Seth Paden as Master of Ceremonies in Theatre Arlington’s ‘Cabaret.’ (Photos by Jacob Oderberg)

Theatre Arlington opened its season with the classic musical Cabaret in every sense of the word. The company staged the original Broadway version from 1966. There was no Liza Minneli or Alan Cumming influence then and that allowed for a fresh take on a musical most are familiar with otherwise. On its opening night last Friday, Cabaret had a sold out crowd which was enthusiastic for the show. The curtains opened to roaring applause, but TA lived up to the reception with an energetic show bolstered by an equally energetic cast.

As the Master of Ceremonies, actor Seth Paden delivered a muscular performance that was laced with comedy, menace and I’ll-have-what-he’s-having vigor. He had either the burden or the privilege of setting the tone with “Willkommen” and succeeded with a flirtatious delivery followed by a hefty amount of vocals and dancing. The character itself is a mystery in every way and Paden demonstrated that with flair that was a thrilling mix of subtlety and brazenness.

Presley Duyck brought a bubbly air to Sally Bowles but was smart not to rest on that. Her evolution of Bowles from happy-go-lucky to tragically affected was cerebral and she navigated those emotions with aplomb. She was magnetic in her numbers, but her defragmenting of Sally in “Cabaret” was unquestionably a moment.

Micah JL Brooks as Cliff brought a delightful charm as the budding author landing in Berlin and exploring new romance. First, he was a powerhouse vocalist particularly in “Perfectly Marvelous” and “Why Should I Wake Up?” He wove his character’s charm masterfully into the numbers. As his own character shifts, Brooks’ performance peeled back layers of Cliff revealing more and more with each scene. Andrew Nicolas’ Ernest was affable but as his character developed, Nicolas’ performance made it hard to condemn this guy he did so well to make the audience like. Good stuff.

This version gave more story to the relationship of Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz played by Deborah Brown and Steven D. Morris who also co-directed with Sharon Kaye Miller. Morris was delighted with Schultz who’s discovering romance at an older age. With emotions on his sleeve, Morris gave life to the character through jittery excitement and heartfelt worry as Schultz’s Jewish background became a problem. Brown was absolutely majestic in her role and stole a lot of the show when she was onstage. Compelling from the get-go, Brown embodied Schneider to the bones.

Presley Duyck as Sally Bowles.

Vonda K. Bowling and her onstage team of musicians were strong in bringing the right, dark vibe to Cabaret. The six musicians brought big sounds and intimate notes giving the show a multitude of sensations.

Bryan Stevenson’s lighting was serving brilliant tones perfectly defining each scene and characters’ moods and his use of red was dramatic and extraordinary. Mixed with Ryan Simon’s sound design, the two injected the show by enhancing the show’s ambience. Unsure if Karen Potter’s costuming related to the 1966 version, her costuming was refreshingly low-key and muted, leaving the flash for the Kit Kat Girls and the Master of Ceremonies. The dancers were dripping with glitz and her parade of costumes in “Kickline” was pure magic. 

Stevenson’s set design with Scenic Arist Maria Leon Hickox was a clever use of platforms and stairs that moved to create the different scenes amid soft palettes for everyday scenes and vibrant club colors. The apartment had the feels of being low-rent but cozy; the club scenes were more vast with club vibes. In lieu of the often usual “Kit Kat Klub” marquee, the show opted instead for “Cabaret” on the  marquee which was a slight distraction.

Morris and Miller directed the show with good energy and even with the sinister undertones Cabaret has, the cast brought a vivacity that kept the show moving and compelling.

The show runs through March 3

–Rich Lopez