MTSU Theatre students are saying “Wilkommen!” to Midstate audiences when they turn comfortable Tucker Theatre into Berlin’s seedy Kit Kat Klub for four performances of the multi-Tony-winning musical “Cabaret” April 6-8.

Directed by Knoxville’s Danielle Roos, who brought the restoration comedy “The Busie Body” to MTSU audiences in fall 2021, “Cabaret” tickets are $15 general admission and $10 K-12 students and are available now at https://bit.ly/MTSUCabaretTickets.

Tickets also can be purchased at MTSU’s Tucker Theatre box office at 615 Champion Way before each performance.

Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 6, through Saturday, April 8, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. MTSU students, faculty and staff can attend free by presenting a current university ID at the box office.

The musical, which premiered in 1966 and is based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play “I Am a Camera” and stories by Christopher Isherwood, is set in a nightclub in Germany’s pre-WWII Weimar Republic.

The semi-autobiographical tale follows Clifford Bradshaw, a young American writer in search of the inspiration for his novel, and Sally Bowles, a British nightclub singer performing in Berlin and their misadventures in a city clinging desperately to its decadent and carefree lifestyle amid frightening political turmoil and rising fascism.

The MTSU cast includes:

• Christian Newton of Hendersonville, Tennessee, a sophomore theatre major who portrays The Emcee.

• Mary-Beth Mangrum of McDonald, Tennessee, a senior journalism major with a minor in theatre who plays Sally Bowles.

• Bo Bryan of Nashville, a freshman video and film production major who portrays Cliff Bradshaw.

• Reghan Hall of Fayetteville, Tennessee, a junior theatre education major playing Fraulein Kost.

• Vanessa Jarman of Manchester, Tennessee, a junior theatre major who portrays Fraulein Schneider.

• Max Fleischhacker of Knoxville, Tennessee, a senior theatre major playing Ernst Ludwig.

• Logan Purcell of Leoma, Tennessee, a sophomore theatre major who plays Bobby.

• Stokeley Ellison of Friendship, Tennessee, a senior journalism major who portrays Texas.

• Moira Cagle of Murfreesboro, a sophomore theatre major playing Fritzie.

• Sarah Oppmann of Murfreesboro, a senior with a double major in journalism and theatre who portrays LuLu.

• Emma Bastin of Lebanon, Tennessee, a junior theatre major who plays Frenchie.

• Travis Ray of Chattanooga, a sophomore psychology major who portrays Victor.

• Garrett Holt of Clarksville, Tennessee, a junior theatre major playing Herr Schultz.

• RJ Joffs of Spring Hill, Tennessee, a freshman theatre major who portrays Rosie.

• Catherine Bright of Philadelphia, Tennessee, a senior dance major with a minor in musical theater who’s a Kit Kat understudy.

• Jackson Roy of Bells, Tennessee, a junior theatre major with the multiple roles of Karl, Rudy and the Bodyguard.

• Bryleigh Anders of Knoxville, Tennessee, a junior with a double major in dance and speech-language pathology and audiology who portrays Helga and serves as the production’s dance captain.

• Tristan Graves of Portland, Tennessee, a sophomore audio engineering major who’s a member of the ensemble

• Lyndarious Arrington of Antioch, Tennessee, a senior theatre major who plays both Herman and Sailor 2 and serves as assistant director for the production.

• Cameron Anteski of Murfreesboro, a senior theatre major who portrays both Sailor 1 and Hans.

Audrey Perkins of Murfreesboro is a special guest performer, portraying the Young Girl.

MTSU Theatre participants want to advise audiences that the production contains mature themes and material that could potentially be upsetting or triggering to some audience members. The material and references include strong sexuality, profanity, drug use, violence and thematic elements that include abortion and historically contextualized images of hate.

The play, with a script by Joe Masteroff and music by John Kander and Fred Ebb, earned the best musical and best original score Tonys for the 1967 season, along with the 1998 Tony for best musical revival. A 1972 film version starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Gray earned 10 Oscar nominations and won eight of the awards.

Angela Tipps, a senior instructor in MTSU’s School of Music, serves as musical director for this spring’s production and will also play the accordion, which she learned just for this show.

More details about the MTSU “Cabaret” production, including a digital program with a full cast and crew listing, are available at https://mtsu.edu/theatreanddance/Cabaret.php.

Tucker Theatre is fully accessible for people with disabilities, including hearing, vision and mobility needs.

The 2022-23 MTSU Department of Theatre and Dance schedule, which marks the 11th season of the College of Liberal Arts’ “MTSU Arts” brand for the university’s fine arts programs, will conclude next month with the acclaimed MTSU Dance Program’s Spring Dance Concert, set April 20-22.

For more details on MTSU Theatre and Dance productions, visit www.mtsu.edu/theatreanddance/currentseason.php.

For more information about MTSU’s Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Liberal Arts, visit www.mtsu.edu/theatreanddance. For details on MTSU Arts events and supporting its student programs in the Patrons Society, visit https://mtsu.edu/mtsuarts.

— Gina E. Fann (gina.fann@mtsu.edu)