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"Art is a ripening, an evolution, an uplifting which enables us to emerge from darkness into a blaze of light."
—Jerzy Grotowski |
Cabaret
Music by Kander & Ebb
Book by Joe Masteroff Directed by Ken Sonkin Musical Direction by Craig Burdette Choreographed by Staci Arriaga |
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Excited to be working at Napa's premier theater company, Ken will direct the hit musical Cabaret at the Lucky Penny Theater in May of 2019. Based on John Van Druten's 1951 play I Am a Camera, which was adapted from 1939's short novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood. Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, it focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, where the Master of Ceremonies and his dancers entertain all comers who are in need of an escape. Decadence runs rampant. Among the crowd is a young American writer, Cliff, who develops a relationship with an English cabaret performer, Sally, while ominous political developments loom over the libertine world of late Weimar Germany.
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For more information, email: [email protected]
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Aisle Seat Review: Best of the Best 2019
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Cast List
The Emcee....................Brian Watson* Rosie...........................Jenny Veilleux Lulu............................Jenny Angell Frenchie.......................Melissa Martinez Texas...........................Danielle Tortolani Fritzie..........................Kirstin Pieschke Helga............................Marjory Harper Bobby...........................Daniel Quezada Victor...........................Michael David Smith Herman.........................Alex Gomez Sally Bowles...................Ashley Garlick Clifford Bradshaw............Ryan Hook Fraulein Schneider...........Karen Pinomaki Herr Schultz...................Tim Setzer Fraulein Kost..................Andrea Dennison-Laufer Ernst Ludwig...................F. James Raasch Max..............................Barry Martin ................... *Member of Actors' Equity Association |
Production Team
Director.........................Ken Sonkin Musical Director...............Craig Burdette Choreographer.................Staci Arriaga Set Designer....................Benicia Martinez Lighting Designer..............April George Costume Designer.............Rebecca Valentino Hair/Make-up Designer.......Brette Bartolucci Props Designer.................Allison Sutherland Sound Designer.................Ken Sonkin Stage Manager.................Jeff Bristow Assistant Stage Manager......Madi Remigio Casting Associate..............Heather Buck Taylor Bartolucci..............Artistic Director Barry Martin....................Managing Director |
Director’s Notes
“Leave your troubles outside.”
By 1930, Germany was in deep turmoil. The Weimar Republic faced numerous problems: crippling war debts from World War I had left the country in a depression, political extremism was rife, relationships with those who had won the war were contentious, and every-day Germans felt defeated and demoralized. During a governmental state of emergency, democracy collapsed and a single-party dictatorship took its place marking the beginning of the Nazi era. Hitler needed scapegoats on which to pin Germany’s troubles. He found them in the Jewish people as well as in the sexual freedom of the cosmopolitan city of Berlin.
In dark times, people need to escape. For some, it’s respite; for others, it’s a need to shut their eyes to the disturbing changes in the world around them. In the late 1920’s, Berlin’s underground Kabaret night club scene was thriving with a colorful cast of characters: The Master of Ceremonies welcomed audiences, exuding an air of sex, drugs, and twisted allure. The Provocateuse, Sally Bowles, sang for her supper. Naïve and decadent, her motto is “Live for today.” The Writer, Cliff, an innocent and curious voyeur, was caught up in the danger and exhilaration of the Cabaret.
“Life is a Cabaret.”
I Am a Camera, the stage play that was the inspiration for Cabaret, was based on several chapters from Christopher Isherwood’s autobiographical novel Goodbye to Berlin. About fifteen years later, acclaimed director Hal Prince took up the story. Prince was interested in a new kind of socially responsible musical theater. He said he would “forever gravitate towards theater that challenged audiences, that made audiences confront their world in all its contradictions and ugliness.” Prince and his collaborators essentially combined two shows, a realistic book show with traditional musical comedy songs, and a concept musical with songs that commented on the action and the central message of the show. In 1966, the musical Cabaret premiered on Broadway earning multiple Tony awards and it changed the course of musical theater forever.
New versions of this story seem to appear at times of crisis in America. According to Scott Miller, Artistic Director of The New Line Theater in St. Louis, “The novel appeared at the close of World War II; the non-musical stage version debuted during the McCarthy era; the stage musical opened during the Vietnam era; and the movie musical opened in the midst of the Watergate era.” Each of these times has also been a turning point in regard to the social standing of Jews, women, and gays. Each subsequent version of this story has been braver, edgier, more explicit.
Who is responsible? Who is guilty? Sound familiar? The truth lies somewhere between the light and the shadows. Cabaret is a cautionary tale that, sadly, has tremendous resonance today.
I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to work with the amazing people at Lucky Penny to bring you this story. We’ve assembled an astounding cast and design team for what I think is a terribly sexy and provocative evening of theater. I hope you agree.
Willkommen.
Ken Sonkin, Director
May, 2019
By 1930, Germany was in deep turmoil. The Weimar Republic faced numerous problems: crippling war debts from World War I had left the country in a depression, political extremism was rife, relationships with those who had won the war were contentious, and every-day Germans felt defeated and demoralized. During a governmental state of emergency, democracy collapsed and a single-party dictatorship took its place marking the beginning of the Nazi era. Hitler needed scapegoats on which to pin Germany’s troubles. He found them in the Jewish people as well as in the sexual freedom of the cosmopolitan city of Berlin.
In dark times, people need to escape. For some, it’s respite; for others, it’s a need to shut their eyes to the disturbing changes in the world around them. In the late 1920’s, Berlin’s underground Kabaret night club scene was thriving with a colorful cast of characters: The Master of Ceremonies welcomed audiences, exuding an air of sex, drugs, and twisted allure. The Provocateuse, Sally Bowles, sang for her supper. Naïve and decadent, her motto is “Live for today.” The Writer, Cliff, an innocent and curious voyeur, was caught up in the danger and exhilaration of the Cabaret.
“Life is a Cabaret.”
I Am a Camera, the stage play that was the inspiration for Cabaret, was based on several chapters from Christopher Isherwood’s autobiographical novel Goodbye to Berlin. About fifteen years later, acclaimed director Hal Prince took up the story. Prince was interested in a new kind of socially responsible musical theater. He said he would “forever gravitate towards theater that challenged audiences, that made audiences confront their world in all its contradictions and ugliness.” Prince and his collaborators essentially combined two shows, a realistic book show with traditional musical comedy songs, and a concept musical with songs that commented on the action and the central message of the show. In 1966, the musical Cabaret premiered on Broadway earning multiple Tony awards and it changed the course of musical theater forever.
New versions of this story seem to appear at times of crisis in America. According to Scott Miller, Artistic Director of The New Line Theater in St. Louis, “The novel appeared at the close of World War II; the non-musical stage version debuted during the McCarthy era; the stage musical opened during the Vietnam era; and the movie musical opened in the midst of the Watergate era.” Each of these times has also been a turning point in regard to the social standing of Jews, women, and gays. Each subsequent version of this story has been braver, edgier, more explicit.
Who is responsible? Who is guilty? Sound familiar? The truth lies somewhere between the light and the shadows. Cabaret is a cautionary tale that, sadly, has tremendous resonance today.
I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to work with the amazing people at Lucky Penny to bring you this story. We’ve assembled an astounding cast and design team for what I think is a terribly sexy and provocative evening of theater. I hope you agree.
Willkommen.
Ken Sonkin, Director
May, 2019
Lucky Penny Community Arts Center
1758 Industrial Way, Napa, CA 94558
707.266.6305 | luckypennynapa.com
1758 Industrial Way, Napa, CA 94558
707.266.6305 | luckypennynapa.com
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