Mary Bennett, director of the production, says that 'the story revolves around the hedonistic nightlife of the Kit Kat Club, and it's really a metaphor for the rise of Nazism and the oncoming Holocaust. It's a story about making brave choices, whether they are right or wrong. It is a story about things that are coming, and how they affect us, how they affect our society.'
Cabaret is, in Bennett's words, 'a celebration of life, and at the same time questions things on the outside that can affect that life.'
Based on a play by John Van Druten and a novel by Christopher Isherwood, Cabaret debuted on Broadway in 1966 and quickly became famous. It has received numerous revivals over the years, and became even better-known with the 1972 Bob Fosse film starring Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles and Joel Gray as the Master of Ceremonies.
In the 1998 revival that Brüka is presenting, 'the MC is a bit more sinister' according to Bennett. 'He is taking us through this entire story, and so he's ever-present and ever-experiencing and manipulating and puppeting the situations.'
Brüka's production is 'immersive and interactive. You're coming into this dusty, seedy club in 1930, 1929, so dress for the occasion, if you like … When you come into the club, we hope that you feel all the feels of being in the moment.'
Alexander Biber is the choreographer, Bill Quinby the music director, and Natalie Laster Jones the vocal director. In the cast, Henry James is the MC. 'He's fabulous, says Bennett. When he came to the audition, 'he was very up front with us that, you know, I really want to stretch, and I really want to, as an actor, play this MC, and he has just frolicked.' Melody Ricketts, who plays Sally, is also a professional photographer and shot the promotional photos for the production.
'Both of these people bring it all,' concludes Bennett. 'So it's very wonderful.'
For more information on Brüka Theatre's production of Cabaret, brüka.org.
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Support for 'Arts on the Airwaves' comes from The Nevada Arts Council… a state agency that provides public funding and support to artists and organizations, that benefit Nevadans in cities and rural communities statewide. More at NVArtsCouncil.org.
