Upcoming ‘Cabaret’ provides a musical risk
By Brittany Muller
IV Leader Staff, Mar 15, 2007
What seems to be missing around here? Perhaps what the
Illinois Valley is lacking is a little spice, a little drama and a mixture of
dance and jazz.
The musical talent of IVCC will be performing “Cabaret,”
which is a “surreal photo journal capturing Berlin in the 1930s,” according to
director Dr. David Allan Kuester.
Even though “Cabaret” leans towards a more adult nature, this
musical is meant to impress, shock and thrill its audience. The large cast list
includes Emcee Stephen Kwiatek, character Clifford Bradshaw performed by David
Nolen, character Fraulein Schneider performed by Heather Robbins, Herr Shultz
played by Michael Lewis, Fraulein Kost performed by Emily Winner, Laura
Spickerman casted as Sally Bowles, Ernst Ludwig played by Bejan Roumi, and Max
played by Matt Boehm.
The German sailors are performed by Matt Lunger, Rovert Hauge
III and Jaymeson Whitfield.
Meridith Donahue, Melissa Burgett, Emily Winner, Tiffany
Seibert and Lucia Mascote portray the Kit Kat Klub girls, while the waiters are
played by Jeff Kalina, Robert Gibson, Micheal Crouch and John Mitchell.
The music director is Norm Engstrom, with choreography
designs by Don Grant Zellmer, and the technical support is Tom Schultz.
“Cabaret,” originally based on a novel, unfolds the writer’s
experience in Nazi Berlin in 1929. Clifford Bradshaw, a young American writer,
goes to Europe in hopes of finding inspiration to write his novel. In Berlin, he
meets Nazi sympathizer and smuggler Ernst Ludwig, who directs him to Fraulein
Schneider’s boardinghouse. It is here that Clifford goes to the Kit Kat Klub and
meets a young English cabaret dancer, Sally Bowles.
Sally eventually moves in with Clifford, and as Kuester
explains, “Their romance is played out against a canvas of the decadence of
Berlin as the Nazi party comes to rise.” This tale ends sadly after Sally sells
her mink coat to pay for an abortion.
Alone, Cliff returns to America to tell his story. Full of
different love triangles and emotions, “Cabaret” brings imagery, dance and music
alive at the time of 1929 in Berlin. This enthralling timepiece portrays Berlin
as it really was: sexually liberated.
Striking jazz music and incredible choreography is meant to
engage the audience as well as astonish them. “Cabaret” will be performed on
March 29, 30, 31, at 8 p.m. and on April 1 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $8 a piece or free admission with the
presentation of an IVCC ID Card. For further information about ticket
availability or the show, one can contact Tom Schultz at 223-0383 or visit him
in his office in F-124.