'You'll love the 'Cabaret" at Theatre II

Classic tale of 1930s Berlin nightclub characters debuts this week

MORGAN RIEHL / staff photographer The cast members rehearse a sultry scene in "Cabaret," which will run in Theatre II this week. Tickets are $5.

Need a break from end of semester stress? Theatre II's latest production invites you to escape temporarily from reality and step into the decadent realm of the 1930s Berlin night scene.

Director Mike Dove, a senior, and his cast and crew are set to thrill audiences with the musical production of "Cabaret."

While casting and rehearsals did not begin until the first weeks of the semester, production plans began as early as last February. Extensive preparation went into this event and the cast and crew are looking forward to sharing the fruits of their labor in this week's performances.

Hosted by the charismatic Emcee, the musical guides the audience through the experiences of Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer who travels to Berlin in search of inspiration for his new book. What he finds is the Kit Kat Klub, a place where life is celebrated loudly in a seductive display of free love, open sexuality and loose morals. Bradshaw is swept into this thrillingly scandalous world and falls in love with the cabaret's star, Sally Bowles, played by senior Lisa Cecchini.

The story of their romance parallels the courtship of an older couple, Fraulein Schneider, who rents Cliff his room, and Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit salesman. Each relationship unfolds against a backdrop of increasing tension and despair as the Nazis come to power and the lives of each character unavoidably are affected.

"Cabaret" will be Dove's third time directing at Theatre II, but he especially is excited about putting on this show. "I really wanted to do a big show, and this is as big as it gets," he said.

Dove said that he chose the play because it is smart and witty and lends itself to sense of real intimacy with the audience. According to the director and cast, the main goal is to create a sense of two separate worlds and then explore what happens when they come into conflict with each other. One is the fantasy world of the Kit Kat Klub; the other is the reality of an outside world on the brink of war.

In order to accommodate this idea, junior Keith Foster designed a set that goes a step beyond the ordinary. "It's not just about the set and the stage, it's about creating a complete atmosphere," he said. "Our aim is to transform the entire building into a 1930s cabaret. It is not simply a period play, it's a production that lends itself to the immersion of the audience in an alternate reality."

Audiences can expect a show that includes them as more than mere viewers, but as active participants in the world that has been created for them. While "Cabaret" promises to be fun, there also is a serious side to it that audience members will be hard-pressed to ignore.

Cecchini agrees with this idea. "‘Cabaret' is unique in that it opens your mind by examining a period of history through many sets of eyes," she said. "The show is very much ‘in your face' and forces the audience to think about issues that aren't pleasant to deal with."

In addition to the acting and singing, senior Katie McNulty and sophomore Travis Odekirk worked together to come up with playful and showy choreography that was designed to enhance the story and ensure that the audience is well-entertained.

"At times it's a little racy and it will definitely make some people squirm in their seats," McNulty said.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance today from 4 to 7 p.m. or at the door Tuesday through Sunday starting at 6 p.m. Performances will run from Nov. 19 through Nov. 23 at 8 p.m., with a midnight show Friday and a 2:30 p.m. matinee performance Sunday Nov. 24.