‘Cabaret’ Digital Program

          CofC Stages proudly presents

     Cabaret

          Book by Joe Masteroff
Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood
Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb

          Directed by Todd McNerney

Music Director
Laura Turner
Choreographer
Nakeisha Daniel
Scenic Designer
Charlie Calvert
Costume Designer
Mira Turkewitz
Lighting Designer
Garrett Bell
Sound Designer
Caleb Garner
Technical Director
JD Stallings
Costume Shop Manager
Ellen Swick

Stage Manager

Rebecca McLeod

Dramaturg

Nora Gore

April 14-16, 2022 • Sottile Theatre, 44 George Street


          Cast

AP Hart | Emcee Zoe Sauder | Helga
Maddy Smith | Sally Bowles Robby Sewell | Bobby
Noah Anderson | Clifford “Cliff” Bradshaw Jaden Jenkins | Victor Kristoff, Emcee u/s
Annie Morraye | Fräulein Schneider Evan Williams | Hans, Gorilla
Max Marshall | Herr Joseph Schultz Michael Biondo | Herman
Spencer Vinzani | Ernst Ludwig Steven Witt | Max
Brasia Jones | Fräulein Eleonora Kost Joey Kirkman | Kit Kat Club Patron (Paul Fuchs)
Erin Frase | Rosie, Sally Bowles u/s Lauryn Gadson | Kit Kat Club Patron (Lolita Bean)
Kylee Poole | Lulu Olivia Panasko | Kit Kat Club Patron (Greta Katz), Soloist
Aidan Baumann | Frenchie Ben Hudd | Kit Kat Club Patron (Rudy Bambach), Soloist, Cliff u/s
Hunter Harrell | Texas Chris Warzynski | Kit Kat Klub Patron (Siegfried Varnitski)
Gianna Trimboli | Fritzie Shane Hanley | Kit Kat Club Patron (Rudy Klopp)

Musical Numbers

Act I Act II
Willkommen Entr’acte
So What? Kick Line
Don’t Tell Mama Married (Reprise)
Mein Herr If You Could See Her
Perfectly Marvelous What Would You Do?
Two Ladies I Don’t Care Much
It Couldn’t Please Me More Cabaret
Tomorrow Belongs to Me Finale
Maybe This Time
The Money Song
Married
Tomorrow Belongs to Me (Reprise)

Production Team

CofC Stages Artistic Director: Janine McCabe
Director of Theatre: Vivian Appler
Stage Management Advisor: Susan Kattwinkel
Assistant Choreographer: Taylor Bennett
Assistant Stage Managers: Mikaela Phillips, Mollie Davis
Dramaturg: Nora Gore
Run Crew: Bootsie Baldwin, Alex Gilbert
Fly Rail: Connor Combs

Assistant Scenic Designers: Max Marshall, Ethan Robey, Bristol Barnes
Properties Master: Bea Lemaster
Properties Assistant: Madison Berry
Carpenters: Madison Berry, Isabella Gardner, Ella Moore, Ethan Robey, Eli Salas, Xander Seigelman, Riley Taylor , Students of THTR 209
Scenic Charge: Julia Mimó
Scenic Artists: Mary Hope Ballou, Ella Moore
Scene Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Mary Hope Ballou, Bristol Barnes, Holden Crumpler, Caroline Magee, Max Marshall, AP Hart

Costume Design Advisor: Janine McCabe
Pattern Makers: Liza Bird, Brandon Alston
Sewing & Alterations: Brandon Alston, Liza Bird, Grace Ann Jarrell, Avery Rose Higgins, Bernadette Loia, Eli Orlandi, and Students of THTR 240
Wardrobe Crew: Mattie Davis, Zach Kobylarz, Sylvia Jones, Brandon Alston
Costume Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Mattie Davis, Savannah Fatigante, Zachary Kobylarz, Mira Turkewitz

Lighting Design Advisor: Lauren Duffie
Production Electricians: Alex Jones, Joey Kirkman, Chris Warzynski
Electricians: Mia Bowersox, Sara Whitehead, Eddie Frye
Light Board Programmer: Caroline Magee
Follow Spot Operators: Julia Mimó, Mia Bowersox
Sound Engineers: Evie Palmisano, Dustin Brause
Sound Board Operator: Abbie Scruggs
Technician: Blake Kennedy
Electric Shop Staff (select students hired by the Department of Theatre & Dance with support from donor funding): Alex Jones, Joey Kirkman, Chris Warzynski

ASL Interpretation: Shauntel Creque-White and Kerston Sallings
Operations Coordinator
: Miles Boinest
Marketing & Communications: Nandini B. McCauley
Graphic Designer: Rob Alexander
Photography: David Mandel, Heather Moran, Annie Morraye, Sydney Rudolph
Sottile Theatre Staff: Anja Kelley, Evie Palmisano, Kasey Beard
Box Office: George Street Box Office


CABARET is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com.


Special Thanks:

The Musical Theatre Center, The Sottile Theatre Staff, Courtney Workman and ASL Interpreting Services

This production is presented in loving memory of Robert Ivey.


Special thanks to our Guardian-level donors, whose commitment and personal connection to their “Clarence” students enhance the overall student experience and the Department of Theatre and Dance as a whole. 

Brandon Alston……………….…..Nancy and Sam Stafford

Taylor Bennett………….…..Chester and Arlene Williams

Glenna Durbin…………….…………Tap and Jean Johnson

Savannah Fatigante……….………………………Anonymous

Joey Kirkman……………………Eveylynn and Bill Putnam

Claire Natiez…………….Mindy Seltzer and Bob Lovinger

Sidney Shanahan…….Drs. Louis and Andrea Weinstein

Maddy Smith……………………..Karl and Charlene Bunch

Thanks to all of our generous donors. Add your name to our list of generous arts supporters by making a contribution today

Have you considered subscribing to the Department of Theatre and Dance newsletter?


Director’s Note

“I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking” is a quote from the first page of a novel, Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood, from which a 1951 Broadway play, I am A Camera by John Van Druten, was adapted, and finally, upon which the ground-breaking 1966 musical Cabaret is based.

In 1979, I was 16 years old and traveled to Germany to be on a student exchange for nearly a month. In addition to living with a German family for about ½ of the time, our group traveled throughout the country. Two important events were captured by my “internal camera” during those travels which have remained with me and I have thought about for over half a century. First, we visited East Germany, not East/West Berlin, but rather deep into the former communist state traveling by bus to the city of Leipzig. The harsh change of transitioning from western democracy to eastern totalitarianism was like stepping back in time or like moving from a technicolor world to a sepia-toned one. Shortly thereafter, we visited the concentration camp at Dachau, the first of the Nazi’s “political prisoners” concentration camps. I have never forgotten walking around the lightly dusted snow-covered grounds on an overcast dreary day, entering through the “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate, silently visiting the barracks and finally, the Krematorium. Everywhere the very tangible reminders of the horrors and atrocities of the Holocaust were gut wrenching.

The musical Cabaret, in part due to my early experiences in Germany, has always had a special resonance with me. I have seen the play many times, mostly recently the College of Charleston’s 2005 production directed by our late colleague, Robert Ivey. And while I was too young to see the film in theaters in 1972, I fondly recall watching Liza Minnelli on network television in the late 1970s. The play, the film, and Ms. Minnelli’s performance of the title song have all become part of America’s cultural fabric. Cabaret challenges us to consider the far-reaching ramifications of believing that in the living of our lives we can be a passive “camera.” It highlights the very real dangers of doing so, of believing that we are only “recording” the world around us as an experience separate from ourselves. And it reminds us of the devastating consequences of “not thinking,” particularly of not thinking it can happen again. In fact, as we are often reminded, it requires specific intention on our part to assure that the worst of human behavior is not repeated.

The EmCee closes the show singing “Auf weidersehen. À bientôt.” The German literally translates as “Until we see each other again” and the French more pointedly as “See you soon.” I hope each of us will take those as words of caution and that individually we will never allow it to be so.

Todd McNerney
Director


Dramaturgical Note

Based on author Christoper Isherwood’s Goodbye to Berlin recounting his time in Berlin following World War I,  Cabaret is a semi-biographical piece that composers John Kander and Fred Ebb made into a full-scale musical. Cabaret tells Isherwood’s stories of Berlin through the eyes of author Clifford Bradshaw and his encounters with the world of the Kit Kat Club, his romance with performer Sally Bowles, but also his witness of the subtle and gradual rise of Nazism surrounding Berlin.  

The story of Cabaret has resonated with audiences since its Broadway premiere in 1966, even becoming a hit movie in 1972 starring the legendary performer Liza Minelli as the leading character Sally Bowles. As the show was revived on Broadway in 1987, 1993, and 1998, and has been performed all over the world, Cabaret’s themes of the dangers of staying complicit and choosing to ignore discrimination and oppression that persists in society has stayed relevant to audiences throughout the show’s history, serving as a warning that the social and political attitudes building up to the events of WWII may be closer to us in society today than we realize. 

Nora Gore
Dramaturg


Cast and Production Team Bios

Guest Artist Garrett Bell (Lighting Designer) is an alumnus of the College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance and is excited to be returning to the College for Cabaret. Based in Chicago, Garrett’s recent lighting design work includes Emma with First Folio Theatre, The Cake with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Exit Strategy with The Loop Players, and Edgar Allen Poe: A Love Story (Associate) with Oak Park Festival Theatre. More of his work can be seen in the upcoming production of Naperville with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, and at www.garrettmbell.com.

Noah Anderson (Cliff) is a sophomore double majoring in History and Theatre. This is his debut mainstage show at the College. 

Bristol Barnes (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Scenic Design/Performance). This is her second mainstage show as Assistant Scenic Designer. 

Aidan Baumann (Frenchie) is a sophomore double majoring in Dance and Hospitality & Tourism Management with a minor in Spanish. She was last seen in Once More. This is her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Taylor Bennett (Assistant Choreographer) is a junior double majoring in Dance and Early Childhood Education. This is her first mainstage show as Assistant Choreographer. Her work was last seen in Wanderlust and she was last seen performing in Once More

Michael Biondo (Herman) is a freshman majoring in Arts Management. This is his first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Mollie Davis (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a minor in Theatre. This is her third show at the College of Charleston, and she is looking forward to Stage managing Violet in the fall. 

Erin Frase (Rosie) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Performance) with a minor in Arts Management. She was last seen in Living Dead in Denmark. This will be her third and final mainstage production.

Lauryn Gadson (Lolita Bean) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is her second mainstage show. She was last seen in Wanderlust

Shane Hanley (Rudy Klopp) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is their first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Hunter Harrell (Texas) is a junior majoring in Theatre with a minor in Film Studies. This is their debut mainstage performance at the College.

AP Hart (Emcee) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is AP’s fifth and final mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Ben Hudd (Rudy Hofmann) is a freshman who has yet to declare his major. This is his first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Jaden Jenkins (Victor Kristoff) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Theatre for Youth). This is their Fourth mainstage show at the College of Charleston. They were previously seen in Rough Magic, Urinetown, and Unbeatable: A Musical Theatre Showcase.

Brasia Jones (Eleanora Kost) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Performance) with a minor in Business. This is her first mainstage show at the College of Charleston. 

Joey Kirkman (Paul Fuchs) is a junior double majoring in Theatre (Performance) and English (Creative Writing). They were last seen in Antigone and Unbeatable: A Musical Theatre Showcase at the College of Charleston.

Max Marshall (Joseph Schultz, Assistant Scenic Designer) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Scenic Design & Technology). This is his second mainstage production with the College, and he is looking forward to being the scenic designer for Violet next season.

Rebecca McLeod (Stage Manager) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Theatre for Youth). This is her eighth and final production at the College. Her work was last seen Fall 2021 as Stage Manager of A Sudden Spontaneous Event. 

Annie Morraye (Fräulein Schneider) is a junior majoring in Computing in the Arts (Digital Media) with a minor in Communications. This is her second mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Olivia Panasko (Greta Katz/Chanteuse) is a junior majoring in Psychology with minors in Women & Gender Studies and Jewish Studies. This is their first mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Mikaela Phillips (Assistant Stage Manager) is a sophomore double majoring in Theatre and Communications. This is her second mainstage show. Her work can be seen this Fall in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley.

Ethan Robey (Assistant Scenic Designer) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Scenic/Lighting Design and Technology). He served as assistant lighting designer for The Magic Flute and a lighting designer for Wanderlust.

Zoe Sauder (Helga) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Performance). She is so excited to be in Cabaret for her final mainstage show. She has been seen previously in The Lady Demands Satisfaction, The Last Train to Nibroc, and Living Dead in Denmark.

Robby Sewell (Bobby) is a sophomore pre-med majoring in Psychology. This is their third mainstage production at the College of Charleston.

Maddy Smith (Sally Bowles) is a junior double majoring in Theatre (Performance) and International Studies. She is so excited to be in her third mainstage show at the College of Charleston.

Gianna Trimboli (Fritzie) is a sophomore, majoring in Theatre (Performance) and Dance. She was last seen as Titania in Living Dead in Denmark and this is her third mainstage performance at the College of Charleston. 

Mira Turkewitz (Costume Designer) is a sophomore majoring in Theatre (Costume Design) and double minoring in Film Studies and Sustainability. 

Spencer Vinzani (Ernst Ludwig) is a junior majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is his first mainstage show at the College of Charleston. 

Chris Warzynski (Siegfried Varnitski) is a freshman majoring in Theatre (Performance) with a minor in Japanese Studies. Chris recently was a designer for Everybody and assistant lighting designer for the opera Die Zauberflöte

Evan Williams (Hans) is a freshman majoring in International Business. This is his first show at the College of Charleston. 

Steven Witt (Max) is a senior majoring in Theatre (Performance). This is their second mainstage show at the College of Charleston.


   

This production is supported by the College’s Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), whose 2021-2022 theme “sustainable cities and communities” correlates to the story, themes and ultimate message of Cabaret. Director Todd McNerney expounds, “This widely known musical focuses its attention on themes and ideas of intolerance, willful ignorance, and even a kind of self-induced political and social blindness. The frightening parallels between the start of this century with the start of the 20th serve to make this classic work resound more fully and highlight its inherent importance.”

The CSD aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to solve future challenges of social justice, economic disparity and looming environmental concerns. CofC Stages is committed to exploring these critical sustainability challenges – “triple bottom line” (social, environmental, economic systems) – this season and every season.


Up next at CofC Stages

Join us for Piccolo Spoleto! This year’s Stelle di Domani Series includes a residency from Annex Dance company, a Centre Stage theatre offering, staged readings from the Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest winners and runners-up, and a Night of Songs and Scenes featuring our favorite performances from this year!

Stay tuned for our 2022-2023 season announcement, coming soon! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all Theatre and Dance news and events!


LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
We collectively acknowledge that the College of Charleston occupies the traditional and ancestral lands of the Cusabo people, which consisted of the Kiawah, Coosa, Edisto, Wando, Stono, Ashepoo, Combahee, Escamacu, Etiwan and Wimbee. We honor the Cusabo and other Indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters, the elders who lived here before, the Indigenous today, and the generations to come.

 

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