Signature's CABARET, Starring Wesley Taylor and Barrett Wilbert Weed, Begins Tonight in D.C.

Signature Theatre presents Cabaret, the Tony Award-winning musical, directed and choreographed by Signature Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Signature's Sunday in the Park with George, Dreamgirls). Running in the MAX Theatre today, May 12, through June 28, the John Kander and Fred Ebb classic is the final production of Signature Theatre's 25th Anniversary.

The production will star Wesley Taylor (NBC's Smash, Broadway's Rock of Ages) as The Emcee and Barrett Wilbert Weed (Off-Broadway's Heathers: The Musical, Found) as Sally Bowles.

Taylor and Weed are joined in the cast by Rick Foucheux (Herr Schultz; Woolly Mammoth's Stupid f-ing Bird), Naomi Jacobson (Fraulein Schneider; Signature's God of Carnage), Bobby Smith (Ernst; Signature's Kid Victory), Maria Rizzo (Fraulein Kost; Signature's Gypsy) and Gregory Wooddell (Cliff; Broadway's The Lyons).

The ensemble is rounded out by Shayna Blass (Theatre J's Yentl), Kurt Boehm (Signature's LES MISERABLES), Mark Chandler (Signature's Kiss of the Spiderwoman), Jordan DeBona, Jamie Eacker (Signature's The Threepenny Opera), Colleen Hayes (National Tour, Catch Me if You Can, Signature's Diner), Rachel Schur (National Tour, Jersey Boys), Jessica Thorne (Signature's The Threepenny Opera), and Joseph Tudor (Signature's Gypsy).

The creative team includes Associate Choreographer Kelly D'Amboise; Musical Direction by Jon Kalbfleisch; Scenic Design by Misha Kachman; Costume Design by Frank Labovitz; Lighting Design by Jason Lyons; Sound Design by Lane Elms; Wig Design by Anne Nesmith; Dialect Coach Leigh Wilson Smiley; Production Stage Manager Kerry Epstein; and Assistant Stage Manager Karen Currie.

Written by the team behind Chicago and Kiss of the Spiderwoman, the show is based on John van Durent's play I Am a Camera, which was adapted from Christopher Isherwood's novel Goodbye to Berlin. American writer Cliff Bradshaw travels to Berlin searching for inspiration. He finds it in English club performer Sally Bowles and they begin a torrid affair. However, outside their door, the Nazis' impending rise to power heralds a brutal end to their decadent way of life. The musical opened on Broadway in 1966, where it received eight Tony Awards including Best Musical. Featuring the treasured songs "Maybe This Time," "Willkommen," "Don't Tell Mama" and the title song, Kander and Ebb's Tony Award-winning masterpiece graces the Signature stage for the first time in twenty years.

Photo Credit: Christopher Mueller