Director's Note

by Ben Galosi

When Cabaret first hit the stage in 1966, the Hal Prince helmed production sought to break the norms of the typical American musical and expose its audiences to a new kind of socially conscious and conceptually structured piece of musical theatre. In the midst of a politically active culture, Cabaret struck a chord with audiences. In 1972, the musical made its way to the big screen in Bob Fosse’s celebrated film adaptation, where Fosse’s choreographic style made an everlasting imprint on the show’s public identity. Arguably, the most frequently recognized iteration of Cabaret did not emerge until 1993, when a new production directed by Sam Mendes fully realized the show’s metaphor and completely reimagined the identity of its central figure. This bawdy representation of the Kit Kat Klub received two Broadway productions in 1998 and 2014, and has been aesthetically replicated in many regional and community theaters across the globe. Today, Cabaret has reentered the public conversation through a lavish production directed by the visionary Rebecca Frecknall, currently playing on Broadway and the West End. This production has reignited the debate over the musical’s delivery systems and political function. Additionally, it has sparked conversation about the social responsibilities of artists who choose to put on this resonant piece of theatre. 

It is not an accident when a new production of Cabaret springs up in a time of intense political turmoil. It is a show that speaks to any moment due to its consistently relevant themes of self-preservation, political apathy, and the seemingly inescapable forces of fascism. It explores the culture of progressive, queer artists in 1930’s Weimar Berlin during a brief moment of sexual and artistic liberation. Opposing this culture is a nationalist political party that propagates the story of a once-great nation in decline, promising to restore its former glory by ridding the country of its impure internal enemies. The immediate translation of these paranoid obsessions into fascist language and behaviors is sickeningly recognizable for 21st-century audiences. Cabaret explores the dangers of our own complacency and political inaction when faced with the forces of evil. It is an audacious piece of political art that places a significant social responsibility on its audiences and the artists who choose to produce it. Therefore, it is irresponsible to engage with this piece of theatre without recognizing the presence of the dangerous behaviors and attitudes it portrays in our contemporary world. Our Kit Kat Klub, like the theatrical space that is housing it, represents a safe space for individualism and artistic freedom. We cannot underestimate how quickly these freedoms can be stripped from us and this temenos can be overrun. 

This production of Cabaret is a celebration of all of its predecessors. It is both a compromise and a conversation between then and then and then and now and then. It is specifically tailored for this space and this community, and it would not be possible without the daring group of artists behind it and the generous support of the EPAC staff and board. Every artist and community member who has chosen to engage with this production is making the valuable choice to support theatre that matters. This choice molds our artistic present and future, supporting the essential survival of progressive artistic spaces.