FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Marjorie Lyons Playhouse, 318-869-5242

Centenary's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse Announces Cast for Cabaret, Opening July 12

Seva May in Cabaret

SHREVEPORT, LA -- The classic Broadway musical, Cabaret, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Joe Masteroff, opens July 12 at Centenary College's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse for a seven-performance run.  

The musical is based on the play  I Am a Camera by John Van Druten and on novelist Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories, which is about the corrupt, disintegrating society that was Germany between the World Wars.

Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1966 winning eight Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score.  The highly acclaimed movie version, starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, opened on screens in 1972 and garnered eight Academy Awards.  In 1998, a radically revised production opened on Broadway and received four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.  This revised production, which is still running in New York, is the version being produced by the playhouse.

Cabaret is the well known story of Sally Bowles, a not-too-talented headliner at the Kit Kat Club in 1930's Berlin.  It contains some of musical theatre's best known songs: "Willkommen," "Married," "Perfectly Marvelous" and, of course, the title number, "Cabaret."  This revised version adds songs written specifically for the movie, "Maybe This Time," "Mein Herr" and "Money, Money."

Creating the role of Sally Bowles is Seva May, one of the area's most popular musical performers.  She has won four Times Drama Awards for her performances as Eva Peron in EVITA, Velma in CHICAGO, Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL and the wicked octopus, Ursula in THE LITTLE MERMAID.  Among her many credits are major roles in SWEET CHARITY, INTO THE WOODS, TONY TUNES, SMILE, MAN OF LA MANCHA, GRAND HOTEL, BLOOD BROTHERS, PRIDE'S CROSSING and her acrobatic turn as Carla in last summer's NINE.

Patric McWilliams will appear as The Emcee, the host at the Kit Kat Club.  A veteran of local theatre, he was last seen in the MLP production of ART.  This past season, he appeared as Oscar Wilde in GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, an embittered husband in the musical revue, ROMANTIC NOTIONS and as Guido Contini, the unravelling film director, in the musical, NINE.  He has won nine Times Drama Awards for acting in productions of LONELY PLANET, GRAND HOTEL, I HATE HAMLET, ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, TIHE VISIT, APPLAUSE, ANGELS IN AMERICA, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS and BENT.

Isobel Rudy will be Fraulein Schneider, a German landlady tenaciously holding on to her small part of the world.  Rudy is returning to the stage after a 21-year absence.  She was last seen in the 1980 NEP World premiere production of LADIES FIRST as Pat Nixon.  She has won two Times Drama Awards as Margo Charming in APPLAUSE and as Fraulein Schneider in the 1977 Shreveport Little Theatre production of CABARET.  She is the director of Peter Pan Players and has presented plays for children in Shreveport for the past 25 years.

Steven E. Baker plays Clifford Bradshaw, an American novelist who becomes involved with Sally.  He is a graduate of Centenary College and now resides in New York City.  While a student at ULP, he had numerous appearances in productions of A PERFECT GANESH, ANGELS IN AMERICA, GRAND HOTEL, PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, BENT, 42nd STREET, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, ASSASSINS, GOD'S COUNTRY and LOST IN YONKERS.  He received a Times Drama Award for his performance as Freddy in FUNNY GIRL.

Nathan Thomas will portray Herr Schultz, the owner of a fruit market and Fraulein Schneider's suitor.  This past season, Thomas has been seen in GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE, AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN, PRIDE'S CROSSING and THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN, for which he has received a Times Drama Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (play).

Janin Jones will appear as Fraulein Kost, a lady of the evening living in Fraulein Sclmeider's boarding house.  She was last seen as Lilliane LeFleur, the french Follies Bergeres star, in last summer's NINE. Additionally, she was seen as Jackie Kennedy in LADIES FIRST, the Blue Fairy in Peter Pan Players' PINOCCHIO and was in the Shreveport Little Theatre production of VANITIES.

Ryan Williams will create the role of Ernst Ludwig, a Berliner who appears to be in the smuggling business.  Williams won a Times Draina Award for his performance in BLOOD BROTHERS.  Other roles have been in productions of PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE, GRAND HOTEL, ALAI)DIN, WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, RED SCARE ON SUNSET, AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN and A PERFECT GANESH.

Appearing in minor roles are Matthew Nicholas and Scott Omim.  Nicholas has appeared in many MLP productions and was nominated for a TDA for PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE.  Green has had roles in numerous local musicals and recently received a TDA nomination for The Gilbert and Sullivan Society's BYE BYE BIRDIE.

Appearing as Kit Kat girls are: Kim Angevine Price, Heather Alexander, Jenny Warren, Monica Adams, Catherine Walsh and Laura Beth Sentell.  The Kit Kat boys will be: Josh Porter, Michael Knutson, Josh Talley and Brandon Thorn.

CABARET will be directed by Robert Buseick.  Buseick has won numerous TDAs for his direction and was recently nominated for THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN, GROSS INDECENCY:TBE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WRDE, NINE and ROMANTIC NOTIONS.  Kermit Poling is the Musical Director and the choreography will be by Ed Brazo.  Sets and lighting will be by Don Hooper, costumes by Patric McWilliams, sound design by Michael Tooke, properties by Heather Peak and the Stage Manager will be Kathy Melancon.

The box office will open on July 2, from noon to 4 p.m. daily.  Reservations may be made by calling 318-869-5242.  All tickets are priced at $20 each.  Mail-order tickets are currently being filled and advanced tickets may be purchased by sending a check for the number of tickets, the date, plus a stamped self-addressed envelope.  Send mail orders to CABARET, Marjorie Lyons Playhouse, 2911 Centenary Blvd. Shreveport, LA. 71134-1188.  There will be a special preview on Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. and tickets will be priced at $15 per ticket.

Performances are at 8 p.m. on July 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 22.

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