Will Young to Star in West End Revival of CABARET

According to a report by The Daily Mail, Pop Idol star Will Young has been cast in the West End revival of Cabaret, directed by Rufus Norris.

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After eight months of discussions with Norris and producer Bill Kenwright, Young will make his West End debut as the musical's Master of Ceremonies.

Cabaret opens at the Savoy Theatre on Oct. 1, with rehearsals beginning in August followed by a four-week national tour prior to the show's West End opening.

British singer-songwriter and actor Will Young won the UK's Pop Idol competition in 2002. Young has released multiple albums and authored two books, in addition to numerous film, stage and TV roles and appearances, including the BBC film Mrs. Henderson Presents, the stage production of The Vortex at the Royal Exchange Theatre, TV's Skins, The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side and Sky Living's Bedlam.

Cabaret features music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The original Broadway production opened in 1966 and was directed by Harold Prince and choreographed by Ron Field at the Broadhurst Theatre with Jill Haworth as Sally and Bert Convy as Cliff. The first West End production opened in 1968 with Judi Dench as Sally and Barry Dennen as the Emcee. The show then inspired a 1972 film, followed by a 1986 London revival starring Kelly Hunter as Sally, Peter land as Cliff and Wayne Sleep as the Master of Ceremonies. Broadway picked the musical back up in 1987 for a revival directed again by Prince with choreography again by Field. Joel Grey starred as Master of Ceremonies, with Alyson Reed as Sally and Gregg Edelman as Cliff. In 1993, the West End welcomed the musical back with Jane Horrocks as Sally, Adam Godley as Cliff and Alan Cumming as Emcee. In 1998, Broadway brought Natasha Richardson to the stage as Sally with John Benjamin Hickey as Cliff.

Then in 2006, Norris (slated to direct this upcoming revival) directed Cabaret at the Lyric Theatre starring Anna Maxwell Martin as Sally and James Dreyfus as the Master of Ceremonies.

The musical centers on the Kit Kat Club in 1931 Berlin, focusing on cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her romantic relationship with American writer Cliff Bradshaw. The Master of Ceremonies oversees and comments upon goings-on at the Kit Kat Club, all in the context of the rising power of the Nazis and escalating political tensions.