Drama group to stage a musical and dramatic classic
No. Bruns. to present 'Cabaret' this weekend
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer
The Adult Drama Group will present its 38th annual musical, "Cabaret," tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at North Brunswick Township High School.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff The North Brunswick Adult Drama Group will perform "Cabaret" tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the North Brunswick Township High School on Raider Road.

"Cabaret" tells the story of the Nazi regime's rise to power in the early 1930s. It centers on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, and branches off to a relationship between an English cabaret performer and a young American writer, as well as a romance between a German boarding house owner and a Jewish fruit vendor. The plot exposes the troubled era of Hitler's Germany.

Director Michael Hritz chose the production, which was performed in 1990 by the township's YoungAdult Drama Group. He is in his 30th year, beginning as a member of the lighting and sound crew as a freshman in high school and becoming the director seven years ago.

"The candor and score makes this a classic production. More than 40 years later, song after song are memorable to the audience, and it tells a compelling story," he said.

Left: Tracey Fama stars as Sally Bowles in "Cabaret." Right: Robert Nutter, Lou Mastro and Bill Morris participate in the Super Sunday dress rehearsal.

Tracey Fama, a Hillsborough resident who grew up in North Brunswick, played lead cabaret singer Sally Bowles 18 years ago, when she was 21 years old and a member of the youth theater group.After choreographing for them, she came back to the adult group and has been acting for the past 20 years.

As a fan of Liza Minnelli, who starred in the Bob Fosse-directed movie in 1972, which came after the Broadway musical's debut in 1966, Fama said she is ready to reprise her role. She said that for a 21-year-old, she thought she had good instincts about the character, but "20 years later, I think, from life, I can bring more life to her." She said she is trying to make Bowles more 3-D, "and stage experience - and, God knows, life experience - has taught me quite a bit."

Edie Everett, of North Brunswick, is another veteran of the stage, appearing for her 20th year with the group. She was introduced to the program by former director Bruce Chandlee and his late wife, Ann Marie, who inspired her to act after watching their shows.

"My first show, I was hiding behind everyone else. After that, I discovered that being here, once the hard work was done and you step on stage, you're in your own world. You think about the steps, about performing. For me, acting is your own escape mechanism."

She auditioned to be a part of the ensemble and said their choreographer, David Pacheco, has done a wonderful job.

"We give support when we need to and step back when we have to," Everett said of the ensemble's role. "We help the principals, the background, the movement. It makes the group function as a real, true group. There's a real camaraderie between the ensemble and the principals."

Someone new to the stage is Robin Campbell, one of the Kit Kat girls, who is appearing in her first show in 10 years. She thinks the audience will be captivated by the girls' "lack of dress" and by the theme behind the show.

"It's a very powerful message. I wasn't aware of it until I began to do it," the South Amboy resident said. "You get weirded out by the music and acting. When you get caught up in the moment, it can be very eerie."

She said walking out onto the stage and looking into the audience is daunting, but that the intense rehearsal schedule helps make the production come together very quickly.

"It's important because it has to be perfect," she said. "I forgot how much fun this is. It's just a great feeling."

Another cast member excited about opening night is BillyMorris, of Milltown, who, after six years with the Adult Drama Group, has finally gotten a featured role. As the emcee, he runs the Kit Kat Club, which he said is symbolic of Hitler.

"The character is fun, the songs are fun, but there is that dark, hidden meaning," he said. "There is something about the show that you forget until the end, when you see who this character is, like the anti-Christ role. You think he is someone great to follow, but in the end you realize he is not such a prefect character."

T

herefore, "Cabaret" has applications

to today's society, in terms of expressing tolerance and the dangers of a dictatorship.

"The show's message is timeless and especially timely this year, as it reminds us to be engaged in the political process and shows what can happen when people are not paying attention," Hritz said.

"You have to be careful who you follow, who your leaders are, and who they really are," Morris said.

The show also applies to the core of what the group stands for: community.

"After 38 years, this is still about community building. It really is a wonderful opportunity to gather the town for a night of entertainment where people can come out and watch their neighbors perform and stage a Broadway musical," Hritz said.

"Our cast reflects the community. We have secretaries, a police officer, county employees, an insurance salesman. … We are highly respectful of the tradition. North Brunswick certainly is a growing and a changing community, but after 38 years, this program not only survives but thrives, and that's a testament to everyone involved in the group, that they come back year after year to share their talents," he added.

The show is sponsored by the North Brunswick Department of Parks & Recreation. There are more than 50 area residents in the cast and crew.

The performances are at 8 p.m. at 30 Raider Road.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and children 8 and under, and are available at the door or at 710 Hermann Road weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For more information, call (732) 247-0922, ext. 475.