Last modified: Tuesday, April 3, 2012
'Cabaret' caps off IU Theatre's 2011-12 season
WHAT: "Cabaret," with music by John Kander, book by Joe Masteroff and lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed by George Pinney, musical direction by Jay Ivey.
WHEN: Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 13. Additional performances at 7:30 p.m. April 14, 17, 18, 19 and 20; and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 21.
WHERE: All performances take place at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, Lee Norvelle Theatre & Drama Center, 275 N. Jordan Ave. in Bloomington. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted during performances.
TICKETS:
Regular admission is $25 for adults, $15 for students, $20 for senior citizens; student rush tickets are $10 cash with a valid IU Bloomington student ID on the day of each performance.
OTHER: "Cabaret" contains mature content. Join us for "Outside the Cabaret," a Theatre Circle Lecture by IU professor Julia Roos at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the Studio Theatre.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 3, 2012
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- IU Theatre's 2011-12 season wraps up this month with one of theater's most storied musicals, "Cabaret."
From left, Kurt Semmler as Clifford Bradshaw, Hannah Slabaugh as Sally Bowles, Evan Mayer as the Emcee, Jamie Anderson as Sally Bowles, and Landon Scott as Clifford Bradshaw in the IU Theatre production of "Cabaret."
With music by John Kander, book by Joe Masteroff and lyrics by Fred Ebb, the production was directed and choreographed by George Pinney and features musical direction by Jay Ivey. Based on the 1951 play "I Am a Camera" by John van Druten, which in turn was based on Christopher Isherwood's 1939 short novel "Goodbye to Berlin," "Cabaret" is a classic American musical that has proven continually relevant in the four-plus decades since its creation.
Set in early 1930s Germany as the Nazis are beginning to seize control of the country, the story centers on the relationship of a young American writer, Clifford Bradshaw, and a young English singer, Sally Bowles, who entertains at the less-than-reputable Kit Kat Klub.
"'Cabaret' is an enticingly dark story of the human condition. People tend to want to stay in their safe little worlds to escape everyday trials as well as national and international concerns, to continue life as if it is a party -- until the bubble bursts and no one wants to take responsibility but is ready at the quick to blame others," Pinney said, describing the appeal of the multi-layered musical. "The cabaret is a central metaphor of how humans tend to want to avoid life's responsibilities, to dance and sing on a spinning merry-go-round, blurring the outside world and anesthetizing body and soul with liquor, drugs and sex."
The original 1967 Broadway production of "Cabaret" won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. It has since enjoyed productions all over the country and the world, including acclaimed revivals on Broadway in 1987 and 1998 (Tony winner for Best Musical Revival) as well as in London in 1986, 1993 and 2006. Kander and Ebb have collaborated on many other famous musicals including "Chicago," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Fosse."
IU Theatre's production of "Cabaret" involves some double casting, including senior Jamie Anderson and sophomore Hannah Slabaugh as Sally Bowles; juniors Landon Scott and Kurt Semmler as Clifford Bradshaw; and freshman Samantha Mason and senior Jenna Schneider as Fraulein Kost. Shows April 13, 14, 17 and 18 will be performed by Slabaugh, Semmler and Mason, while shows April 19 to 21 will be performed by Anderson, Scott and Schneider.
Other cast members include first-year MFA acting student Evelyn Gaynor as Fraulein Schneider; first-year MFA acting student Clayton Gerrard as Herr Schultz; sophomore Colin Van Wye as Ernst Ludwig; junior Evan Mayer as Emcee; sophomore Nick Pecoraro as He/She and Bobby; freshman Nathan Robbins as Max and Gorilla; sophomore Zachary Stewart as Customs Officer and Taxi Man; sophomore Lexi Lessaris as Faded Opera Star; freshman Meghan Goodman as Mabel; freshman Nell Komlos and junior Brook Wood as Gentlemen's Club Patrons; freshmen Joe Giovanetti and Markus McClain and sophomore Patrick Mars as Dancing Waiters; and freshmen Abby Bartish and Katy Flanigan, sophomore Julian Ramos and juniors Erica Johnson and Carrie VanDoren as Kit Kat Club Girls.
Joining director Pinney and musical director Ivey on the creative team are third-year Ph.D. student Joe Stollenwerk as assistant director; production dramaturg Scott Jones; third-year MFA scenic designer Tim Barbiaux; second-year MFA costume designer Katie Cowan; third-year MFA lighting designer Abby Wells; sound designer Kyle Zucker; technical director Chris Berg; senior assistant choreographer Francesca Arostegui; junior stage manager Jake Wiener; and sophomore assistant stage managers Leslie Boyden and Chelsey Sorbo.
Arts Week Everywhere
IU Theatre's production of "Cabaret" is one of the highlights of Arts Week Everywhere, the annual celebration focused on arts on campus and in the community. Coordinated by the Office of the Provost and students in IU's Master of Arts Administration program, Arts Week Everywhere events take place throughout the month of April.
For more information about Arts Week Everywhere, visit artsweek.indiana.edu.
