CONFIRMED: CABARET at the August Wilson Theatre, Spring 2024- Page 2

[BETTY22]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 12:08pm

I saw it in London. It's VERY VERY dark.

The most serious production of Cabaret I have ever seen. 

I'm not sure about how this is going to play in NYC. 

[Phillyguy]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 12:11pm

akhoya87 said: "I liked the London production so much, I saw it on a Thursday, walked out after the show ended, and bought tickets for the next day. Saw it twice from the stalls/tables (where I felt like I was visiting the club), and once from the mezz/dress circle, where I felt like I was peeking into the world. What a phenomenal production (and terrific direction by Rebecca Frecknall). I hope the magic of it transfers over to the August Wilson."

I agree. It was phenomenal. I loved every aspect of the London production. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 12:13pm

I saw it in London. It's VERY VERY dark.

The most serious production of Cabaret I have ever seen. 

I'm not sure about how this is going to play in NYC. 

I think it will play very well here. This is very exciting!

 

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 12:15pm

It's a show that always remints itself. The iconic film disappointed some when it came out -- those who missed the entire excised Fraulein Scheinder plotline and its evocative numbers (I was one, as a teenager; I've since re-evaluated everything about it) -- which people forget. The Fosse Cabaret is its own (wonderful) animal, as is the Mendes, which was never quite the same without Richardson to me, but that, too, is a minority opinion. We'll always welcome a new one. Bring this iteration over as is, dark, scary, and very 2024. 

Idea for Sally: Julia Garner. Hey, she was gonna play Madonna. Bet she could pull off the vocals. 

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 12:34pm

Idea for Sally: Julia Garner. Hey, she was gonna play Madonna. Bet she could pull off the vocals."

Absolutely. She'd be my pick too, but I tend to believe the Micaela Diamond rumors. Interesting question - with Diamond just coming off Parade, might this production choose to imply or explicitly state that Sally is Jewish? Not sure how that would work, but I suppose the ending (if they keep it the same as in London) precludes that.

Anyway, I'm excited. I really liked this production in London!

 

 

[binau]

Posted: 7/11/23 at 1:03pm

I still never have made it back to the London production since the original cast, sadly. For anyone that has seen Jessie Buckley and a replacement or understudy, does anyone have a view on how much of Jessie Buckley's performance was a result of the Director or Jessie Buckley? I'm curious to know if they go with a different Sally in New York whether we will see similar choices or whether it'll be completely different. Because even though I wasn't always on board with Jessie Buckley, it was one of the elements of the production I was curious to see how New York would respond. 
 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/15/23 at 3:05pm

Do we know what they're planning to do to the theatre?

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/15/23 at 5:19pm

I feel like the Wilson is too deep of a theater to have the same feel they had in London. But maybe they are planning some big renovations. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/15/23 at 5:28pm

RippedMan said: "I feel like the Wilson is too deep of a theater to have the same feel they had in London. But maybe they are planning some big renovations."

I mean, if they could gut the Broadway for HLL, they can do it for this. Maybe part of the renovation will help fix that godawful entrance scheme that they have where you basically have to cross the orchestra to get upstairs and by the time you get to the rear mezzanine, you feel like you just ran a marathon. 

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 7/16/23 at 9:30am

I saw both Jessie Buckley and Madeline Brewer. Sally definitely has a specific direction in this production. There is an anger that is just under the surface from nearly the start.

Both performances were magnificent, and didn't shift greatly between the two. Personally though, I found Brewer's Sally to have more vulnerability by way of being wounded, while Buckley's Sally kept up her tougher facade more.

I actually preferred Madeline Brewer's interpretation slightly, but Jessie Buckley was a force to be sure. I don't expect anyone cast as Sally in this production will completely shift the interpretation, unless they get some mega A-lister to commit for a few months (the Gaga suggestion)

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/16/23 at 2:00pm

RippedMan said: "I feel like the Wilson is too deep of a theater to have the same feel they had in London. But maybe they are planning some big renovations."

It's definitely not gonna feel the same and there may be some differences. But, I'd expect the broad strokes to be roughly the same.

For the pre-show, I'd expect that they'll renovate the lobby and do the Stage Door entrance. The Wilson has a much less grand entrance than the Playhouse and the main entrance has you go down a flight of stairs into the lobby. So, I wonder if they make a faux stage door using the actual entrance. But, I'd expect the feel to be the same. I'd also expect that the the green, gold, and red bars will cross the pond as well but will, of course, be designed to fit the space of the Wilson. 

For the auditorium, I think that they will bring back the little circular stage, the added seating behind it, and the tables. I wonder if they may use this as an opportunity to do a lot more tables. They'll be able to fit close to their total London capacity in the mezzanine alone + they're probably adding more seating behind the stage. It might give them more financial room to do more tables. 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/16/23 at 10:24pm

maybe they'll do a side entrance that will take us to the lobby, depending on how big the renovation is

[mshalo18]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 11:26am

So now that Micaela Diamond has been announced for the new Sondheim musical, can we cross her off the Sally Bowles list? 

[ggersten]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 12:09pm

Billie Piper - but if they couldn't get her for London, then, I doubt she will do NYC, especially for a year

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 1:03pm

Diamond isn’t necessarily out of the running. 
Here We Are is 15 weeks only.   Their initial run will be over before rehearsals for Cabaret are likely to begin.  
 

Should HWA extend or transfer, she’d likely need to choose which project she appears in (if she’s not already contractually obligated).  I’m guessing she’d opt for the project where she would be one of two above-the-title stars (but that’s just a guess).

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 1:34pm

OuttaTowner said: "Diamond isn’t necessarily out of the running.
Here We Are is 15 weeks only. Their initial run will be over before rehearsals for Cabaret are likely to begin.


Should HWA extend or transfer, she’d likely need to choose which project she appears in (if she’s not already contractually obligated). I’m guessing she’d opt for the project where she would be one of two above-the-title stars (but that’s just a guess)."

Was she ever confirmed on this board as being in the running for the role or is this merely speculation/dream casting?

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 2:17pm

hearthemsing22 said: "OuttaTowner said: "Diamond isn’t necessarily out of the running.
Here We Are is 15 weeks only. Their initial run will be over before rehearsals for Cabaret are likely to begin.


Should HWA extend or transfer, she’d likely need to choose which project she appears in (if she’s not already contractually obligated). I’m guessing she’d opt for the project where she would be one of two above-the-title stars (but that’s just a guess)."

Was she ever confirmed on this board as being in the running for the role or is this merely speculation/dream casting?"

What does confirmed mean to you? It was def not just dream casting. There were people saying they'd "heard" it was her (or that she was on a shortlist). I don't think "proof" was ever posted (although it never is with these rumors). 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 7:38pm

I guess Michaela can do both, but I never really was able to conceptualize her as Sally. There's something very wholesome and earnest about her that cuts against the mess of Ms Bowles. Kudos to her and the team if they can turn her into a fragile, frayed mess but its hard to visualize. In the same vein, while I would listen to her sing that score all day happily, her enormous voice doesnt quite fit either... (same goes for Eva Noblezada btw)

This weekend I heard another recent Tony nominee is more likely (or at least in talks) but we shall wait and see. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/17/23 at 7:47pm

I can confirm she was/is VERY MUCH “in the running”.

[Soaring29]

Posted: 7/18/23 at 4:28am

Just ten years after the last revival which was a revival of a revival makes me kind of roll my eyes but hopefully it will be good- it's never been more relevant than today. 

[nybkg609]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 3:32pm

Just heard on NY1 that the soon-to-be-announced actress who will be starring in the upcoming revival of Cabaret on Broadway has a connection with the previous revival (1998-04, 2014-15) and is a TV star too. Any guesses?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 3:58pm

Did they specify staring as Sally?

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 4:37pm

nybkg609 said: "Just heard on NY1 that the soon-to-be-announced actress who will be starring in the upcoming revival of Cabaret on Broadway has a connection with the previous revival (1998-04, 2014-15) and is a TV star too. Any guesses?"

The "TV Star" qualification would make me think they could actually be considering Dove Cameron, or bringing Maude Apatow over. But I don't know what type of "connection" they would have to the past Roundabout revival (but if its just a rumor mill/gossip piece...they could be using the word "connection" very loosely. ie: they're friends with the music director! or hey, they're from the same hometown as one of the actors".

Interestingly, I just saw that Micaela Diamond's current picture on Wikipedia is a production still from a 2016 Project Broadway production of Cabaret. A fan trying to will her Bway casting into existence? haha

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 4:40pm

Also Piccolo, your "recent Tony nominee" remark about a potential casting choice made me think of Gabby Beans as Sally...and now I can't stop thinking about it! I think she would have a cool interpretation. She's not a famous TV star, but can we still make this happen? 

Updated On: 7/20/23 at 04:40 PM

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 7/20/23 at 4:44pm

Rumor has it that Bebe Neuwirth will be in one of the primary supporting roles - she’d fit the tv star bill. Though I don’t know that she has a connection to a prior revival.