“Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome!” Another revival is coming to Broadway in the spring of 2024, and we couldn’t be more excited that it’s going to be Cabaret! The seven-time Oliver award winning musical will play at the August Wilson Theatre. A cast has yet to be announced, but with the revival being less than a year away, an official cast list is sure to be announced soon.
Cabaret first opened on the West End in 1968 and ran for 336 performances, only two years after opening on Broadway in 1966 and ran for 1,156 performances closing in 1969. Currently playing at the Kit Kat Club at Playhouse Theatre, the show has had extensions since its reopening in November 2021. The show is currently booking until June 2024, yet another extension is not out of the question with its continued popularity.
The show itself is renowned for its immersive atmosphere. Once you arrive at your seat, anticipation builds, much like we imagine Bradshaw experienced when he first discovered the club in pre-war Weimar Republic Berlin. The hidden nightclub entices you to stay through the grunge and grit as you are captivated by the glamour and seductive temptations. Floor-to-ceiling curtains, ghostly neon lights, and code-embedded references, Cabaret’s stage lures you into this world that so many would love to escape to. Not only the stage, but the prologue company also prepares you for this mischievous nightclub. As an audience member, they make sure you get to see everything you desire and more by enchanting you with themes that run throughout the musical such as:
The complexity of gender and sexuality
The magnetism of escapism
The influence of relationships
And the seductiveness of sex, music, booze, or all three
The revival that will soon be on Broadway is not unfamiliar to the show. Cabaret has been revived on Broadway 3 times: in 1987, again in 1998 with a reimagining of the show, and restaged in 2014. It has been ten years since Cabaret’s last revival, and everyone is eager to see what, if any, changes will be made from its London sister. The show is currently advised that audience members be at least 12 years of age, but at parent/guardian’s discretion. The show is currently running at 2 hours 45 minutes with an interval.
The August Wilson Theatre is currently home to Funny Girl, which stars Lea Michele as the leading actress. Funny Girl is currently scheduled to end its run on 3 September of this year. This means, depending on when the opening date is set for Cabaret, there is plenty of time for the turn around between shows. Turning the August Wilson Theatre from early 1900s New York to the seedy Kit Kat Club will no doubt take the crew quite some time, and we are certain they can make their magic!
Also by Drew Janine: