Perpich Students Attend University of Minnesota Performance of “Cabaret” at Rarig Center

November 21, 2024

On November 20th, Tory Peterson, Theater Instructor, and Bob Frey, Social Studies Instructor, brought a busload of 36 Perpich students from an array of arts areas to the Rarig Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota to see a production of “Cabaret”. Theater and Musical Theater students attended the show, along with students in the Musical ensemble. Peterson then offered the remaining tickets to students in all arts areas on a first come, first served basis.

A photo of “Cabaret” from the University of Minnesota

About the Performance: “Come to the Cabaret – where life is beautiful, the girls are beautiful, even the orchestra is beautiful…” and a society dances on the brink of collapse. Inspired by Christopher Isherwood’s “Berlin Stories,” “Cabaret” explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Daring, provocative, and exuberantly entertaining, “Cabaret” probes the seductive life of a Bohemian Berlin dancing in the shadow of creeping authoritarianism and asks the question, “What would you do?”

Ian Garrido-Lavender (Musical Theater 2025) was impressed with the production. “‘Cabaret’ is my favorite musical and this production really honored what I find so special about the show.” said Ian. “I think it was especially poignant to our group of teenage artists in our current political climate.”

A photo of “Cabaret” from the University of Minnesota

Nadia Oian Vust (Literary Arts 2025) believes the show is necessary for audiences to see and a necessary piece of art. “It tells an incredibly important story which is indefinitely relevant,” said Nadia.

The Rarig Center is the home to the University’s College of Liberal Arts Theatre Arts program. In addition to its four theaters, the Center—designed by Ralph Rapson, architect of the former Guthrie Theater—includes scenery, property, costume, lighting and sound laboratories; design, voice, and movement studios; ticket and publicity offices, and student lounges & offices. Recent additions to the center include a state-of-the-art digital media studio, several computer-aided design (CAD) stations, and the capability for sound and digital editing in the design classroom.