Back In The Army Cabaret Comes To Philadelphia 11/18-28

On Nov. 18, "Back in the Army Cabaret" arrives at Society Hill Playhouse's Red Room for a two-week holiday run. From the barracks bunks to the girl they left behind, this hour-long show explores the public -- and private -- longings of men in uniform through classic Army songs of World War II.

John Jarboe stars in this raucous event, which features recent Barrymore nominee Liz Filios, John Greenbaum, and musical direction from Barrymore-Winner Daniel Kazemi. Martha Graham Cracker will make guest appearances Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 9:30 p.m.

The show runs Nov. 18-28, with evening performances Thursday through Sunday, except on Nov. 25. Tickets, $20, include one drink. They can be purchased by calling (215) 923-0210.

Through the hits of World War II, "Back In The Army" explores the lives and longings of the manliest of men, men who long for that girl back home and men who long to be with men. Featuring such classics as "Why do they Call a Private a Private?", "The Army's Made a Man Out of Me?", and "I'll Be Seeing You," this hour of drag, drama, and revelry will put hair on your chest and curlers in your hair.

"It's 'Mad Men' meets 'South Pacific,'" said Jarboe, the show's creator and director. "What happens when you live in a world where gender and sexual identity isn't questioned at all...except deep inside your own experience?"

With lighting-speed costume changes, Jarboe and his 'army' crew portray the characters you might hope or fear to find in your barracks: from the brazen drill sergeant to the shower-shy rookie. When costume changes go awry, the lines between manly man and lovesick woman become blurry, and the audience finds themselves stumbling from stereotype into confession, and right into the heart of the show's conflict.

John Jarboe (General Jarboe, Director) is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Recent: Bloody Sergeant/Seyton in The Wilma's Macbeth, Joe in Act II's Production of Burt and Me, and Jan in Applied Mechanics' Portmanteau: An Invasion Play. London: The Roommate (The Old 100th) at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Philadelphia: Lysander (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Malcolm (Macbeth) with the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, Frank (Showboat) and Scarecrow (The Wizard of Oz) at the Media Theatre, Julia (Inside Julia Child) for Philly Fringe, and Jason (Bare: The Pop Opera) with PGLTF.

Liz Filios (Private Stew) has worked at the Arden Theatre, the Wilma Theatre, the Walnut Street Theatre, the Joyce Soho, and the Bang On A Can contemporary music festival in New York. A graduate of the Musical Theatre program at the University of Michigan, Liz has also performed with the Cape Town Opera Company in South Africa, the International Opera Theatre in Italy, and as a cabaret singer for Celebrity Cruise Lines in Europe.

John Greenbaum (Drums/Sound design/company) Macbeth at The Wilma; Macbeth / Midsummer at Philly Shakes; Oliver, Les Miserables, Xmas Carol, A Streetcar Named Desire at Walnut Street Theatre; Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Little Hotel on the Side at Theater At Monmouth.

Dan Kazemi (Piano/Musical Director/company) graduated from Haverford College. In Philadelphia, Dan musically directed Tick..Tick...Boom!, Austentatious, the PhillyRocks! concerts, The World Goes Round (Barrymore Nomination for Music Direction), Reefer Madness, Avenue X (Barrymore Winner for Music Direction), Little Shop of Horrors and Rooms for 11th Hour Theatre Company. He also garnered a Helen Hayes Nomination for his work on the DC premiere of the Musical of Musicals: The Musical and a Barrymore Nomination for Best Ensemble for his work on The Irish and How They Got That Way at the Walnut St. Theater.

CLOSING: Sunday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.

LOCATION: Society Hill Playhouse Red Room Cabaret, 507 South 8th St.

TICKET PRICES: $20. Includes one drink.

TICKETS: (215) 923-0210.