Good morning everybody and welcome to The Balancing Act. We're so glad you joined us.
I'm Julie Moran. And I'm Olga Villaverde. Alright, are you
triple threat, Julie? How about a quadruple threat?
Maybe a triple. I don't know about a quad. Not me. But today we're about to meet some
as we continue our Broadway Balances America series, going behind the scenes of Broadways's
best shows as they travel across the country. So much fun. I love this one. Life is a…
Cabaret, baby! As we introduce you to some of the talented
cast from the Tony Award winning production of Cabaret directed by Sam Mendes and Rob
Marshall We'll enter into the world of the infamous
Kit Kat Club and see how they prepare for such a demanding role that has them acting,
singing, dancing, and playing an instrument. I think it's time to raise the curtain and
start the show. The Balancing Act starts…
Right now. (in unison) Life is a Cabaret!
(music).
Broadway Balancing America brought to you by Broadway Across America, bringing the best
of Broadway to a city near you. (music).
We're once again heading to Broadway and Beyond as our Broadway Balancing America series,
I love this series, takes us behind the scenes of some of the most beloved Broadway musicals
as they travel across the country and into your local theatre.
Roundabout Theatre company's Tony Award winning production of Cabaret, directed by Sam Mendes
and Rob Marshall is hitting the road and taking audiences into the infamous and seductive
Kit Kat club during a pre-World War II Germany where the MC, Sally Bowles, and a ruckus ensemble
take the stage nightly to tantalize the crowd and to leave their troubles outside.
And for the talented quadruple threats of the Kit Kat girls and boys who make up the
ensemble of the production, prepping for a rigorous touring schedule takes balance to
excel in all four disciplines. As Balancing Act Correspondent, Amber Milt, learned when
she got a preview of their acting, singing, dancing, and musical abilities. So together
we say, "Come hear the music play!" That's right, baby. Here we go. Yeah!
(music). That's right ladies. These multi-talented
actors are part of the Roundabout Theatre Company's 50th anniversary season which includes
the national tour of the Tony Award winning musical, Cabaret.
(music). Rehearsal is in full swing as the performers
get final notes from choreographer, Cynthia Onrubia.
Being part of the Kit Kat club ensembles means they must be able to sing, dance, act, and
play a musical instrument. You want diversity, but it all has to come
together musically. I want to keep a certain standard of the show because once you set
the tone, and especially me, I won't settle for anything less.
(Singing) The numbers are hugely important to the show
partly because they drive the show in terms of its musical content. We begin in a club,
the club numbers intersect with the scenes. They propel the themes of the show. The abrasion
between the scenes which fire in and the songs that fire out that give the show its unique
energy. (Singing)
The story, which first debuted on Broadway 50 years ago, takes audiences into the seductive
Kit Kat club during pre-World War II Germany. Berlin is thriving but everything is about
to change. It's what happens to Sally Bowles, who is
a chanteuse, and Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer, and their romance. And how history
intersects with that romance. Their romance and also the romance of an older couple, Fraulein
Schneider and Herr Schultz. And of course there's the character, The MC, which is maybe
perhaps the most famous character in the show. And he comes in throughout the evening and
does fantastic numbers that illuminate and expand upon the themes that you discover in
scenes. It takes a really really tough situation in
history and adds light to it from the characters, from what they're going through. The dancing
is pretty surreal. The way that the story is told is so innovative and so timeless to
all the audiences that get to see it. This Sam Mendes Rob Marshall production features
the music of Kander and Ebb, the team behind Chicago, and it all starts with casting.
Kit Kat boys and girls are also the orchestra. There is that extra element of musicianship
that comes into play. It's finding the people who can also wail on a saxophone and sing
and dance and act. That is where it becomes tricky.
As a quadruple threat, Dani Spieler who plays Lulu can definitely wail on the saxophone.
Being part of the show is a dream come true. We started working on Willkommen and Don't
Tell Mama. These are iconic numbers that I have sang in my bedroom since I was a little
girl. So to actually be learning that same choreography and that same production that
I was so excited to see. I can't even put it into words. It's so, just doing those moves,
it immediately feels like, "Wow, this is so exciting!"
Preparation is key. It's just making sure to warm up every part
of your show. You have to warm up your instrument, you have to warm up your voice, you have to
warm up your body, and then at the end of the show you have to cool it all down as well.
Playing the character of Helga, this marks Sarah Bishops' touring debut.
"I am like a father to her. So, when she is bad, I spank her."
There's a lot of anticipation. I'm just excited to get started because, you know, I've dreamed
about doing this for a long time and it just happens to incorporate all these awkward weird
talents I just happen to have. Like how many girls play the trumpet? It was such a perfect
fit for what I wanted to do as an actor and what the show has to offer. And being on tour,
I think it's a good time for me to be traveling and exploring at a relatively young age.
Lori Eure is more familiar with the territory. She was part of the show's revival in 1998
and the first national tour of Cabaret. I'm still excited to be apart of the show
15 years later in my career. But I felt like I have so much more to offer for my characters
now. I've lived longer and I've had more life experiences whether they were good or bad,
but they can all add to make a stronger presence on stage and add more layers to the character
that I will be playing. Making sure the characters are clothed, at
least partially, is six time Tony Award winner, William Ivey Long who is once again creating
the fabulous fashions. This needs to hug the butt like that.
One of the MC's lines is "Every night we have to fight with the girls to keep them from
taking off all their clothes. Tonight we might lose the battle." So specifically I took that
as my mission. So my job is to make sure the ladies can give that impression that these
clothes are just going to fall off of them… We have two bras on and three panties.
while supporting them in all the choreography and everything they're doing.
This is an example of you can think you're just so smart and you do a sketch based on
a reference, and then you get the live person in the room and it doesn't look good at all.
So you change it. You can learn the combination all day long
in the studio, but once you put the costume, it adds a-whole-nother level of intensity
to your character. Wearing those revealing costumes means staying
in top physical is critical. Hey Sarah, how's it going?
Good. Hi, how are you?
Lift it up and exhale! Pull your shoulder blades together. Absolutely breathtaking.
Keep tension on the bands the whole time. Prepare us for our show tonight, not destroy
us. Do about 5 more seconds of this, nice and easy.
So actually dancers will know it's like you're trying to go in opposition.
But to balance that so is having a life outside of the theatre.
Professional and personal balance, especially as an actor, is necessary. I'm recently engaged.
So for me being on tour, it's going to be a matter of staying in touch. My finance's
going to be flying out a ton. I'm a preschool teacher when I'm not doing the show. So it's
all about finding little things that give you a little bit of happiness, a little bit
of joy in your day-to-day when you're not on a gig.
So here at Cabaret, everybody is so multi-talented, but I wanted to get in on the fun. Ready guys,
let's take it away! (music).
Happily, the national tour is now getting underway.
You want them to take away what has always been at the heart of the show which is that
it's exciting, it's memorable, it's musically thrilling. The numbers are fantastic, the
characters are memorable, but also that it's challenging. It makes us think, it moves us,
and I think I can say that this production in particular does that probably better than
any other. You come out, maybe with a few tears, but
yet you are like, "This is why I just bought a ticket to this. This is what theatre is
and this is why we come to the theatre." And that's what I want people to walk out and
feel. (Singing).
The North American tour of Cabaret is heading soon to a theatre near you. Check out Broadway
Balances America, Broadway Across America, or you can go to our website, TheBalancingAct.com
for all the show information, tour dates, and more.
(music). So whether your goal is as small as eating
a better breakfast every day or as big as making it on Broadway, we hope we've inspired
you to go out and have a great day and a great year.
We wish you all kinds of success as you try to reach the goals you've set for 2016.
And if one of your New Year's Resolutions is to finally see a fabulous play on Broadway,
we can help you with that. We sure can. Remember to check out Broadway
Balances America to see when Cabaret is coming to your city.
(music).