Are there troubles here, even though you’re supposed to leave them outside? The Broadway revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is ending its run almost a month early amid health struggles for its star and a lawsuit that questions what the production has been doing with its money. James Lorenzo Walker Jr., who invested $50,000 in the musical, sued the producers of Cabaret for fraud on August 29, alleging that they are responsible “for a deliberate scheme intended to strip him and other investors of their investments.” The complaint, which was filed in the New York Supreme Court, alleges that Walker has “not received a return of his investment or a share of profits,” despite the revival grossing more than $90 million since opening in April 2024. But Cabaret says that it simply doesn’t have the funds.
“While we are incredibly proud of the artistic success of CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB on Broadway and deeply saddened by the fact it has had to close early, the production has not been in a position fiscally to make any distribution to investors,” the producers said in a September 8 statement to Vulture. “We’ve offered to engage in a constructive dialogue with Mr. Walker regarding his financial expectations and to give him access to our accounts, but unfortunately, he has instead decided to file a lawsuit that lacks any merit.” (Walker claims in his suit that he was denied access to such records.)
Weekly grosses of director Rebecca Frecknall’s take on Cabaret peaked at $2 million in May 2024 when Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin were starring, but dropped to $505,142 during the last week of this August, according to the New York Times. Ticket sales reportedly slumped when Billy Porter and Marisha Wallace, who previously led an ongoing West End production of the show, took over the leading roles.
The Broadway production is now set to close at a loss — and without its latest leading man: Porter is “recovering from a serious case of sepsis,” the production announced on September 7. The EGT-winning actor’s doctors “are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule these next couple of weeks,” a Sunday press release said. Audiences won’t have the chance to see Porter as Emcee at the August Wilson Theatre after he gets better, though, because Cabaret shared the news of his illness alongside confirmation that the doors to the Kit Kat Club are now closing on September 21 instead of on October 19. Alternates Marty Lauter (a.k.a. Drag Race queen Marcia Marcia Marcia) and David Merino will fill in for Porter until the musical says “Willkommen” to audiences for the last time after 18 previews and 592 regular performances.
Related
