By Mia Shea
Correspondent
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club on Broadway will close on Sept. 21 after its year-and-a-half run at the August Wilson Theater. This revival of the 1966 classic show continues to stun audiences with its incredibly immersive atmosphere and interactive characterizations.
The performances do not begin at the time on your ticket, however. Starting an hour before showtime, preshow performances take place in the theater’s multistory lobby. These performances consist of dancing, piano playing and other instrumental exhibits.
The story takes place in 1940s Berlin and follows Sally Bowles, played by Marisha Wallace, an American-born British actress and singer. Sally is an English performer at the Kit Kat Club, who meets Cliff Bradshaw, played by American actor and singer Calvin Leon Smith.
The show is narrated by a character named Emcee, who serves as a representation of the state of Germany during the early parts of World War II. This character also serves as a distraction from what is truly happening in the country.
American actor and singer Billy Porter played Emcee for what was supposed to be a 13-week run, where he would close the role. However, Porter was diagnosed with sepsis and performed his final show on Sept. 7.
Due to this, Cabaret will be closing on Sept. 21 as opposed to the original Oct. 19 date when Porter was performing. The role will be finished out by understudies, David Merino and Marty Lauter.
Porter faced backlash online for his portrayal of Emcee as clips surfaced. Many were not pleased with his interpretation of the character. One viewer shared, “How is he managing to SPEAK off-key?!!!!” Another viewer shared, “I’m sorry he is just not a good emcee. He isn’t a good person, he thinks the show is about him, and he makes the songs he sings sound terrible. I hate the fact that this is the last show and he is the last emcee.”
Nevertheless, I saw the production two separate times, once with Merino and once with Lauter and they both were incredible and had their own totally different interpretations of Emcee that both made sense.
Wallace truly put on the performance of a lifetime and brought the entire audience to tears as she sang Sally’s iconic songs “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret.”
The other Kit Kat dancers were all so exhilarating to watch and brought famous numbers, such as “Willkommen” and “Money” to life. At the end of intermission, each of the dancers went into the audience and pulled up an audience member to dance during the song “Entr’acte.”
I had the absolute privilege of being brought on stage, which made the Kit Kat Club experience that much more memorable. Throughout both acts, the actors were interacting with the audience and feeding off of crowd energy.
As the show progresses in act two, the more serious topics also progress. The rise of Nazism in Germany becomes prominent, as does the idea that you do not know who your family and friends truly are.
Although Cabaret was originally performed in the 1960s, there are still so many relevant themes and ideas that ring true today in regard to modern politics.
The twist ending during the finale truly makes the show that much more memorable and heartbreaking. This particular ending is also different from the original Broadway show, sending the message that it is important not to fall victim to societal conformity.
