EAST HADDAM, Conn. — A new season is about to begin at the Goodspeed Opera House – that statement alone is a showstopper.
After losing so many shows during the COVID crisis, the legendary venue that straddles the banks of the Connecticut River in East Haddam plans to return to a full schedule for the first time since 2019.
The cast is rehearsing their musical numbers while the stagehands are working to put the pieces of the elaborate sets in place. The curtain is ready to rise on “Cabaret,” which will include all the intricate choreography from Bob Fosse’s original production.
Donna Lynn Hilton, the artistic director at the Goodspeed, said everyone involved with the production is excited about a full-scale return.
“We spent two years responding to the pandemic, trying to stay in touch with our audience, our donors, to just stay in the public awareness, and now we’re going to be doing what we know how to do,” she said.
Goodspeed "Cabaret" rehearsal
“You know for artists in the theater, the last two or two and a half years have been a little heartbreaking, so to be able to come back and tell stories and entertain is invigorating, it's welcome, it's needed,” said James Vasquez, the director of the Goodspeed edition of "Cabaret."
“The energy that comes off that tiny stage into this room is overwhelming," Hilton added. "And I think that’s the secret of our success and it’s going to be thrilling to experience that with an audience again.”
The production of Cabaret opens on May 13 and runs through July 3. To find out more click here.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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