Coastal Carolina University’s Department of Theatre will present Cabaret live in Wheelwright Auditorium Feb. 9-18. This provocative work, with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, explores the life of bohemian Berlin at the close of the 1920s as Germany slowly yields to the emerging political regime. Set inside the Kit Kat Klub, the play features the master of ceremonies performing cleverly crafted songs as sociopolitical commentary while daring romances unfold. Musical numbers include Willkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, and Cabaret.

Showtimes are Friday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted) and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, Feb. 15-16, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m. Admission is $25, with CCU discounts available. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Wheelwright Box Office at 843-349-2787 or boxoffice@coastal.edu.

The Cabaret cast includes CCU faculty members Monica Bell, assistant professor, and John Woodson, artist-in-residence, both of the Department of Theatre. Adam Pelty, associate professor and director/choreographer of the production, said their involvement has enhanced students’ learning experience.

“It’s been a fascinating and incredibly enriching experience for the students,” said Pelty. “They are both so on their game and so lovely in the roles they’re playing.”

Pelty noted the thematic intensity of the play, which centers on the increasing dominance of the Third Reich during this period and social issues that surround it, as well as the significance of every cast member.

“It’s a biting play,” said Pelty. “The stories and all the music reflect those issues that were happening. I call it a play with music instead of a musical, because every person on the stage is representing something; it’s not just a chorus line. They all have names and all come from a certain place that’s very specific.”

The opening performance on Friday, Feb. 9, also features a fundraiser reception to support scholarships within the Edwards College. The reception will feature a short recital of music by period composers who were victims of or survived the Holocaust. Pelty will offer remarks to accompany the performance, and all funds will go directly to Edwards College scholarships.

To purchase tickets to the fundraiser reception, contact Karen Williams at 843-349-2772 or kwilliam@coastal.edu.

Age Recommendation and Content Warning: This production of Cabaret is not recommended for children younger than 16 years old. Cabaret contains mature themes and material that could potentially be upsetting to some audience members, including suggestive dialogue, intimate sexual situations, partial nudity, displays of violence, and challenging thematic elements (like abortion and historically contextualized images of hate).