SALINAS
–
”
Life is a Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret!
”
So invites the sultry diva Sally Bowles in the Broadway and
Hollywood hit
”
Cabaret.
”
Upon stepping off the plane in Germany, young American writer
Clifford Bradshaw accepts the invitation and quickly finds himself
lured into the seedy nightlife of 1930’s Berlin by the seductive
night club singer.
Special to The Dispatch
SALINAS – “Life is a Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret!”
So invites the sultry diva Sally Bowles in the Broadway and Hollywood hit “Cabaret.” Upon stepping off the plane in Germany, young American writer Clifford Bradshaw accepts the invitation and quickly finds himself lured into the seedy nightlife of 1930’s Berlin by the seductive night club singer.
What ensues is a tenuous romance doomed by desires too strong to repress. While Sally struggles over whether she should sacrifice her hedonistic lifestyle to pursue a future in America with her new boyfriend, Clifford must struggle with his own a conflicting and often ambiguous sexual desires. Set during the fall of the Weimer Republic and the rise of the Nazi party, “Cabaret” explores the polar extremes of hedonism and oppression. This ground breaking musical won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Tony Award, and the London Evening Standard’s award – all for Best Musical.
In many ways, the continuing success of “Cabaret” demonstrates how the spirit of a single character can influence the imaginations of generations, ensuring her immortality by adapting to one literary work after another.
Yet, Cabaret has never left the American theater since its Broadway premiere. In addition to the 1972 Bob Fosse film,
“Cabaret” has enjoyed a number of tours and several New York revivals. In 1987, the original artistic team came together once more to bring a new and more relevant “Cabaret” to Broadway audiences.
“Come to the Cabaret” is the theme of The Western Stage 2003 Season, with the flagship show of the season Cabaret playing through Oct. 5 on the main stage, Hartnell College Performing Arts Center, Salinas. Tickets are now on sale. Go to WesternStage.com for complete information or call (831) 755-6816.
