“Cabaret” brings high kicks, deep reflections to MSU stage

Jay Prado, Reporter

March 25, 2026

MSU’s rendition of “Cabaret” will open to the public on Thursday, March 26.

The MSU theater department will transform the Fain Fine Arts Theater into the Kit Kat Club for its production of the hit musical “Cabaret,” opening Mar. 26.

Ahead of the show’s premiere, the cast has pushed through intense physical and emotional preparation to bring the classic story to life.

“Anytime I choreograph something, I always warn my cast to start singing and running on the treadmill at the same time because you will need it,” said theater professor Elizabeth Redmill. “They never believe me at first, but they do now.”

“Cabaret” features high-energy dance numbers that require rigorous physical stamina from the actors.

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Theater tech senior Brayden Young is working behind the scenes as stage an production manager for the show, March 5. (Jay Prado)

“Keeping the mindset of ‘have fun and do what you enjoy’ while singing and dancing and doing high kicks that would normally make you extremely winded if you aren’t prepared for it … is easily the best way to get through it,” said musical theater senior Amaria Combee.

Beneath the spectacle, “Cabaret” tells a historically complex story, set against the backdrop of the Weimar Republic and 1930s Germany. Redmill has spent significant time guiding the cast through historical research.

“We spent a lot of time talking about parallels to what was happening during that time, parallels to what we’re seeing today,” Redmill said. “I think that that’s a lot of what builds that empathy is being able to understand and almost really being able to be in the shoes of the people … focusing on those that are oppressed by higher powers.”

The focus on both physical performance and the play’s emotional resonance has created a collaborative and educational environment for the students.

“Working with Liz is amazing, but also very educational because she holds you to a high standard, and meeting that standard is definitely a challenge,” said psychology senior Abigail Martin. “She trusts you to find your own way with the text and make your own choices, which is really beneficial as an actor.”

“I want the community to know that Midwestern State University has this really awesome theater program, that we’re doing some professional-level work,” Redmill said.

For the students involved, the experience has been deeply impactful. “I would describe this show as riveting, but also devastatingly human,” Martin said. “You won’t want to miss it.”