by Tyler Morgenstern, Director of Marketing and Communications
This June, New Vintage Theatre (NVT) and the Rotary Centre for the Arts bring you a taste of the hedonism and danger of interwar Berlin with our co-presentation of John Kander’s classic musical, Cabaret (book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Frank Ebb). Set against the rising tide of Naziism, Cabaret follows the turbid relationship between young American writer Clifford Bradshaw (based on real-life novelist and playwright Christopher Isherwood) and the ebullient, starry-eyed cabaret performer Sally Bowles.
As Bradshaw, Bowles, and a coterie colourful characters indulge in the glamour of Weimar-era nightlife, the impending calamity of fascism begins to creep in, rearing its head through the thick smoke that hangs in the air of the Kit Kat Club–the seedy speakeasy where Bowles performs under the exacting direction of the Master of Ceremonies.
Filled with show-stopping musical numbers and dazzling choreography, but underpinned by a grave warning about the dangers of fascism, Cabaret remains a musical for our times. To get the inside track on the show, we spoke to celebrated Kelowna musician and performer Neville Bowman, who will be taking a star turn in the role of the Master of Ceremonies, the sly, chameleonic figure who lures audiences into the Kit Kat Club and invites them to forget their troubles.
An accomplished jazz pianist with extensive performance experience throughout BC and across Canada, Bowman found his way into musical theatre “accidentally,” having made the leap after serving as an audition accompanist for other performers. “Since then,” Bowman says, “I have been on both sides of the stage as an actor and music director, as well as preparing full symphonic tracks for various productions.” You might call it a happy accident, because it’s led Bowman around the world, giving him the chance to grow as a musician, composer, and performer.
Though he’s previously leant his musical talents to such NVT productions as You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Cabaret and the Master of Ceremonies is Bowman’s first major collaboration with the company. “It’s arguably the most challenging role I’ve ever taken on. The character is very removed from any character I have ever played, and indeed from my own personality. Creating such a dynamic and almost indefinable person is a huge undertaking.”
It’s a challenge that Bowman embraces with open arms, though, since it comes with the opportunity to create a truly unique and enveloping audience experience. Cabaret, he says, is “an indulgent escape with a timeless message. The theatre itself becomes the club, drawing you into a different world.” And this is to say nothing of working with the NVT team. “New Vintage has always impressed me. They work to create a healthy and respectful environment by paying artists and musicians involved and by supporting so much original work.”
Catch Neville this summer as the Master of Ceremonies in New Vintage Theatre and the RCA’s production of Cabaret, running June 3-12 in the Mary Irwin Theatre. Tickets on sale now!
