Cabaret (musical)

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Cabaret is a musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff, based on John Van Druten's 1951 play I Am a Camera, which in turn was adapted from the 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood. Set in 1931 Berlin as the Weimar Republic is drawing to a close, it focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Cliff Bradshaw's relations with English cabaret performer Sally Bowles.

Plot[edit | edit source]

The musical opens with the Master of Ceremonies (Emcee) welcoming the audience to the Kit Kat Klub, a decadent nightclub where anything goes. The story follows Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer who arrives in Berlin seeking inspiration for his novel. He meets Sally Bowles, a vivacious and carefree cabaret singer, and they begin a complicated relationship. As the political climate in Germany becomes increasingly unstable with the rise of the Nazi Party, the lives of the characters are dramatically affected.

Musical Numbers[edit | edit source]

Some of the notable songs from Cabaret include:

"Willkommen"
"Maybe This Time"
"Money"
"Two Ladies"
"Tomorrow Belongs to Me"
"Cabaret"

Productions[edit | edit source]

Cabaret premiered on Broadway on November 20, 1966, at the Broadhurst Theatre, later moving to the Imperial Theatre and the Broadway Theatre. The original production was directed by Harold Prince and starred Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, Bert Convy as Cliff Bradshaw, and Joel Grey as the Emcee.

The musical has seen numerous revivals, including the 1986 Broadway revival, the 1993 London revival, the 1998 Broadway revival, the 2006 London revival, the 2014 Broadway revival, and the 2021 London revival. Each production has brought new interpretations and elements to the show, keeping it fresh and relevant for contemporary audiences.

Film Adaptation[edit | edit source]

In 1972, Cabaret was adapted into a highly successful film directed by Bob Fosse, starring Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles, Michael York as Brian Roberts (a character based on Cliff Bradshaw), and Joel Grey reprising his role as the Emcee. The film won eight Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Minnelli and Best Director for Fosse.