CABARET Cast: Claire Wilcher

CLAIRE WILCHER (Sally Bowles)

The role of Sally Bowles is one that Claire never thought she would play, but what the hell, right? Much love to the delicious Bobby Harbo for convincing her to take the leap. When she’s not seducing crowds on a chair or downing fake gin, she is performing comedy with two groups: ComedySportz Indianapolis, where she is both an improviser and instructor, and Three Dollar Bill Comedy (sketch). In fact, her next project is with $3B–writing and presenting Schoolhouse Wrong To! Even More Wronger, the sequel to their 2011 Fringe Festival smash hit, for the 2010 IndyFringe. Love to the cast and crew, her breakfast husband, Soph, and her mama.

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CABARET Cast: Lincoln Slentz

LINCOLN SLENTZ (Bobby)

Making his debut at the Athenæum, Lincoln is originally from Waterloo, Indiana and currently resides here in Indianapolis working as a chemist. Since moving to Indianapolis he has had the opportunity to be a part of shows all over the city including Godspell with ATI and Spring Awakening as Hänschen at the Phoenix Theatre. He would like to thank his friends and family as always. It is only with your love, support and faith that I can accomplish what I do. I love you all dearly. And to the cast, Thank You for good times and a great run!

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CABARET Cast: The Kit-Kat Girls

THE KIT-KAT GIRLS

Texas: Jenee Michelle
Rosie: Erin Lamb
Helga: Kimmie Icenogle
Lulu: Amy Biddle Owens
Fritzy: Tori Gowdy
Frenchie: Carrie Neal

Jenee MichelleErin LambKimmie IcenogleAmy Biddle OwensTori GowdyCarrie Neal

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CABARET Cast: Reine Goldberg

REINE GOLDBERG (Fraulein Kost)

Reine is a veteran performer of both musical theatre and opera. A native New Yorker, her operatic career included all the principal roles from the Mezzo Soprano repertoire. Six seasons with the Metropolitan Opera in New York which included an Asian tour with Luciano Pavarotti. Ms. Goldberg is a popular vocal coach in New York, and also conducts master classes in both opera and musical theatre. She now has a busy vocal studio here in Indianapolis.

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CABARET Cast: Miki Mathioudakis

Miki Mathioudakis (Fraulein Schneider)

By day, Miki is a staff chaplain at St. Vincent Women’s Hospital, and the booth announcer at WFYI. Indy is a wonderful, eclectic theatre town, with professional and community theatres, and Miki has performed at a great many. She is particularly hopeful that the theatre at CTS (once the Edyvean) is being reborn! Favorite roles there were Antigone and Claire in Whose Life is it Anyway? and Golde Meir in Golda’s Balcony and Maria Callas in Master Class at Civic. Miki is grateful that Bob has a vision and heart to bring Cabaret back to the cabaret! She remains hopeful that someday that no minority groups or individuals will be scorned, bullied or destroyed.

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CABARET Cast: Ben Tebbe

BEN TEBBE (Cliff)

Ben is extremely pleased to be working with Bob Harbin for the first time in a role he is returning to 16 years after playing it in college. He just completed a successful return to Avenue Q at the Phoenix Theatre where other credits include Lieutenant of Inishmore, Urinetown, and Orson’s Shadow.  Ben works quite a bit with IRT (Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet, A Christmas Carol, among others); ShadowApe Theatre Company (Gorey Stories and Not a Peep) and Heartland Actors’ Repertory Theatre, where he is a founding company member (Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, and Death and the Maiden). Ben is a recipient of a 2011-2012 Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Lilly Foundation. He earned his B.A. from Marian University and is an artist in the classroom for the IRT.

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CABARET Cast: Paul D. Nicely

PAUL D. NICELY (Ernst)

Paul is a native of Indiana who’s performed in Houston and NYC, both of which Paul called home for a number of years. Paul’s day job is Production Coordinator for CYT, Christian Youth Theatre. It’s a job that supports his love of theatre, which he believes is a wonderful means of educational and personal development on whichever side of the stage; back, on, or in front. Some of his work in Indianapolis includes roles at Booth Tarkington, Beef & Boards, Actors Theatre of Indiana, and The IndyFringe Festival. Favorite roles include Cervantes in La Mancha and Booth in Assassins. He’s currently pushing for ANY theatre to let him play Benjamin Barker.

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Official CABARET Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Additional Information Contact:
Bob Harbin – 
(317) 280-0825 or Bobdirex@aol.com  
cabaret 
Athenaeum Theatre
July 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21

BOBDIREX in association with the Athenaeum Docent Club will present the Broadway musical, CABARET, this summer at the Historic Athenaeum Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.

CABARET is a Kander and Ebb masterpiece.  The 1966 Broadway Musical became an immediate hit playing to 1165 performances.  The Hal Prince production spawned a 1972 film as well as a number of revivals earning 8 Academy Awards and 12 Tonys.

It is based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play I Am a Camera, which was adapted from the 1939 short novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.  Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, it focuses on nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around the cabaret performer Sally Bowles and her relationship with a young writer,  Cliff Bradshaw.  Overseeing the action is the lecherous and flamboyant Emcee at the club.

Inspired by the 1998 Broadway revival, our production will be dedicated to the Santayana quote, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”  Keeping to our mission statement, this will not be a regular production of CABARET.  By design the action will be more suggestive and edgier and not suggested for children 12 years old and younger.

All performances are at the Athenaeum Theatre, 401 East Michigan Street at Massachusetts.  All performances are at 7:30pm with a 3pm matinee on July 15.  Seating is reserved at $22 a ticket with discounts for Seniors and Groups of 20 or more.  Reservations can be made by calling (317) 280 – 0825 (no credit charge) or by going to our website at http://www.bobdirex.com

The theatre has a full bar.  Parking is metered on street and paid parking is available in a lot next to the theatre.  Dinner and cocktails are available before and after performances at the famous Rathskeller restaurant in the basement of the building. The reservation number there is (317) 636-0396.

I hope you’ll be able to attend one of the performances and share what you see as we continually attempt to grow and better serve our city of Indianapolis.

CAST MEMBERS
Emcee: Jason Johnson
Sally Bowles: Claire Wilcher
Cliff Bradshaw:  Ben Tebbe
Fraulein Schneider: Miki Mathioudakis
Herr Schultz: David Mosdale
Ernst Ludwig: Paul Nicely
Fraulein Kost: Raena Goldberg
At the Kit Kat Klub
Rosie: Erin Lamb
Lulu: Amy Biddle Owens
Frenchie: Carrie Neal
Texas: Jenee Michelle
Fritzy: Tori Gowdy
Helga: Kimmy Icenogle
Bobby: Lincoln Slentz
Victor: Scott Hainey
Herman: T J Wilson
Mickey: Michael Halliburton
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CABARET Cast Announcement!

It’s with great excitement and pride that I announce the cast of CABARET to open at the Athenaeum Theatre this summer!

Dates: July 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21

Tickets and info 317/280-0825

Emcee: Jason Johnson
Cliff: Ben Tebbe
Sally: Claire Wilcher
Fraulein Schneider: Miki Mathioudakis
Herr Schultz: David Mosedale
Fraulein Kost: Raena Goldberg
Ernst Ludwig: Paul Nicely
Bobby: Lincoln Slentz
Victor: Scott Hainey
Kit Kat Girls: Jenee Michelle, Erin Lamb, Kimmy Icenogle, Tori Gowdy, Amy Biddle Owens, and Carrie Neal
Kit Kat Boys: Michael Halliburton, TJ Wilson, and 1 TBD

Bring two pair of socks because we’re going to be knocking them off!!!

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BOBDIREX closes 2011 in the BLACK!

BOBDIREX finished out 2011 with a smile. Once again we were able to close the books without using any red ink. We produced Disney’s Camp Rock and an original musical revue, Boogie Woogie Holidays. Both productions were very successful. In fact, Tom Alvarez with Examiner.com named me as one of the Indianapolis “ten most compelling performing-arts people in 2011.”

This year two productions will be mounted at the historic Athenaeum Theatre; Cabaret, inspired by the 1998 Broadway revival and Country Christmas, an original combination of Holiday music and hits from the world of Country Western music. Both productions will continue to be approached from a professional point of view with guidance in using currant skills toward a continuing career. Both productions will offer compensation to all who participate.

Cabaret is most important this year as we will present an edgier production emphasizing the Santayana quote, “Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.” This musical attempted to be about more than just singing and dancing. We want us all to remember the catastrophic events that shaped our world. All hires will be from the Indianapolis area. The budgets for the two shows will be close to $45,000. These budgets have to cover theatre rentals, royalties, supplies and salaries for over 50 people. There is no paid staff. That’s why your help is so necessary to the continuation of BOBDIREX and what we can offer our community.

I hope I can count on you in 2012. The message of Cabaret must be remembered and honored.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,

Bob Harbin

(Natasha Richardson & the Kit Kat Girls in ‘Cabaret’; Photo Credit: Joan Marcus, 1998) 

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