theatre and Dance production of “Cabaret” includes (from left) Jordan Baez as the Emcee, Nate Carr as Cliff Bradshaw, and Katya Sacharow as Sally Bowles.
Almost 60 years after its Broadway debut, “Cabaret” remains a musical kept relevant by the times.
The Department of Theatre and Dance will bring this Kander and Ebb masterpiece to the stage for six performances from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1 at SUNY Fredonia.
Dates and times for this Walter Gloor Mainstage Series event are Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Robert W. Marvel Theatre. Tickets are available online 24/7, by phone (716) 673-3501 and in person at the Fredonia Ticket Office in the Williams Center.
“Cabaret” made its Broadway debut in November of 1966 — a time when the United States was dealing with an escalating war in Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, urban race riots and a conservative backlash against the administration of Lydon B. Johnson.
“It still feels extremely relevant,” Director Jessica Hillman-McCord, who is a professor of Performance, said. “In 1966, it spoke to current issues, and I think it still speaks to the issues today.”
“Cabaret” is set in Berlin, Germany in the early 1930s — a time when the freewheeling, vibrant Jazz Age was waning, and the totalitarian Nazi Party was rising to power. The central storyline follows the relationship between an American writer (Cliff Bradshaw) and an English singer (Sally Bowles) at the popular Kit Kat Club.
Bradshaw, Bowles and other key characters must find ways to deal with the events and changes unfolding around them.
“If you’re not paying attention, you may find it’s too late and you’re trapped,” Ms. Hillman-McCord said.
The director hopes audiences will pick up on the issues and questions facing the characters of “Cabaret.”
“A song in the show is titled 'What Would You Do' and the hope is that we as the audience look at ourselves and think about what we would and will do in a world where hate and fear are taking over,” Hillman-McCord said.
The staging is designed to be immersive, giving the audience the point of view of the people inside the Kit Kat Club, with actors moving through the space.
It is a large-scale production, with more than 100 students taking part in all aspects of the show. It includes a cast of 26 and an orchestra of 16 players, under Musical Director Jay Teamer, a member of the Department of Theatre and Dance faculty. The choreography is under the direction of faculty member Briana Blair Kelly.
“There is so much talent and hard work reflected in this production - everyone has worked well together to tell a singular story,” Hillman-McCord said.
The production is for mature audiences only. It contains subjects including political hatred, antisemitism, bigotry, genocide, abortion and depicts sexual content, substance abuse and violence.
While the themes of “Cabaret” are heavy in nature, Hillman-McCord noted the production still has compelling entertainment value.
“It has entertaining song and dance numbers, they are just in service of an important message” she said. “I would argue it’s one of the bravest and most well put-together musicals of all time.”
The Mainstage production is designed to leave audiences with a lasting impression.
“There is an intense ending, which is meant to be eye-opening and thought-provoking,” Hillman-McCord said.
For those interested in diving deeper into the production, there will be a talkback session with the production team after the Oct. 24 performance in the Costello Community Room, located off the atrium of the Rockefeller Arts Center Studio Complex.
“Cabaret” features a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Mr. Kander and lyrics by Mr. Ebb. It is based on a play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood. The Mainstage production is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf or Tams-Witmark LLC.
