Audience members were not just entering the auditorium of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts to see "Cabaret" Thursday night, they were arriving at the Kit Kat Club. The stage was set from the moment attendees filed into Uihlein Hall. A handful of cast members roamed the stage, stretching in ways that previewed the offbeat and risqué performance ahead. The Cabaret crew retreated, the lights dimmed and the host of the evening was about to take full control of the night’s festivities, whether the audience was ready or not.
“Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome!” the emcee greeted guests and introduced the Cabaret boys and girls in the infamous opening number, “Willkommen.” Randy Harrison fully engulfed himself into the role of Emcee. He made me question whether I was still in present day Milwaukee, Wisconsin or Berlin, Germany, pre-World War II. Harrison was mesmerizing. Regardless of which song was being performed, I was secretly hoping he would join in.
Second to Harrison’s performance was the music. From the moment the shimmering streamers revealed the band for the first time, to the final drum roll, the musicians’ melodies embodied the faux joys, struggles and tragedies that were rampant throughout the production.
There’s a reason that the phrase “lights, camera, action” begins with lights. I never noticed just how much lighting could enhance a performance until I saw "Cabaret." The way the lighting assisted the audience by guiding them where to look at exactly the right moment was impeccable.
The combination of Harrison’s performance, the drums and the flashing lights in the final scene was unlike anything I had ever seen. Even though I knew it was the end, the intensity of this scene made me question if I was going to be able to make it through to the applause.
Before intermission, the mood was free-spirited and edgy. When intermission was over, all hell broke loose. The simple storyline became convoluted and multidimensional. The audience was no longer simply enjoying a night out on the town. They were forced to face the real world problems that eventually led to World War II.
Toward the end of the production, the Emcee reminded the audience of how he had said they would forget their troubles when they entered the club. The audience did forget their own problems because the issues the cast members were dealing with surpassed their own.
At the end of the show, I desperately wanted to show my appreciation for the phenomenal execution of this production. However, the bleak and dramatic ending left me speechless and unable to give the cast the amount of praise and applause they wholeheartedly deserved.
Roundabout Theatre Company’s national tour of "Cabaret" was in Milwaukee from Feb. 13 to Feb. 28. The cast and crews next stop is Des Moines, Iowa. They will conclude their run in Charlotte, North Carolina in early November.
