Ms. Billy Porter joins CABARET and box office drops

[Ali Gator]

Ms. Billy Porter began his three month run as the 'Emcee' in the current revival of CABARET last week, and the box office dropped nearly in half. The musical, which has a weekly cost of just over $500K, saw the box office drop from $1,166,265 the week prior - the last week country crooner Orville Peck was in the role  - to $648,886 for Porter's first week. (Marsha Wallace also joined the show as Sally, but Porter's name was supposed to be the big draw.) This was the lowest grossing week for the current revival since opening on April 21, 2024, with actor Eddie Redmayne as the 'Emcee'.  ( Adam Lambert and Peck succeeded him in that order.)

The show is scheduled to close on October 19, but many speculate if ticket sales don't improve with Porter in the role, it my be 'au revoir' to CABARET long before the announced closing date. 

[pleasureseeker]

Wish I'd seen it with Adam Lambert, I have the feeling he was the best emcee in this sorry production. Couldn't stand Eddie Redmayne and Ato Blankson couldn't act his way out of a hat and Bebe Neuwirth was just too sad to comment on. Great sets though!

[skynyc]

HATED Redmayne...blamed the direction. Missed Lambert because I was afraid it would be the same. Then friends saw Peck and raved and so I went back. And yes, he was terrific...an entirely different show. No interest in Porter. 

For the sake of the working cast/crew, I hope it lasts through October. 

[Ali Gator]

I have not seen the show, nor will I be seeing it. However, from what's been reported on multiple sites, Peck is the winner as far as best emcee. He was a surprising choice, yet a very successful one. They should have pulled the plug when he left a couple of weeks ago, and ended on a high note.  But they didn't - they  decided to gamble with Porter, and this is what they got. A box office falling like a rock.

 

[+ jeezopete]

On 8/3/2025 at 12:32 AM, Ali Gator said:

Marsha Wallace also joined the show as Sally, but Porter's name was supposed to be the big draw.

LOL, my first thought was the receptionist on The Bob Newhart Show. I was pretty sure she passed away quite a few years ago & would've been waaaay too old to play Sally anyway. So, I googled "Marsha Wallace" & she was the first result, but with the spelling "Marcia". When I added "Cabaret" to my search, I found Marisha Wallace.

Anyway, it gave me a good chuckle on a Saturday night. 😄

The Wallaces:

 

      Marcia                  

 

Marisha   

[Ali Gator]

The box office continues in its free-fall. All bets are on that it closes by Labor Day.  Marisha is not happy about how this is going, according to her social media, and wants everyone to go and see the show, rather than wish it ends prematurely.

Sorry Marisha - it's awful, and you can thank Ms. Porter. 

[Ali Gator]

The increasingly complex Billy Porter “Cabaret” controversy, explained

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