Cabaret (Review)

Cabaret (Review) Cabaret entertains at Sacramento's
Community Center Theater
Reviewed by Joe Blenkle/Sacramento Stage & Theatre

Joely Fisher (center) as Fraulein Sally Bowles and the Kit Kat Girls perform "Mein Herr"" in the National Tour of Kander and Ebb's Broadway sensation CABARET. The new environmental staging by Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall won the Tony Award for Best Revival in 1998. CABARET plays at the Community Center Theater through Feb. 6, 2000. Photo by Joan Marcus.

    CABARET has long been a favorite of mine, and the National Tour of the production that pulled into town this week didn't let the sold-out opening night Sacramento crowd down.

    Several articles in advance of this show suggested how dark and shocking the production was. I found it just the opposite. CABARET does have its dark elements, but I found it to be very entertaining and in ways - similar to the movie that starred Joel Gray and Liza Minnelli. In fact, watching the movie after the stage production, several elements looked remarkably similar. But in reality, the National Tour production is far better than the movie and the best staged production of the story I've seen thus far. The most shocking thing in this stage production is a male/male kiss early on.

    The best part of this production, however, was the "Kit Kat Band," which was located on stage on a raised platform behind the performance area. They, in fact, were often part of the performance, with band members hanging over the drop-off watching the performance below. But it didn't end there! With the exception of the principle characters (who spent most of their time on the stage), the rest of the cast split their time between playing in the band and being supporting characters on stage. Fraulein Kost (Jeanine Morick) could also be seen playing Accordion, Max (Corey Brill) played Alto/Tenor Sax and Banjo, the Gorilla/Frenchie (Stacey Sipowicz) played Trumpet, etc. - you get the idea! This made the production tons more fun!

CAST OF "CABARET" Emcee - Jon Peterson. The Kit Kat Girls - Rosie - Jessica Perrizo; Lulu - Alison Ewing; Frenchie - Stacey Sipowicz; Texas - Shana Mahoney; Fritzie - Jeanine Morick; Helga - Susan Taylor. The Kit Kat Boys - Bobby - Michael Curry; Victor - Thomas Cannizzaro; Hans - Shaun Amyot; Herman - Corey Brill. Sally Bowles - Joely Fisher; Clifford Bradshaw - Jay Goede; Ernst Ludwig - Drew McVety; Customs Official - Corey Brill; Fraulein Schneider - Alma Cuervo; Fraulein Kost - Jeanine Morick; Rudy - Shaun Amyot; Herr Schultz - Hal Robinson; Max - Corey Brill; Gorilla - Stacey Sipowicz; Boy Soprano (recording) - Alex Bowen.

    And, of course, CABARET features all that great music that's going to be stuck in my head for the next few months. Songs like "Willkommen," "Mein Herr," "Two Ladies," "Maybe This Time," "Money," and "Cabaret." All the musical numbers were wonderfully staged.

    Joely Fisher was absolutely terrific as a giddy Sally Bowles and Jon Peterson as the cross-dressing Emcee turned in a crowd-pleasing performance.

    CABARET performs at the Community Center Theater through Feb. 6. Tickets range in price from $10 to $60 and are available at the Broadway Series box office at 1419 H Street (557-1999); the Community Center box office, 1301 L St. (264-5181), or BASS Tickets (766-BASS).

    Next up for the Broadway Series is RENT, Mar. 7-12, at the Community Center Theater.

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