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- The play was written by John Van Druten
based on stories by Christopher Isherwood. It opened on Broadway on
November, 1966, and ran for 1,165 performances. The film was made in
1972 and won eight Oscars, including Best Supporting Role (Joel Grey),
Best Actress (Liza Minnelli), and Best Director (Robert Fosse) In 1968
an original production played on the London stage, with revivals in
1986, 1993 and 2006. Broadway revived it in 1987, and again in 1998.
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- Other theaters have presented Cabaret
throughout the years, something to be said for the popularity of this
musical. Could it be the subject matter? Could it be the wonderful
music by John Kander and great lyrics by Fred Ebb? Or could it just be
everything rolled into one? In this production by the Reprise Theatre
Company, the ladies "have it", as the direction is by Marcia Milgrom
Dodge who also created the exhilarating choreography. The songs by
Kander and Ebb are brought to life by all-girl musicians under the
direction of Christy Crowl. John Iacovelli's scenic design takes us
right into the seamy Kit-Kat Klub in Berlin, Germany where we are
welcomed by the Emcee, Bryce Rhyness, who makes the role his own.
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- A bisexual young man, Clifford Bradshaw
(Jeff McLean), has traveled to Berlin in order to concentrate on
writing his first novel. But he is sidetracked when his German friend
Ernst Ludwig (Zach Bandler) introduces him to the Kit-Kat Klub and he
meets the British chanteuse, Sally Bowles (Lisa O'Hare). Through
Ernst, Cliff had found a room to rent from Fraulein Schneider and,
suddenly Sally appears at his room with baggage in hand, ready to
prove Cliff is heterosexual! and a love affair ensues.
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- A second love story in the plot involves
Fraulein Schneider (Mary Gordon Murray) and her friend Herr Schultz
(Robert Picardo). Herr Schultz is the owner of a fruit market, a
German-Jewish man, who courts Fraulein Schneider by bringing her fresh
fruit daily. An especially warm and tender moment in the production
occurs when he proposes to her and they sing the lovely duet, Married.
When their engagement is announced, there is much merriment at btheir
celebration party. But things in Germany are changing and the lives of
all of these care-free people will change as well. And sadness will
befall those involved in Cabaret.
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- A spirited and talented cast brings the
Kit-Kat Klub to life and all of the characters involved, not just the
main characters, but all supporting roles as well. Not to be left
unmentioned is Katrina Lenk who plays a German prostitute with an eye
for the Navy!
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- Cabaret will play Tuesday through Friday at
8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM and 7 PM through
September 25, at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA, located in Macgowan
Hall. For tickets, call the UCLA Central Ticket Office at (310)
825-2101. For further information, go online at
www.reprise.org .
