“What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play!” Levels, the Great Neck Library’s cultural center for teens, will present the musical Cabaret from Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 11 to 13, at 8 p.m. at the Great Neck North High School Commons at 35 Polo Rd.
Levels presents several fully staged theatrical productions a year, which are directed, produced and performed by students from seventh grade through college.
Cabaret takes place in 1931 Berlin at the notorious Kit Kat Klub. Inside the Klub, life is an endless party; but outside, dangerous people are coming into power, and the stage is being set for the horrors of World War II. The play contains adult material and disturbing historical imagery; audience discretion is advised.
Based on Christopher Isherwood’s Berlin Stories, Cabaret first opened on Broadway in 1966 and won eight Tony Awards, including one for Joel Grey in his star-making role as the devilish Master of Ceremonies. Bob Fosse directed the 1972 film, which won eight Academy Awards and featured Grey recreating his role alongside Liza Minnelli. In 1998, the show was revived at Studio 54 and won seven more Tony Awards, including one for Alan Cumming, who memorably reinvented Grey’s role. This past year, Cumming and the revival returned to Broadway with Michelle Williams, Emma Stone and Sienna Miller. The score, by songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb (known for the musical Chicago and Frank Sinatra’s hit “New York, New York”) includes the songs “Wilkommen,” “Maybe This Time” and the title number, “Cabaret.”
Cabaret’s all-student production staff is led by director Violet Elizabeth, who recently choreographed Levels’ Little Shop of Horrors. Choreography is by Levels’ veteran Jonathan Schindler, who directed last year’s The Little Mermaid. The show also features set design by Ishaan Pathak, costume design by Rebecca Hirschhorn, and makeup and hair design by Rayna Cooke and Simona Fine. Publicity art is by Zachary Lee and head of construction is Tyler Hakimian.
The cast of middle school, high school and college students includes Sophie Baghdassarian, Ricky Cole, Rayna Cooke, Aliza Fine, Daisy Korman, Zachary Lee, Emma Mogavero, Alex Mousazadeh, Ishaan Pathak, Molly Racsko, Steven Rodriguez and Adi Sragovich. Musicians include Sara Chitsaz, Scott Levy, Jesse Racsko and Jonathan Souferian.
Admission is free. Tickets are intended to guarantee seating and can be requested, while still available, at the Circulation Desks of all Great Neck libraries. Doors open 45 minutes before show time for ticket holders and 15 minutes before show time for non-ticket holders, space permitting. For more information, contact Levels at 516-466-8055, ext. 216, or email levels@greatnecklibrary.org.
