Traffic Jam, or, There's Scanty on DeMers

ic "There was a cabaret and there was a master of ceremonies and there was a city called Berlin in a country called Germany. It was the end of the world...and we were fast asleep...."

It's been 20 hours since Cabaret opened. In that 20 hours, I haven't been shot yet, or forced to pack my bags and leave town, so that is a good sign.

7pm last evening was marked by a new addition to the sidewalks outside the Empire. In a move of either brilliance or stupidity, we sent the Kit Kat Girls and Boys to the streets to mingle, flirt and welcome the throngs of people we expected for opening night.

While our audience was slightly above average on the age charts, they still seemed to enjoy the debauchery that was presented. Little old ladies greeted women leaving nothing to the imagination with smiles and novelty. Some of those same little old ladies greeted our Kit Kat Boys with wondering eyes... or so I was told.

While my favorite part of the evening (absent of the show) may have been Kit Kat Boy Herman unknowingly hitting on UND President Charles Kupchella, the looks of people driving past the Empire was priceless, and probably good for publicity of the show.

Often times, I think people are so unaware of options unless you find a way to be brutally in their face. Perhaps this will help. It was fantastic to watch, none the less. Perhaps delicious is a better word.

As for the show itself, a strong opening (with tweaking to be had), was met with an audience who may have not known what they were in for. Perhaps expecting a stage version of the movie Cabaret, people came in full force to our little number - giving us a great house for a Tuesday opening night. The crowd seemed a bit amused at the antics of Willkommen, thinking that may be the last of the daring Fosse styled moves... not knowing the racy was yet to be unleashed.

Amusement turned a bit to shock when Allison Brooks (Sally Bowles) came out for her first number. Many, perhaps even attending because of Allison, know her as the music leader from Calvary Lutheran Church... and let's just say Sally Bowles is no choir girl... That being said, Allison's tasteful portrayal of debutramp Bowles was appropriate and thoroughly enjoyable. Audiences seemed hooked.

It wasn't until after the boy-boy-girl dance masterpiece Two Ladies that we lost our first audience member.

Three others didn't return from intermission (not that I was watching the front door... but I was - of the three, two were a mother/daughter combo where the mother seemed to seriously be questioning why she had purchased a ticket for her apparently 13 year old daughter against the better recommendation of the disclaimer).

Other than that, the audience returned in full force for the much less sexual, much more poignant second act. The buzz I've heard was good, and the reviews have been strong.

I should let you know: I do not think the show is that racy. Compared to the 1998 revival of Cabaret, we're giving you nothing. There is simulated sexual situations. There is simulated drug/alcohol use. There is innuendo. There are boys too close to other boys and girls too close to other girls. You know... nothing worse that the modern day soap opera.

What is different, is this is a live theatre. Once seated, in a dark, full auditorium, it is uncomfortable to get up and leave. Beyond that, live theatre is an emotional experience, and very much the role of Cabaret is to challenge people's comfort zones. Beyond all this talk of racy sexuality lies a story that is touching and tragic. A story that has contemporary relevance. A story that we can all relate to, on either side of the equation.

My mother called me today to ask how opening went. I told her people left over content. She thought it was rude and closed minded. That got me thinking about the market for art in middle America.

While leaving a theatre is rude, and something I've never done (and trust me, this isn't out of lack of opportunities - when I was in L.A. this spring, a friend and I sat through the travisty that was Puna the $#%& Dog, some tragic effort to try shock theatre that overshot and under impressed... thank God for the boxed wine), some people just can't/won't/don't handle the content of the theatre, and I think that is okay.

After all, this was an audience whose shock at the atrocities of the holocaust (as presented in the play) was much more calm then when there was a boy-boy smooch on stage (now to all you out there that don't wanna see any of that, it's about a fraction of a second, and not even really a kiss... and you can allow yourself to be distracted by the 8 half naked women on stage).

Grand Forks responded well and I'm proud to be a part of it. I think we as a community understimate our audience. Just because we are in the midwest and harness a bit more conservative ideology, it doesn't make us all that closed minded.

In anycase, it's a show you must see. Absent of the scandel and the fact that there are moments of "hot, hot, hot" - the story is brilliantly written. If you want to know more, visit culturepulse.org.

Beyond the debauchery of the Kit Kat Club, which is metaphoric, we follow the lives of two pairs: Sally Bowles (who represents the British) and American Cliff Bradshaw (played by Mike Stromenger), and German Frau Schneider (Played by Megan Gredesky), and her beau German Jew Herr Shultz (Played by Adam Feguson). Their lives serve as the window through which we see the effect of the rise of Nazism. Their lives serve as the mirror through which we must reflect our own personal ties to the story's lessons.

Guided through the tragedy, the debauchery, and the lessons themselves is the emcee: chalk white face, crimson lips, and easily as menacing as he is fascinating. (Casey Paradies)

Don't come expecting the movie, however. When Bob Fosse grabbed ahold of Cabaret to adapt it to film, he created much more a spotlight for Liza (are you there mama? it's me, Liza) Minilli than a true-to-script adaptation. This is no more apparent than the number "Cabaret", which Minilli used as a show stopping number, but originally was the anthem of her vournerability

Cabaret runs through this Friday, and again the 8th through the 11th. Tickets are a mere $18 ($15 for students), and the show runs from 7:30-10:00pm at the Empire. See it. Be there.

After all, what good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret.

Peace :: Ben :: Team CulturePulse