The legendary musical “Cabaret” was born out of a little-known Broadway bomb starring Liza Minnelli.
Composer John Kander says the genesis of his 1966 smash, “Cabaret,” with lyricist Fred Ebb, began when another of Kander and Ebb’s early shows — “Flora the Red Menace” — was opening on Broadway.
Kander says in an interview to coincide with a Town Hall celebration of his work with Ebb, we’re told: “I really believe that legendary [producer and director] Hal Prince is responsible for Kander and Ebb. A week before our show ‘Flora The Red Menace’ opened, starring Liza Minnelli, Hal told me and Fred Ebb to come over the day after opening so we could start our next project together.”
Kander, 94, continued, “This was even before reviews came out, and not knowing if it would be a hit. ‘Flora’ didn’t end up being a hit, but the day after we were in Hal Prince’s apartment starting on a project that would be ‘Cabaret.'”
“Flora the Red Menace,” Minnelli’s debut Broadway role, lasted onstage for just 87 performances. The New York Times wrote at the time that the show, “has the appearance of being pasted together with bits and pieces.” And, “The voice [of Minnelli] is not yet distinctive… She is going to be a popular singer.”
Even though the show didn’t set the world on fire — Minnelli still won a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her role.
“Cabaret” then debuted a year later and was a box office hit, running for 1,165 performances. Minnelli wound up famously starring in the 1972 film version. Kander and Ebb later went on to create hits including “Chicago” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”
The Town Hall will present “Broadway By The Year: The Kander and Ebb Years” virtually on May 10, celebrating the music of the duo.
The Town Hall’s 2021 on-demand season is created, written, and hosted by Scott Siegel with pianist and musical director Ross Patterson.