Seedy, historical ‘Cabaret’ finishes IU Theatre season

Dancing their way back to the Roaring Twenties and Dirty Thirties, the IU Department of Theatre and Drama opens “Cabaret” for its final production of the 2011-12 season at 7:30 p.m. today.

Director and choreographer George Pinney said he is very excited to open the highly decorated show this weekend.

“‘Cabaret’ first opened in 1967 and has been revived countless times, most recently in 1995 on Broadway with mass success,” Pinney said. “There is a really catchy musical score by John Kander, and the story is excellent. It deals with the human condition in such a base way, it’s still relevant to audiences today.

“History tends to repeat itself again and again, and we often wonder, ‘Will we ever learn?’ Cabaret really puts that forth.”

Pinney has been choreographing for many years with IU Theatre and also has experience working with Broadway and major theaters in London.

“I am absolutely ecstatic for the shows to begin,” Pinney said. “The shows are very well cast, and the company is extremely talented, and they have really risen to this challenge in a very positive, artistic and powerful way.”

“Cabaret” is set in war-torn Germany in the 1930s and focuses on the relationship between an American writer, Clifford Bradshaw, and an English singer, Sally Bowles, who performs at a seedy cabaret, The Kit Kat Klub.

Due to a conflict with bachelor of fine arts seniors going on their Musical Theatre Showcase trip in New York this weekend, the show was double-casted and features both senior Jamie Anderson and sophomore Hannah Slabaugh as Sally.

While in New York, the seniors will perform in front of almost 200 casting
directors.

“It’s been fun because Jamie and I both play the role so differently,” Slabaugh said. “It has really challenged me to be confident in my choices and the way that I interpret the character.”

Anderson said she agreed that being a part of a double-casted show has proved to be a great learning experience for her and the rest of the cast.

“This show is really fun to perform because Sally is so multidimensional,” Anderson said. “She goes through a really big revelation during the show, so it’s been both exciting and challenging to fill this role.”

Anderson said she believes that this musical is still relevant because of current political controversy between the two polar parties in the United States. She said it resembles the strife between the Communist Party and Nazi activists of World War II Germany.

“It’s not a bright and shiny musical,” Anderson said. “It definitely wraps you up into this dark and scary world. The struggle for power resembles the current political state of this country, and it’s frightening to see how many of us choose to be like my character, Sally, and just remain ignorant to all of it.”

Slabaugh said she agreed that “Cabaret” raises serious questions while still being an entertaining show for the audiences.

“This is such a great show, and it’s so challenging because it’s so dark and creepy with the whole concept of ‘Life is a Cabaret,’” she said. “It examines whether you should live your life from moment to moment and questions whether you should live it solely for yourself.”

The cast has been in rehearsal for eight weeks, and extravagant sets and costumes have been created during that time, Anderson said.

“The design of this production is absolutely magnificent,” Anderson said. “Abby Wells controlled the lighting for this show and is using it as her thesis production, so the lighting is absolutely fantastic. The set and the costumes are also very well put together.”

Slabaugh also talked about the high quality of the production and said she believes the audience will enjoy every aspect of the show.

“All of the dance numbers that include the whole ensemble are so exciting, with all the costumes and all of the individuals that make up the whole cabaret,” Slabaugh said. “It is just really fun to watch, and I think the audience will really latch on to that.”