Cabaret at Kit Kat Club Ends Run Early as Billy Porter Withdraws

The Broadway revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club will end its run early on Sept. 21 after star Billy Porter withdrew from the production while recovering from a serious case of sepsis, producers announced Sunday. Porter, who had been playing the Emcee, was advised by doctors to rest; producers said physicians are confident he will make a full recovery.

"It is with a heavy heart that we have made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on September 21," producer Adam Speers said in a statement on behalf of the show's producers. Speers praised Porter as "an extraordinary Emcee" and invited audiences to return to see Marisha Wallace as Sally Bowles alongside the alternates who will cover the role in the production's final weeks. Marty Lauter and David Merino, the show's two Emcee alternates, will rotate into the role for the remaining performances, with an exact schedule to be posted on the show's social media channels, producers said.

Porter, a 55 year old Tony Award winner, and Wallace began their Broadway engagements on July 22 after headlining the show's West End run. The revival opened on Broadway in April 2024, initially starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, and...