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Cabaret question

Cabaret question

broadway_socialite Profile Photo
broadway_socialite
#1Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 3:18pm

I've never seen Cabaret, but I just heard about a production of it near where I live that wants to use a female emcee.
Could this work?
I've listejed to the cd a million times, and I guess they could make the music work but plotline wise?
Thanks

MisterRussell Profile Photo
MisterRussell
#1re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 3:23pm

When I did Cabaret in 1982, we had a female Emcee. The only change we had to make was that in "If You Could See Him," the gender of the gorilla was (obviously) changed and the "Two Ladies" were drag queens.

Gothampc
#2re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 3:55pm

I think having a female in the Emcee role strips the show of masculinity. Let's face it Cliff is a girly-man and Herr Schultz has no masculinity.


If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

joanna2
#3re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 5:33pm

I never really saw the Emcee as "masculine."


TheatreDiva90016 Profile Photo
TheatreDiva90016
#4re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 5:47pm

Eww.

That changes the whole dynamics of the script. And I don't know if you are allowed to do that, under copyright laws.


"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

Kringas
#5re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 5:48pm

There doesn't even seem to be a good reason for doing it, as Cabaret is a pretty female-heavy show.


"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

Emcee4ever
#6re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 6:13pm

Unless you're a girl (like me) and wanna be the Emcee (like me).

nobodyhome Profile Photo
nobodyhome
#7re: Cabaret question
Posted: 12/14/06 at 8:28pm

A female Emcee was done as far back as the 1970 Vienna production, presumably with the permission of the authors. There was a commercially issued recording that has also been issued on CD.

I don't think there's any need to change any lyrics. It would be perfectly fine to play the character as a Dietrich-like character, a woman in male drag "acting" a man. Of course, I don't mean literally Dietrich-like. You know what I mean.

And as far as I can tell, that's how it was done in Vienna, with a "female" gorilla.


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