BWW Previews: CABARET at Schenectady Light Opera Company

Leave your troubles outside, because starting September 22nd, life will be beautiful inside the doors of the Schenectady Light Opera Company. Director Peter Caracappa is currently preparing his cast to open the company's 91st season with a lively, and timely production of the iconic musical CABARET.

Based on a book by Christopher Isherwood, CABARET depicts the events that take place in and around a seedy nightclub in 1930's Berlin, just as Germany is slowly succumbing to the rise of the Third Reich. Featuring a book by Joe Masteroff, and a Kander and Ebb score that has become a classic of the American Musical Theater, CABARET is a poignant piece that explores the tumultuous, tense lives led this era through the flashy song and dance of the Kit Kat Klub.

Director Peter Caracappa, who also serves on the Board of Directors for the company, is thrilled to be bringing this show to life in today's modern world, and aims for his staging of it to portray the ideas within this narrative as authentically as possible. "We are trying to do our best to represent this real time. Even though the characters are fictional, it's representing and reflecting a real part of history" he says.

Noting that this particular production is now 50 years old, Peter mentions that "70 year olds now were 20 when the show came out, so people have really experienced this over time. And it's a definitely a show that people can revisit, so if they can come and kind of see it through the eyes of today, that is something that I truly believe would be valuable."

Brittany Leigh Glenn, a SLOC veteran who is stepping into the shoes of the iconic Sally Bowles, hopes audiences will relate to her character now on a deeper level, just as she has during this process. "I think hopefully, now more than ever people will actually start to understand her because of this political climate. I think a lot of people, like me, are experiencing the same thing she does, that need to sort of just shut the world out" she says.

"I love playing Sally because she's a challenge" she adds. "There are so many different layers to her, and I feel like a lot of people when they see this show don't understand her, and a lot of of people don't like her. I sort of take that as a challenge."

She never tires of that challenge either, saying "even though I think I have her figured out, I don't think I'll ever have her completely figured out, because there's only so much they give you. I could never get bored playing this part, because you will always discover new things about her."

Aside from the relevance of this narrative in today's society, what will make this production especially memorable is the dedicated cast, of which Peter Caracappa and Brittany Leigh Glenn both raved about.

"Every show I've done here is amazing, but this show also feels like coming to work, and I mean that in a good way. Everybody just is ready to go as soon as they walk in the door" Glenn says. She also spoke of the close bond that the cast has formed during this rehearsal process, noting that "that's really what's going to make this a special show."

As a director, Peter has also thoroughly enjoyed getting to work with this particular group of actors. "I get such joy coming to rehearsal every day, and I've been lucky to work with good people in different shows, but this cast is really a step above. Just the level of dedication and enthusiasm, I have not really encountered before," he praised.

"They're super talented to begin with" he adds, "but that's not enough to make a good show or a good experience. They are all very nice, very supportive of one another, and of the show. They really put in the work and effort, and are thrilled to be doing it."

CABARET runs from September 22 - 24 and September 28 - October 1. For tickets and more information, visit http://sloctheater.org/season-cabaret.html.