Broadway‘s Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club has announced an early closing date – Sunday, September 21 – as star Billy Porter withdraws from the production due to what producers say is a “serious case of sepsis.”
Producer Adam Speers said in a statement, “It is with a heavy heart that we have made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on September 21. On behalf of all the producers, we’re so honored to have been able to bring this version of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff’s important masterpiece, Cabaret, to New York and to have opened the doors to our own Kit Kat Club for the year and a half we have been here.”
As for Porter, producers said his doctors “are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule these next couple of weeks.”
Marty Lauter and David Merino, the production’s two alternates for Porter’s ‘Emcee’ role, will share the role for the upcoming final performances. Exact performance schedule for Lauter and Merino will be announced shortly on the show’s social media pages.
Speers added, “Billy was an extraordinary ‘Emcee’ bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent. We wish Billy a speedy recovery and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future. I personally invite audiences to return to the Kit Kat Club one last time to see the incandescent Marisha Wallace as ‘Sally Bowles,’ alongside the remarkably talented Marty and David, two actors who have been giving soul-stirring performances as ‘Emcee’ since we first opened last April.”
Cabaret was to have closed Sunday, October 19. At the time of its September 21 closing, the musical revival directed by Rebecca Frecknall will have played 18 preview performances and 592 regular performances. The immersive-style production, with a total cost estimate of more than $23 million, is not expected to recoup its investment.
Porter and Wallace are the latest in a string of Cabaret stars, which opened last year with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin in the lead roles. Since then, the Emcee has been played by Adam Lambert and Orville Peck prior to Porter taking the role.
Reviews for the production at the heavily revamped August Wilson Theatre were mixed, though attendance initially was strong. In recent weeks grosses for the show have slipped considerably, with the weekly take at the end of August sliding to an unsustainable $505,142.
The revival is produced by Adam Speers for ATG Productions, Underbelly, Gavin Kalin Productions, Hunter Arnold, Smith & Brant Theatricals, and Wessex Grove.
The Olivier Award-winning London production, now in its fourth year, continues at the Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse. The West End production currently stars Hannah Dodd and Rob Madge and on Monday, September 22 will welcome Grammy Award winner Reeve Carney and two-time Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada.
The post ‘Cabaret’ On Broadway To Close Early As Star Billy Porter Recovers From Sepsis appeared first on Deadline.
