Interview: Alison Ewing Brings CABARET to San Diego

Come join CABARET when it stops at the San Diego Civic Theatre August 23rd - 28th. Part of The Roundabout Theatre Company's 50th Anniversary tour, this is one of their most successful shows and finding new and old audiences alike 20 years after its last tour.

Alison Ewing has always been a performer, starting as a member of a children's theatre growing up, in high school , and then to college for musical theatre. After moving to New York and auditioning, she has performed in favorite shows like MAMMA MIA, FLASHDANCE, SWEET CHARITY, and the First National tour of CABARET in 1998 as Lulu, a dancer in the Kit Kat Club. Now she is touring the country with the show again, but this time as Fraulein Kost, a more seasoned dancer in the club that is willing to do what she need to in order to survive. But Alison is having a blast bringing this tour, and this more complex character, to theatres around the country.

"I love this role so much, this role is not the biggest role in this show or particularly that I have done, but it' really wonderful to play her. I think she is a complex character and at first you see this jaded, worn out, tired, grumpy old dancer who is over the hill and is just a sad person. But there is so much more to her because at the end of Act One she realizes that she needs to do something to survive, she needs to catch a man, or something because she's not making it on her own in the Kit Kat Club. So she aligns herself with this Nazi, and I don't think that she particularly cares about his politics, or what that means, or what it means for her friends and other people around her."

It is this decision for survival at any cost, and the ramifications of it, that really show the depth of this character and that Ewing enjoys exploring.

"She is a very complex character and in Act One she sings this song in German about what it's like to be married and have been in love. And it shows a side of her that wasn't there, so it's neat to show someone who at first seems like a one level character who turns out to be a very complex person inside."

Another thing Alison is noting on this tour is that this show is hitting audiences in a different way than it was 20 years ago.

"The reaction we get from the audience now is really greater that it was 20 years ago. It's very striking how this show that was done in the late 60's still be so incredibly relevant," Alison says. "It's not hitting the same way, it's hitting harder now in my experiences. Sam Medes and Rob Marshall Roundabout Theatre company Production that was the exact same concept, choreography, blocking that it was in 1998 when it won the Tony Award. However, for some reason now, when we say the same lines that were said 20 years ago, they hit differently now."

One thing that has not changed for Alison though, is the love of performing and touring.

"I do love touring, and as much as performing on Broadway is the ultimate goal for every performer, I find touring to be more exciting just because you can see all these marvelous cities, you're in a different city every week. I really enjoy traveling, and I enjoy trying cuisines in different cities and meeting the people and seeing different towns all over the US. I do find that exciting and challenging. In the last 6 years I've done a lot of touring and this will be the second time that I've played San Diego. I was there with MAMMA MIA and it's really exciting to find a hidden treasure and find a thing you really love in each city. "

CABARET is playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre August 23rd - 28th. For show times and ticket information go to www.Broadwaysd.com

If you want to follow Alison on social media as she tours the country you can follow her at Twitter: @alisondra1 or Instagram: @ alisonkewing

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus & Roundabout Theatre Company's National Tour of CABARET

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