It's official! Eddie reprises his Olivier-winning performance
as the Emcee alongside Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles.
For this thrilling production of Cabaret, the creative team will transform the August Wilson
Theatre into the Kit Kat Club with an in-the-round auditorium and sinfully dreamlike spaces
which guests will be invited to explore featuring pre-show entertainment, drinks, and dining.
After purchasing tickets, guests will receive a “club entry time” to allow them to take in
the world of the club before the show starts.
Eddie said: “It was whilst playing ‘The Emcee’ in a student production of Cabaret
over 25 years ago that my love for theater was properly ignited. It now feels
completely thrilling and a little surreal to be a part of Rebecca’s truly unique vision
of Masteroff, Kander, and Ebb’s brilliance as it arrives on Broadway, where the piece
has such a history. I am beyond excited to be doing it arm-in-arm with the remarkable
Gayle Rankin and a truly stunning cast and team. I am hoping we will create
an experience for you quite unlike any other.”
Previews for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club will begin on Monday, April 1, 2024.
The production will have decadent twin opening night gala celebrations starting
Saturday, April 20 which will continue into the following night, with
the official press opening on Sunday, April 21.
Tickets for Cabaret will be placed on sale through Saturday, March 29, 2025,
with Redmayne and Rankin scheduled to play a limited engagement
through Saturday, August 31, 2024. Starting Monday, June 17, 2024,
Redmayne will not perform on Monday evenings and
Rankin will not perform at Wednesday matinees.
Read more: broadwayworld.com
Quotes from last week's TheaterMania interview by David Gordon:
"I’ve been back to see every cast that’s taken over since I left. What Rebecca has crafted
is a piece that has a form, but also allows for absolute individuality to flourish within that.
Every Kit Kat member has their own personality, their own costume, their own vibrancy.
I honestly feel, at this point, thrilled to be part of this amazing legacy."
"You’re absolutely right that a lot of actors do not enjoy hearing themselves, but
I have listened to the album. I tend to dwell more on other people’s songs than my own,
because it takes me back to the memories of standing in the wings, waiting. Every night,
I would introduce Jessie Buckley to sing “Cabaret” and would go and peek through
the curtain to watch her deliver this roar of a song. Those are the memories that I take away,
and having that captured in the live recording is everything for me. When I listen to it,
it’s about going back to a wonderful place in my memory."
"It’s really important that it was a live recording because the Emcee, in some ways,
falls flat if he doesn’t have something to interact with, given that the audience is the other
character. The idea of canned laughter is sort of absurd. I love that there are moments in it
that people are laughing and the person listening, unless you’ve seen the show, has no idea
what’s going on."
"Physically, it was an extreme toll. I’m not going to lie. I’ve not done anything like this.
First thing in the morning, you’re in the shower checking that all the vocal pieces are there,
and you fear that they’re not. My struggle was always finishing the anarchy of “Two Ladies,”
because the Emcee would scream and be all over the place, and then I would have to find
the poise to come into this choral version of “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” where I sing
the top vocal part over three of my own recorded voices.
I really struggled with that for the first couple of weeks. It was our brilliant choreographer,
Julia Cheng, who is a stunning dancer and a brilliant spirit, who helped me when I appealed
to her. One night, she took me from when I came off stage after “Two Ladies” and walked
my track with me to where I had to come on for “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” giving me
breathing exercises and almost a meditation, because it was my anxiety that I was
struggling with. That was very helpful."
"You know, I’m thrilled that Broadway is going to get this production. I’m really thrilled
for Rebecca. She’s one of the great directors of our time. She’s stunning. And Tom and Julia
and the designers…I’m so excited to Broadway to hear their voices in some ways.
And Jordan, our associate director. These are brilliant voices and I feel lucky to have spotted
some of their work early in London, and for Broadway to get to be introduced to their work,
I’m just really excited."
Casting news: Ato Blankson-Wood, a Tony-nominated actor known for Slave Play,
has been cast as Cliff.
