Cabaret 1987 Version - Questions

It was so long ago, but I'm pretty sure I remember both THE TELEPHONE SONG and SITTING PRETTY were in it.

---

I have a very good live *ahem* DVD-R of the production. It's largely a reconstruction of the original 1966 production--Hal pricne recreating his staging, and Ron Field's *spectacular* choreography (I didn't expect his choreography to be as impressive honestly although, unlike Fosse's, it does sometimes look like stuff you couldn't see in the real Kit Kat Club--Telephone song is the highlight with a really amazing dance for the whole crowd).

As mentioned Sitting Pretty is mixed with Money weirdly. (I want to say Joel Gray--who now had star billing--also sang I Don't Care Much but I can't remember or check right now). And Don't Go, which I love was done instead of Why Should I Wake Up.

the bookw as largely the 1966 edition (which now feels so tame) but Cliff was made gay/bisexual. I need to watch again and compare but I can't remember if some of the gay scenes were written by Masteroff for THIS version or added later for the Mendes--I think MORE were added to Mendes, but...

The changes made to the book of Cabaret fascinate me--it prob has as many official different librettos, all the changes included, as Follies.

However the true value of seeing rhe '87 edition is seeing how groudnbreaking Hal prince's largely 1966 staging was and Aronson's BRILLIANT designs (has there ever been a better musical designer?) I knwo at the time it wasn't the hit it was expected to be, and Prince called reviving it a mistake, I think partly cuz people found it a bit old fashioned? Maybe it wasn't changed enough.

I have it. It's my all time fave theatre book period and I pimp it out on ehre quite a bit (you can find it used at Amazon for like 30 bucks which is actually a good price). The set I wish I could see in action most from there--though I love all of his Prince designs, and tho Pacific Overtures would be up there but luckily we have the filmed version of that--is A Little Night Music with those plexiglass panels with birches on them that slid in and out to create cinematic dissolvs. An idea that others haven't used surprisingly. (I guess they were loud and hard to control lol)

The quality of th eimage I've seen isn't too great but the set seemed pretty complete to me. What details? Still, even in a cheapened version it's an amazing set.

Updated On: 11/26/08 at 01:11 AM

Yes, the Emcee does sing "I Don't Care Much." The '87 version is actually licensed through Tams-Witmark along with the original version.

~Steven

So are there three versions you can rent for performance?

It seems most recent productions illegally rip off the Mendes/Marshall revival version, especially regarding things like the Emcee's costuming.