Ph.D. candidate and dramaturg Georgia Beckmann reflects on the true history of the Weimar Republic at the center of Cabaret, and the questions the show continues to ask of its audiences. 

Part of what makes Cabaret so compelling is that while it is allegorical in nature, this iconic musical is also rooted in real people and real histories. Cabaret is based on a play, which is based on the auto-fictional writings of Christopher Isherwood, a gay English author who lived in Berlin, Germany from 1929 to 1933. From a first-hand yet culturally-removed vantage point, Isherwood witnessed the fall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi dictatorship. Though fictionalized, Cabaret is shrouded in truth: its characters are inspired by real people, its plot touches on real events and its structural premise of a cabaret show represents the vibrant queer nightlife of Weimar Berlin.

Continue Reading The Many Histories of Cabaret: A Dramaturg’s Process

Texas Theatre and Dance is thrilled to present Cabaret, a daring musical which expertly intertwines exciting musical numbers with compelling character narratives and social commentary. Set in a seedy nightclub in Berlin under the declining Weimar Republic, Cabaret explores the dangers of complacency, centering on a group of characters and what they do, and don’t do, amidst the rise of fascism. Under the direction of M.F.A. candidate Rodolfo Robles Cruz, this production comes to the B. Iden Payne Theatre October 30-November 9, 2025. Meet the incredible cast and creative team of Cabaret, part of Texas Theatre and Dance’s 2025/2026 Season.

Continue Reading Meet the Cast of CABARET

Texas Theatre and Dance is excited to present This Girls Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, Finegan Kruckemeyer’s fantastical fable of three sisters whose bond withstands the ever-changing world around them. Coming to the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre October 9-18, 2025 and to K-12 schools across Central Texas October 28-December 2, 2025, this story follows a family transformed by grief, happiness, extraordinary adventures and the experience of growing up. Under the direction of faculty member Joshua Rashon Streeter and M.F.A. candidate Ishu, this production is sure to delight audiences young and old. Meet the amazing company collaborating on This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing, kicking off Texas Theatre and Dance’s 2025/2026 Season.

Continue Reading Meet the Cast of THIS GIRL CRIES, THIS GIRL LAUGHS, THIS GIRL DOES NOTHING