[Back to Inside]

By Julie Rausch 

The musical theater program will present a powerful theatrical experience: the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical "Cabaret" Dec. 2-5 in Wilner Auditorium. 

The story for "Cabaret" originated with British novelist Christopher Isherwood who spent a lot of time in Berlin, frequenting cabarets and observing people and the volatile political climate before Hitler seized power. 

Isherwood kept diaries, which were published in 1939 as "The Berlin Stories." They introduced British Sally Bowles, a real life character who proved intriguing, maddening, frustrating and alluring. 

In 1951 playwright John Van Druten dramatized the stories for stage. 

The musical stage production of "Cabaret" was born in 1966 when composers Kander and Ebb and author Joe Masteroff came up with a concept of the Master of Ceremonies as a central character. Joel Grey played the MC in the 1972 film version, which also starred Liza Minelli as Sally. 

The introduction of the MC was a stroke of genius, said Marie Allyn King, who is directing the production. "This omnipresent, androgynous character both repellant and fascinating lures us into the cabaret against our better judgment," King said. 

"His seductive words of welcome, his invitation to 'leave your troubles outside' soothes us into naughty enjoyment. As we begin to notice the dirt under the nails, the runs in the stockings, the smeared makeup, we realize there is a sickness at the heart. Our fascination is with death. The cabaret is a metaphor for Hitler's Germany, the MC a stand-in for the charismatic, compelling leader who succeeds in rallying a nation to the brink of annihilation."

King said "Cabaret" was the first choice last spring among theater faculty and students.

"'Cabaret' is not as challenging technically as some other musicals because it requires no spectacular sets or multiple changes of costume," said King. "It has more of the quality of a play with evocative music; one that deals in a highly creative and fascinating way with some dark issues. It has always been unlike other musicals in that it does not permit the audience to leave the theater with a warm and fuzzy feeling. It leaves the audience in a thoughtful state."

New assistant professor of design Brad Reissig makes his scenic design debut with "Cabaret." He is creating the feeling of actually being in a nightclub with onstage cafe tables for cast and audience to share. 

Voice, dance, musical theater and acting majors are combining talents for this production, which will last about 2 hours and 15 minutes with intermission. 

The actors face the challenge of speaking with a German dialect. 

"My German, though not fluent, is good enough to coach the dialect," King said. "We worked on diction alone for the first week or so of rehearsal and have reinforced that work throughout as we moved to staging rehearsals. "'Cabaret' is rated PG-13 because of some extremely suggestive scenes and frank discussions of abortion and one character's homosexuality.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2-4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 5. Tickets are $12 with discounts available. Call ext. 3233 for reservations.