{Storm Large as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. photo by Owen Carey}

Cabaret opened at Geva Theatre in Rochester, NY this past weekend, and so far, the public and critical response has been nothing short of, well, phenomenal. For starters, we’re told (but we don’t have pictures of this yet) that those “polar bear” Rochesterians came out and lined up with lawn chairs, in sub-freezing weather, just waiting for the box office to open on the day Cabaret tickets went on sale.

Playbill.com has a listing complete with a “Mature” Show advisory and this description…”A sleek and sexy production of one of America’s classic musicals…not recommended for viewers under 16.”

The preview written by Stuart Low for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle literally dominated the cover of their Arts section and gave those few in the chilly Northeast who still weren’t altogether sure about “this whole Cabaret thing from Portland, Oregon” the straight dope about Storm, Storm and Chris Coleman and of course about the play itself and what a sizzling, sexy production it promised to be.

Marcia Morphy wrote the review for the same paper. We found it online yesterday (so did the Oregonian’s own Barry Johnson) and boy howdy! Let’s just cut to the chase, when a review starts out “Move over, Liza” and ends with the proverbial “Don’t miss it,” something is going pretty doggone good! Rochester has practically adopted not only Storm Large, but the entire cast and creative team of Cabaret. You really have to read this review…I read it three times looking for any remote semblance of a reference to a “hairy arm”…it ain’t there, baby!

{Wade McCollum and the Kit Kat boys and girls in Cabaret. photo by Owen Carey}

Just in case you’re leery of links…here’s the juice.

“Geva’s production, directed by Chris Coleman, is pitch-perfect in set design (G.W. Mercier), lighting (Daniel Ordower), costumes (Jeff Cone) and music (Don Kot). And the performers match their talents, from the seductive, come-hither approach of Millhollen, the guy-next-door sweetness of Fruge and the banal-turned-evil transformation of Rollison, to the touching and emotionally ignited sparks between Mariana and Mathews.”

“Like a traffic jam, all the characters seemed to come to a standstill through the eerie machinations of McCollum, who truly is an exemplary master of ceremonies and omnipresent Man Du Jour. He has it all. The charm, the wit, the sneaky chameleon-like personality that made me wonder: Was he laughing with us or at us?”

What can we say? Sometimes modesty is just plain silly. We tip our hat to our Artistic Director, Chris Coleman…way to go, bro. We’re sending a BIG transcontinental THANK YOU to the entire cast that made this production SO amazing and an equally robust embrace of appreciation to the brilliant designers, tireless scene and costume shop workers and a HUGE BEAR HUG to the Portland community for rallying around what became the most successful show in our history, so far. Storm and Wade we’re sending you two extra special wishes for whatever makes your lives beautiful, inside and out!