Eddie Redmayne Backed Cabaret Sets Final Performance for October 19
The immersive revival of Cabaret will play its last Charleston on Broadway this fall. Producers announced today that the show—headlined in its first months by Oscar‑winner Eddie Redmayne—will close at the August Wilson Theatre on October 19, ending a 14‑month run that began April 21 2024.
Star Casting for the Final Stretch
Beginning July 22, Tony and Emmy winner Billy Porter will don the bowler hat as the Emcee, while Olivier nominee Marisha Wallace steps in as Sally Bowles. Both actors earned praise for the same roles in the London staging at the Playhouse Theatre (branded there as the Kit Kat Club).
They succeed current stars Orville Peck and Eva Noblezada, themselves part of a revolving roster that has included Adam Lambert, Auli’i Cravalho and original Broadway leads Gayle Rankin and Redmayne.
A Pricey Immersion
Produced by ATG Productions with Redmayne among the co‑producers, Cabaret arrived with one of the most ambitious—and expensive—physical overhauls in recent Broadway memory. Renovations reportedly costing up to $24 millionre‑oriented the August Wilson’s stage, pushed seating to surround the action, and installed three bars across multiple levels to evoke Berlin’s infamous Kit Kat Club. Audiences enter through a side alley and mingle with dancers and musicians before curtain.
“What our dream was,” Redmayne said last year, “is that you step off 52nd Street, get discombobulated, and leave your day behind as you’re seduced into this world.”
Box‑Office Reality Check
Despite early sell‑outs fueled by Redmayne’s Broadway debut, weekly grosses have fluctuated, trailing other high‑profile revivals this season. Industry analysts note that the show is unlikely to recoup its capitalization before closing, a tall order for any production but especially one bearing significant renovation costs.
What’s Next
Cabaret will continue eight performances a week through the summer, spotlighting Porter and Wallace for the final 13 weeks. No post‑Broadway plans have been announced, but the London production continues, and a North American tour remains a possibility given the show’s modular, in‑the‑round concept.
Tickets for the remaining Broadway performances, including the final block starring Porter and Wallace, are on sale now at the August Wilson Theatre box office and through authorised sellers.
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