Photo Flash: First Look at Way Off Broadway's CABARET

The second Broadway revival opened after 37 previews on March 19, 1998, at the Kit Kat Klub, housed in what previously had been known as Henry Miller's Theatre. Later that year it transferred to Studio 54, where it remained for the rest of its 2,377-performance run, becoming the third longest-running revival in Broadway musical history.

For the Broadway production, Allan Cumming reprised his role as the Emcee, opposite newcomers Natasha Richardson as Sally, John Benjamin Hickey as Cliff, and Ron Rifkin as Herr Schultz. The Broadway production was nominated for ten Tony Awards and it won four Tony Awards: for Cumming, Richardson, and Rifkin - and for Best Revival of a Musical.

The WOB production, directed by Randal K. West, will feature the Iowa musical-theatre debut of Lyric Benson (daughter of renowned singer/songwriters Robby Benson and Karla DeVito), the pop songstress who released her first album last year titled, "Love Live Revolution," with lyrics by Lyric Benson and music by Robby Benson.

Lyric's parents met in the 1981 Broadway production The Pirates of Penzance. Her mother recorded a number of albums and had performances on MTV and David Letterman's TV show after performing in Meat Loaf's "Bat out of Hell" tour and in Chicago's Second City Children's Theatre group, among others.

Lyric's father starred in dozens of Hollywood films and voiced the title role in Disney's classic 1991 animated feature "Beauty and the Beast." Robby wrote the book, lyrics, and music for the musical called Open Heart, which he and his wife performed in Fairfield's Sondheim Center. This link has the latest update about Robby & Karla: www.robbybenson.com/biography

After performing in WOB's Plaid Tidings, Jonathan Christopher returns to the Sondheim stage to play the Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret. Jonathan was raised in Bermuda and Massachusetts before completing studies in opera & theatre at Montreal's McGill University and at the University of Michigan. Opera has taken Jonathan to stages in Michigan, Montreal, North Carolina, New York and Milan, Italy, in roles including the illustrious Don Giovanni, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, and Marcello in La Bohème. Theatre credits include Mr. Lindquist in A Little Night Music, Corin in As You Like It, The Priest in Wole Soyinka's Madmen and Specialists, and the title role in Sweeney Todd.

Robert Kemp (Orphan Train, Forbidden Broadway) will be Cliff, Margaret Clair (Into the Woods, Wizard of Oz) will play Frau Schneider, Brendan Thomas (Forbidden Broadway, Big River) will be Herr Schultz, Natalie Saunders (Hairspray) will play Frau Kost and George Kelley (with dozens of stage & film credits) will play Ernst.

Cabaret, with a total cast of 22 and a live band playing brand new orchestrations under the baton of Shari Rhoads, promises to be a memorable evening at the Sondheim Center.

Featuring such numbers as "Cabaret," "Mein Herr," "Don't Tell Momma," "Maybe This Time," Money," "If You Could See Her Through My Eyes," and "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," Cabaret is filled with music that makes you feel and experience the daring cabaret life of pre-WWII Germany.

Cabaret has adult situations and adult language. Anyone under 15 should be accompanied by an adult.

This is the Iowa premiere production of the most recent Broadway revival of Cabaret? with book by Joe Masteroff, based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.? Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. The Broadway production was produced and directed by Harold Prince.

Cabaret runs: Fri, Mar 29 | 7:30 PM; Sat, Mar 30 | 7:30 PM; Thu, Apr 04 | 7:30 PM; Fri, Apr 05 | 7:30 PM; Sat, Apr 06 | 7:30 PM; and Sun, Apr 07 | 2:00 PM. Performances play at the Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center, 200 N. Main St., Fairfield, IA. Call the box office at 641-472-2787 or click HERE for tickets and more information.

George Kelley, Robert Kemp and Lyric Benson

Robert Kemp and Lyric Benson

Margaret Clair and Brendan Thomas

Brendan Thomas, Margaret Clair, Lyric Benson and Robert Kemp