Paul Capsis to star in Cabaret at Hayes Theatre Co

A revival of Kander and Ebb’s musical Cabaret is returning to Australia and the dazzling Paul Capsis will star as the Emcee.

Producer David M. Hawkins has confirmed that Cabaret will open the Hayes Theatre Co’s 2017 season on January 9 and will also play a limited engagement at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre from 27 April 2017.

The 50 year old musical wowed audiences and critics alike when it opened on Broadway in 1966 and on the West End two years later. Arguably the most iconic movie musical of all time, Cabaret made a star of Liza Minnelli when she brought Sally Bowles to life on the silver screen.

Confirmed to star in the production alongside Paul Capsis are Kate Fitzpatrick as Fraulein Schneider and Debora Krizak as Fraulein Kost and the search is on for Australia’s next Sally Bowles, with auditions now underway for the production.

Cabaret in its musical form is based on The Berlin Stories by famous author Christopher Isherwood who exchanged his upper-middle-class conservative upbringing for the sexual freedom and social liberation of Berlin during the bustling 1930s.

“My aim is to create a new production of Cabaret that engages audiences unlike any previous production, and to do that I believe we need to return to the original source material”, producer Hawkins said.

“The universal issue of the human condition at the core of Cabaret comes from Christopher Isherwood and his perception of what it was like to live in Berlin during the rise of Hitler.”

Paul Capsis makes his return to musical theatre in the iconic role of The Emcee. After winning Helpmann Awards for Angela’s Kitchen (Griffin Theatre Company) The Lost Echo (STC) and cabaret performances Boulevard Delirium and Capsis vs Capsis, the musical theatre fraternity are lucky to have him back and ready to tackle the ultimate Master of Ceremonies.

“Cabaret is the holy grail of musicals for me, I’ve always been a big fan of the work of Isherwood”, Capsis said.

It is understood that this production of Cabaret has been in the works for several years, and with director Nicholas Christo, choreographer Kelley Abbey and musical director Lindsay Partridge on board, it is sure to be a raw and innovative work.

While nothing has been confirmed at this stage, it is hoped that the tour extends beyond Sydney and Melbourne to include other Australian capital cities.

Visit www.CometotheCabaret.com.au for more information. 

Sydney tickets on sale from 13 October
Melbourne tickets on sale from 21 November