Come to the Cabaret! Posted on February 18th, 2018 by Mara Klein

Elaina McRath '21 as Sally Bowles. Photo Credit: Annie Galloway Creative

The Gustavus Adolphus College Theatre and Dance Department invites you to escape to Weimar Germany in the early 1930s and join in the music, decadence, and spectacle of the Cabaret!

Opening February 23 and running through March 4, Cabaret features a cast of more than 30 Gustavus students along with a live pit orchestra. The show introduces the audience to life at the seedy Kit Kat Club in 1931 Berlin, where a brief period of artistic expression and freedom flourished. However, while revelry exists within the club, outside its walls the Nazi presence grows stronger.

Director Amy Seham is excited about several elements of the show, most notably the work of several current and former students including the choreography of Emma Hunt ’18, costume design of Georgia Bebler ’18, and music direction of Sam Grace ’11.

While Hunt has a wealth of experience in choreographing dance works, this is her first time choreographing a theatre show. She says working with the dancers has been a rewarding experience. “While I provide the movement and my vision, the dancers are able to integrate and adapt the movement to their own bodies and create something more authentic and beautiful in their own way,” she says.

The Gustavus production also features the “Kit Kat Characters,” whose role is to interact with the audience as they enter the theatre to make theatre-goers feel as though they are truly in the club in 1930’s Berlin.

While the show features over-the-top costumes, a mysterious emcee and delightfully jazzy music, Seham says the Nazi undercurrent is an important part of the show and brings a timely element to the production.

“I hope the audience has a fun evening and enjoys being a part of the event. But I also hope the get a sense of the parallels between Weimar Germany and the United States and realize that you can’t afford to just ignore what’s going on politically,” she says.

Gustavus theatre productions have often focused on social justice issues, and to that end, the cast spent the month of January not only rehearsing, but researching the historical and cultural issues of the time. Seham says this brings a deeper level of understanding not only to the performers, but also to those in the audience.

“The students are learning about the context of the play as part of the process and that way they have a deep understanding of what the musical says. I believe it makes it a richer and more dynamic show because the cast really knows who they are and what their character is going through,” she says.

Cabaret runs at Gustavus’ Anderson Theatre February 23-24 and March 2-3 at 8 p.m. and February 25 and March 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at gustavustickets.com or by calling 507-933-7590.