Cabaret at Shoreline College Theater
Friday February 27 - Sunday March 8, 2026
Theatre Review By Kindle Carpp
Photography by Maleah Nicole
Seedy, cheeky, and deliciously campy, Shoreline College Theater’s Cabaret invites audiences into the decadent glow of the Kit Kat Klub and delivers an experience that is as entertaining as it is unsettling.
From the moment patrons enter the space, it is clear this is not a traditional proscenium production, but an immersive descent into 1930s Weimar Berlin, one that seduces with glitter before revealing its shadows.
Set in early 1930s Germany, Cabaret follows American writer Cliff Bradshaw as he arrives in Berlin and becomes entangled in the city’s intoxicating nightlife and in a romance with English cabaret performer Sally Bowles.
Cliff takes up residence in Fraulein Schneider’s boarding house, where her tender courtship with the gentle fruit seller Herr Schultz unfolds alongside Cliff and Sally’s more volatile relationship.
These parallel love stories exist against the ominous rise of the Nazi regime, and as nationalism tightens its grip, both romances fracture under the weight of a rapidly changing and increasingly dangerous Germany.
What begins as carefree indulgence slowly gives way to something far more sobering, mirroring the societal collapse happening just outside the club’s walls.
Shoreline College Theater transforms its performance space into a striking replica of a Berlin cabaret club. Small cabaret tables place audience members directly in the action, and servers weave through the crowd offering trays to front-row patrons, blurring the boundary between observer and participant.
The scenic and environmental design is stunning, immersing the audience in a world that feels intimate, dangerous, and alive. The live band, positioned on a raised gallery at the back of the stage, becomes an ever-present force, underscoring the action with rich atmosphere while remaining fully integrated into the visual landscape.
The production opens with commanding confidence, as Max, the Kit Kat Klub owner, played by
Quinn Musil, welcomes the audience with easy charm and sharp comedic timing. Musil establishes the club’s anything-goes atmosphere immediately, setting the tone for the controlled chaos that follows. Their presence grounds the environment and provides a believable sense of place, making the audience feel like true guests of the establishment.
As the Emcee,
Ava Hjelle delivers a spellbinding performance that anchors the entire production. Hjelle’s stage presence is magnetic, effortlessly commanding attention the moment they appear. Their performance balances playful mischief with an undercurrent of menace, allowing the character’s dual nature to emerge gradually. Vocally and physically precise, Hjelle guides the audience through the evening with confidence and control, making the Emcee both irresistible and deeply unsettling.
Mariah Matney’s Sally Bowles is vibrant, wounded, and compelling.
Matney brings strong vocal power to the role, delivering Sally’s musical numbers with confidence and emotional clarity.
Beyond her vocal strength, Matney captures Sally’s emotional armor, the careful distance and practiced indifference of someone protecting herself from further hurt.
Her performance reveals the character’s vulnerability in layers, making Sally’s emotional journey feel authentic and deeply human.
As Cliff Bradshaw,
Duncan Thorvilson finds the perfect balance between awkwardness and sincerity.
Thorvilson’s physicality and demeanor establish Cliff as an outsider, allowing the audience to experience Berlin through his uncertain perspective.
His emotional arc unfolds with clarity, particularly as Cliff begins to understand the reality of what is happening around him.
Thorvilson portrays Cliff’s heartbreak with sensitivity, making his final moments especially resonant.
Clara Spain’s Fraulein Schneider is both vocally impressive and emotionally grounded. Spain brings warmth and practicality to the character, making her hopes for companionship feel sincere and earned.
Her performance captures the character’s inner conflict as she weighs love against survival, and the emotional restraint she displays makes her eventual choices all the more heartbreaking. Spain’s chemistry with Sean Noble creates one of the production’s most touching relationships.
Sean Noble portrays Herr Schultz with gentle optimism and genuine warmth. Noble makes Schultz deeply likable, emphasizing his kindness and hopeful outlook. His portrayal captures the tragic irony of a man who believes in the goodness of his country even as it turns against him. Noble’s final moments onstage are quietly devastating, leaving a lasting emotional impact.
Katherine Maldonado’s Fraulein Kost adds bold personality and sharp energy to the boarding house scenes.
Maldonado creates a vivid and memorable character whose presence reinforces the social environment surrounding the central relationships.
Her performance adds texture and dimension to the world of the play, contributing to the production’s sense of authenticity.
The ensemble deserves tremendous credit for maintaining the production’s dynamic energy. The choreography by
Fiona Palazzi is intricate, provocative, and energetically executed, capturing both the exuberance and the underlying tension of the era. Each movement feels intentional, reinforcing the emotional and thematic shifts of the story. The ensemble’s commitment ensures that the Kit Kat Klub feels like a fully realized world rather than simply a backdrop.
The tonal shift in the second act is handled with impressive control. The carefree escapism of the first act gives way to an atmosphere of unease, and the cast navigates this transition seamlessly. What once feels playful begins to feel menacing, and the weight of political reality settles heavily over the characters.
The production’s final moments are breathtakingly ominous. As the cast gathers onstage, the visual composition and stage direction create an image that lingers long after the lights fade. It is a striking reminder of how quickly normalcy can give way to darkness.
In today’s political climate, Cabaret feels especially resonant. Its exploration of complacency, nationalism, and denial serves as both historical reflection and contemporary warning. The contrast between the Kit Kat Klub’s glittering escapism and the harsh reality beyond its doors creates a powerful emotional impact that stays with the audience well after the performance ends.
The performance reviewed featured Ava Hjelle as the Emcee, Mariah Matney as Sally Bowles, Katherine Maldonado as Fraulein Kost, and Clara Spain as Fraulein Schneider.
Several roles are double cast, and other performances may feature Felix Coble as the Emcee, Lauren McDonogh as Sally Bowles, Sofia Gelder as Fraulein Kost, and Lochlan Willard as Fraulein Schneider. The entire cast delivers strong work, and the depth of talent on display suggests that alternate performers bring the same level of commitment and skill.
Shoreline College Theater’s Cabaret is immersive, entertaining, and deeply affecting—an unforgettable evening of theatre that reminds us how easily the line between spectacle and reality can disappear when the lights go down.
You leave the Kit Kat Klub changed, whether you expect to or not.
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