Stage West to Present Iconic Musical “Cabaret”

For the next two weekends, local theatergoers will have an opportunity to see the iconic musical, “Cabaret,” made famous by Liza Minelli and Joel Gray in the film version. The main stage of Stage West will be transformed into a the Kit Kat Club, a decadent entertainment spot, in Berlin during the 1930s, just as Nazism was on the rise. The play is profound with a serious theme, yet highly entertaining.

Directing such a famous play could be a daunting task for any director, but Lil Barcaski, having directed more than fifty plays, is up to the job. That’s not to say, there weren’t challenges to directing “Cabaret.”

“I was not initially supposed to direct this one. I was asked to step in, so I had some catching up to do but my cast and crew were fantastic. Aliya Weaver, my assistant director, worked tirelessly to help cast, direct, and even stage-manage the show,” Lil remarks.

Besides working with many seasoned actors, Lil had an experienced crew behind the scenes, including Lynda Dilts-Benson and her team−set design; costumes−“Gutz” DeBarge and Jennifer Scalf, along with their crew; and music director, Alex Markoulis.

“It has been rewarding to be able to shape this production, to remind people how easily things can change if we are not careful and thoughtful about what is happening around us,” Lil concludes.

It’s no wonder that Ryan Bintz is outstanding as the flamboyant Kit Kat Club’s Master of Ceremonies. He has performed the role once before in 2009 and has seen it several times. The most recent was in December.

“This role really connects with me,” he states. “It’s been fifteen years since I played it. I’ve aged and matured, so I’ve looked at it very differently this time and it’s helped me to grow. It’s been really rewarding the second time around.”

Ryan has been performing since he was a boy. Some of his favorite roles was the lead in “Jekyll and Hyde” at Stage West in 2004, as well as Billy Flynn in “Chicago” and Marius in “Les Misérables.”

You would think with his vast array of experiences that Ryan would have played just about every part he ever wanted to. However, the lead in “Phantom of the Opera” is one that he dreams of playing.

Acting and singing is his passion, but he admits that dance is somewhat challenging. However, under the capable hands of Lori Kohan, the choreographer, Ryan, along with many of the cast members, blossomed.

Lori took dance for many years and even performed on stage in New York. During her thirty-four years in theater, she’s choreographed a number of musicals. Some of her favorites were “Mama Mia,” “Cinderella,” and “Godspell.” She admits that “Cabaret” was somewhat challenging to choreograph; yet, the experience was very rewarding.

“ ‘Cabaret’ has a certain style dance, so incorporating Bob Fosse-style movement throughout the dances was the most challenging. Breaking the dance steps down and reinforcing those skills, along with videoing them is what helps the actors to learn best,” Lori remarks. “However, seeing their [the actors’] desire and determination to learn the dances and having it come together at the end is rewarding!”

Despite Lori’s many years of experience, there are still a couple of plays she’d like to choreograph. “I would love the opportunity to choreograph ‘Les Misérables.’ and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ because the music, the dancing, and the story are so powerful. It literally leaves you speechless!” Lori concludes.

Breanna Hays WAS Sally Bowles. She superbly plays the range of emotions that Sally experiences−exuberance, insecurity, diffidence and sorrow, to mention just a few. In order to master this role, she studied various actor’s portrayals of Sally, including Liza Minnelli, and incorporated parts of these into her acting. However, she puts her own twist on it.

“This role is emotionally challenging. Sally goes through a lot of ups and downs in the course of the show. I used my own emotional connections to some of her challenges.”

She credits her great-grandparents with her love of theater. One of the most rewarding aspects of being in “Cabaret” will be having her family view her performance since this is one of their favorites.

Kristoff Stens rounds out the main cast with his portrayal of Clifford Bradshaw, a young American novelist who visits Berlin looking for inspiration. Clifford has the most pronounced character arc−going from a rather naïve young man to one whose eyes are eventually opened to the horrors that Germany is going through and those to come. For Kristoff, portraying this transformation was the most challenging aspect of the role.
On the other hand, the most rewarding aspect, “is that feeling of uneasiness I get from the play and that it [this feeling] has such an impact [on the audience].”

In addition to the main plot of the show, there are at least two subplots. One is the tender romance between Frau Schneider, Clifford’s middle-aged landlady, and Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit vendor. Their relationship adds some comic relief to the play. The other involves Ernst Ludwig’s nefarious dealings and his active embrace of Nazism.

Without giving away too much, the ending of the first act will deliver a gut punch and foreshadow events to come in the rest of the play.
Unlike most of Stage West’s musicals, “Cabaret” does not use recorded music. In the orchestra pit is a five-piece combo that provides the music which adds a “Broadway” feel to the show.

For those not familiar with the play, “Cabaret” contains adult language, provocative dancing, and vividly depicts certain actions of the characters. If may offend some people, but, on the other hand, it is timeless and thought-provoking.

Show times for “Cabaret” are as follows: Evening performances at 7:30 p.m. are January 17th, 18th and 24th. Matinees at 2:00 p.m. will be January 19th, 25th and 26th. You can purchase tickets online at www.stagewestplayhouse.org or by calling the box office at 352-683-5113. The theater is located at 8390 Forest Oaks Blvd. in Spring Hill.