Piedmont High School presents the musical Cabaret, directed and choreographed by Amy Moorhead. This Kander and Ebb musical, set in a Berlin nightclub as the 1920’s draw to a close, explores the dark, exhilarating, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. (The director has chosen to eliminate the use of swastikas and military uniforms in this production.) 

More than 60 Piedmont High and Millennium High School students are involved in this PG-13 version of the show including a student orchestra, conducted by PHS Band Director, Trevor Meseroll. Vocal Direction is handled by local professional Sandra Peter. The cast features Amelia Addington as Sally Bowles, Caitlin Boothby as the Emcee, Theo Ferguson as Cliff Bradshaw, Ben Wakefield as Herr Schultz, Ellie Broscow as Fräulein Schneider, Clare Weiss as Fräulein Kost, and Ford Andrews as Ernst.

Winning the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1967, Cabaret continues to impact its audience and performers. Sophomore Ben Wakefield expresses it well, sharing that ”Performing in Cabaret has been a unique and profound experience for me as a Jewish high school student taking on the role of Herr Shultz. The Israel-Hamas War, which unfolded during our rehearsal period, did impact my feelings about performing in Cabaret. It heightened my awareness of the persistent relevance of the themes explored in the musical. Being part of Cabaret has allowed me to engage with history, art, and my own identity in a profound way. It has underscored the importance of using the performing arts as a platform for exploring and understanding the complexities of the human experience, both past and present.”