London revival of ‘Cabaret’ will transfer to Broadway in 2024

Broadway news

“Cabaret” is returning to Broadway. A new London production, which won seven Olivier Awards in 2022, will open at Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre in spring of 2024.

Rebecca Frecknall will repeat her Olivier-winning work as director of the environmental staging, which is expected to transform the Broadway venue into the seedy Kit Kat Club — the primary space where “Cabaret” is set.

Featuring a book by Joe Masteroff (based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play “I Am a Camera” — which was based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel “Goodbye to Berlin”), “Cabaret” takes place during the Jazz Age of 1929-1930 Berlin when the Nazis are gaining power. The musical includes a score by John Kander (music) and Fred Ebb (lyrics).

“Cabaret” debuted on Broadway in 1966 under the direction of Harold Prince and won eight 1967 Tony Awards including Best Musical. The most recent Broadway production, a remount of the 1998 Tony-winning revival directed by Sam Mendes, was seen at Studio 54 in 2015.

Frecknall’s London revival featured four Olivier-winning performances, including Tony- and Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne in the central role of the Emcee, with Jessie Buckley as Sally Bowles, Elliot Levey as Herr Schultz and Liza Sadovy as Fraulein Schneider.

Casting and production dates for the Broadway staging have not yet been announced.

Along with Frecknall, the Broadway creative team will include choreographer Julia Cheng, music supervisor Jennifer Whyte, set and costume designer Tom Scutt, lighting designer Isabella Byrd, sound designer Nick Lidster, associate director/prologue director Jordan Fein and prologue music composer/musical director Angus Macrae.

“Cabaret” is being produced on Broadway by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Underbelly, Gavin Kalin Productions, Hunter Arnold, Smith & Brant Theatricals and Wessex Grove.

The August Wilson Theatre is the current home to “Funny Girl,” which is scheduled to end its run on Sept. 3.

‘Transparent’ musical aiming for 2024 Broadway run

Following a world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, producers behind “A Transparent Musical” have announced their intention to bring the production to Broadway in 2024. Amazon Studios produced the Los Angeles engagement in partnership with Center Theatre Group and Tony Award-winning producer Eva Price. The musical opened in Los Angeles on May 23 and ran through June 25.

“A Transparent Musical” centers around the Pfefferman family as they navigate the ups and downs of self-discovery. When one parent transitions to become the family’s transgender matriarch, each member of the Los Angeles Jewish family is forced to examine their relationships with one another as well as their own identities.

The musical is drawn from the 2014 Amazon original series “Transparent” which ran for five seasons and starred Broadway alums Jeffrey Tambor, Kathryn Hahn, Alexandra Billings and two-time Tony winner Judith Light.

The musical features a book by MJ Kaufman and Joey Soloway with music and lyrics by Faith Soloway. Kaufman served as the dramaturg on the Broadway and touring productions of “Jagged Little Pill.” Siblings Joey and Faith worked on the Amazon series “Transparent”; Joey created the show and Faith wrote and produced it, and later composed for its musical finale.

The Los Angeles production of “A Transparent Musical” featured cast members Adina Verson, Daya Curley, Zachary Prince, Kasper, Peppermint, Murphy Taylor Smith, Samora la Perdida, Justin Rivers, Futaba Shioda, Robert Pieranunzi, Jimmy Ray Bennett, Pat Towne, Dahlya Glick, Emily Goglia, Alanna Darby, Ty-Gabriel Jones, Jonathan Ritter and Tony nominees Liz Larsen and Sarah Stiles.
“‘Transparent’ remains an incredibly impactful series with salient representation for the LGBTQIA+ community,” said Nick Pepper, head of US SVOD Wholly Owned Development for Amazon Studios, in a statement. “This is the ideal series and characters to bring from series to stage, and we are thrilled to partner with Tony-winning Broadway producer Eva Price. We hope the audience walks away inspired after experiencing this poignant story.”