On the surface, University of Idaho Department of Theater Arts’ “Cabaret” is a fun, energetic musical. At its core, it has a deeper, darker theme. “Cabaret” opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28 at Hartung Theatre.
The show will run until Sunday, Nov. 6, with shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can find more information and buy tickets at uitickets.com. The shows will be free for students.
With it comes a live pit orchestra of 10, the first pit orchestra the university has had in over a decade. Production Director Craig Miller spoke highly of the orchestra.
“They’re tight,” Miller said. “They sound so good, I mean, it’s gonna rock.”
“Cabaret” is a show of flashy, fun and engaging songs. Director Miller encourages all to come.
“People should come to be transported. It happens right at the top of the show” Miller said.
Set in 1930’s Germany, featuring the flashy KitKat Club in the red-light district of Berlin, the show follows a handful of characters around the nightclub, and their lives leading up to the political events that leads to the rise of the Nazi party, and how they interact with these changes. The audience should be aware that the show brings up topics of fascism, antisemitism, and abortion.
Miller promises a fantastically energetic musical for all who come to see it.
“If you can even possibly tear yourself out of the seat after hearing the opening number of “Willkommen,” and the M.C. comes out on stage and says ‘welcome, we have no troubles here,'” Miller said. “I can’t imagine anyone leaving.”
Miller has been a part of the Theatre Arts Department for five years, coming to the university after directing at several production companies around the country. He is excited to put on “Cabaret”, not only for its timeless and relevant message, but also for the spectacular musical numbers and captivating story.
“If you are a lover of musical theatre and you are also a lover of theatre in general, this show has it all,” Miller said. “It has great acting, great dancing, great singing, great score, I mean every aspect of it is just so beautifully lush, and it’s just such good storytelling.”
He’s also confident in the quality of the production overall.
“Right from when you walk into the Hartung, it’s going to be an immersive experience, right from the very beginning,” Miller said.
The production of “Cabaret” marks the return of the collaboration between the Theatre Arts Department, Lionel Hampton School of Music and the dance program in the Department of Movement Sciences. Miller hopes that the theatre department can work towards offering a musical theatre performance degree.
“We need to start doing musicals, and we need to start doing them really well,” Miller said. “We need to also be collaborating with other departments and schools on campus in order to make really strong and vibrant musical theatre come alive on campus and for our Moscow community.”
Karl Surmanis can be reached at [email protected]
Jan Peavy
Have ordered tickets. Can’t wait to go.