New Director Takes on Classic Musical at the Ti-Ahwaga Theater

Feb. 2 kicks off the three-weekend run of Cabaret at Ti-Ahwaga Community Players. Though this is not the first time the theater company has put on this one-of-a-kind musical experience, it marks the first community theater directing credit for Doug Harrington. The Hudson Valley native and Binghamton University graduate has performed in many local productions with nearly every theater company around the Southern Tier, and even directed productions during his days as a student at BU. 

“Through those experiences and just the passion for theater, it allowed me to really visualize this production from the ground up,” said Harrington. 

Set against the backdrop of the Nazi’s rise to power, Cabaret chronicles the relationship of Sally Bowles, a dancer at the “Kit Kat Club,” and an American writer named Clifford Bradshaw, all while the audience is seduced and charted through 20th-century Berlin by the devilish Master of Ceremonies (known simply as Emcee). 

It is a story that first came to the stage in 1966 and even had an Oscar-winning film adaptation starring Liza Minelli and directed by Bob Fosse. With a slew of iterations to choose from, the creative team at Ti-Ahwaga landed on the 1998 Broadway revival. 

“The 1998 version is the most recognizable and has the most recognizable songs added to it,” said Harrington. “It is the best told in my opinion, and I knew that we would be able to do the piece justice.” 

Harrington has corralled a cast of local favorites such as Ryan Canavan (Emcee), Ilana Rose Wallenstein (Sally), and Andrew Mextorf (Clifford) as his leading actors, which he said aided him when staging scenes. He said most of the one-on-one character interactions came from the actor’s natural rapport with one another. 

“There are scenes that I have such a solid vision for, and there are other scenes where I want the actors to feel natural while doing it,” said Harrington. “The finale of the show was the first scene that I had blocked in my head, but there are other scenes where I will give them a starting pose or position, and just tell them to go, to see what comes naturally.” 

Harrington said though the story of Cabaret is far from unknown, his goal is for every audience member to leave with their own interpretation. 

“I think this show can be personalized for many different people, taking away many different things,” said Harrington. “Whether it be relating to one specific character’s struggle, or one of the overall themes of the show of paying attention to your surroundings.”

Cabaret opens at the Ti-Ahwaga Performing Arts Center in Owego on Feb. 2 and runs three weekends, with Friday and Saturday performances starting at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

You can reserve your tickets by calling the theater at (607) 687-2130 or visit tiahwaga.com. The show does portray sexual themes and imagery, so viewer discretion is advised.