Broadway’s Cabaret Revival Will Close Sooner Than Anticipated; Billy Porter Withdraws Due to Illness
The immersive production of the Kander and Ebb musical will conclude a month earlier than previously announced.
Billy Porter in Cabaret
Marc Brenner
The immersive revival of Cabaret, featuring music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, will now close its run at the Kit Kat Club, formerly known as the August Wilson Theatre, on September 21—about a month earlier than the previously scheduled date of October 19. By the time it concludes, the production will have completed 18 previews and 592 regular performances.
This unexpected early closure comes as a surprise, given the show’s success on London’s West End, where it is currently in its fourth year. The Broadway version, however, has faced challenges in ticket sales needed to offset its significant operational costs, which include the expenses for transforming the theatre into a seedy Berlin nightclub from the Weimar era. Nonetheless, this revival will not be the shortest-running one of Cabaret; both the 1987 and 2014 revivals had shorter runs.
Additionally, one of its lead stars, Billy Porter, has stepped back from the role due to recovery requirements from a case of sepsis. The Tony Award-winning performer was slated to appear as the Emcee after his successful run in London. Producers have confirmed he is expected to recover fully. For the remaining performances, Marty Lauter and David Merino, who are alternates for the role, will take over alongside Marisha Wallace, who is reprising her role as Sally Bowles.
The cast also features Calvin Leon Smith as Clifford Bradshaw, Steven Skybell as Herr Schultz, Ellen Harvey as Fraulein Schneider, Henry Gottfried as Ernst Ludwig, and Michelle Aravena as Fritzie/Kost.
Producer Adam Speers issued a statement expressing regret over the early end, saying, “It is with a heavy heart that we made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on September 21. We feel honored to have brought this version of Kander and Ebb’s important masterpiece to New York.” Speers praised Porter for his extraordinary talent and expressed hopes for future collaboration.
In a setup reminiscent of the West End production, the theatre has been converted into a Kit Kat Club setting, inviting ticket holders to enjoy a pre-show experience that can even include dining options. An opening performance by a twelve-member company precedes the main event.
Cabaret is adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s Goodbye to Berlin and John Van Druten’s I Am a Camera, set against the backdrop of Weimar-era Berlin, following American writer Clifford Bradshaw’s arrival to immerse himself in the vibrant nightlife and form a relationship with cabaret singer Sally Bowles, all while the Nazi party rises to power.
