Review: CABARET at Westmoreland Performing Arts

There are few musicals that demand as much from a cast as Cabaret, and Westmoreland Performing Arts' production, presented Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26, at Live! Casino in Greensburg, PA, proved more than up to the challenge. The full staging served as part of "Heart and Arts - An Unforgettable Night Where Healthcare Meets the Arts," a fundraiser benefiting Westmoreland Performing Arts and the Laurel Highlands Workforce and Opportunity Center. Set in the casino's ballroom and set up as a cabaret-style venue, the production made effective use of projected scenery, furniture, and other simple scenic elements to create the shifting world of Berlin and the Kit Kat Klub. With a four-piece pit orchestra and a full cast, the production maintained the energy and theatricality expected of this iconic musical while keeping the focus squarely on its characters.

What makes Cabaret such a challenging piece is that the story cannot simply be carried by its familiar songs. The casting has to work on multiple levels, with characters who can move effortlessly between humor, seduction, vulnerability and the increasingly uncomfortable realities surrounding them. This production was particularly successful in that regard. Leandro Bilello absolutely shined as the Emcee, bringing a passionate, direct presence to the role and establishing a strong connection with the audience. His command of the stage also made him an effective guide through the production's many transitions. Maya Fullard was outstanding as Sally Bowles, equally compelling when she was commanding the stage and when Sally's more vulnerable and emotional side emerged. J. Alex Noble's portrayal of Cliff Bradshaw was another standout. Noble clearly understood both the show and his character, particularly in the moments when Cliff's interactions shifted from direct and confident to awkward and uncertain.

Tony Marino and Renata Marino brought sincerity and emotional weight to Herr Schultz and Fraulein Schneider. Their relationship provided some of the production's most affecting moments, particularly as the two characters were forced to confront whether their plans to remain together could survive the political circumstances developing around them. The performances never felt overstated, allowing the emotional stakes to speak for themselves. The Kit Kat girls were also well-coordinated, moving together with precision and presenting the show's provocative material in a way that felt appropriate and tasteful. Across the ensemble, there was a clear understanding that Cabaret requires more than simply performing the songs; the characters have to inhabit the complicated and often unsettling world in which those songs exist.

Musically, the four-piece pit orchestra, featuring trumpet, reeds, drums, and keyboard, was tight and energetic throughout the performance. The production's overall technical execution was solid. There were, however, a few moments when the orchestra overpowered the vocals, particularly during quieter portions of songs such as "Maybe This Time," where the emotional impact of the solo vocal would have benefited from a slightly more favorable balance. From toward the back of the venue, there were also occasional sounds from other areas of the casino, presumably live entertainment elsewhere in the facility, that could be heard through the walls during a handful of quieter dialogue or musical moments. Neither issue occurred frequently enough to significantly disrupt the performance in what was an otherwise strong sound presentation.

Ultimately, this production of Cabaret succeeded because its performers understood that the show is about far more than its famous musical numbers. It is a story that requires its cast to embrace its humor and spectacle while allowing the darker realities beneath the surface to gradually emerge, and this company handled that balance with considerable skill. Bilello, Fullard, and Noble were particularly memorable, while the supporting performances added the sincerity and emotional grounding necessary to make the story resonate. Presented in a venue well suited to the intimate cabaret atmosphere (and for a meaningful cause), the evening offered both strong musical theater and an opportunity to experience a classic work whose themes continue to carry considerable dramatic weight.