Nathaniel Bacon applies his brazen sexual attitude to Cabaret

23 Mar 2025. by Drew Rowsome -Photos courtesy of Nathaniel Bacon

"I've literally never done a show that felt as timely and relevant as this one does right now," says Nathaniel Bacon (My Little Brony, Shakespeare's Criminal, Saving Hope, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Songs and Screams, Songs and Screams 2, My Dinner with Casey Donovan, St Francis of Millbrook, Sherlock and Watson: Behind Closed Doors, Bent, Queer Idol) of his role as the Emcee in Cabaret. "And the fact that such an old play is once again so very topical says very scary things about the times we are living in. We are aiming to entertain but most importantly to leave audiences thinking. We want them to leave with the questions: What is today's Cabaret? What is attempting to distract us from danger, from evil? What is making us complicit?"

Cabaret is an iconic musical and the film version, including some near definitive performances, is familiar to most. Bacon is aware that there may be expectations. "The film is quite different from the stage play in a number of ways and our production is taking some of it's own liberties on top of that. While the loose narrative is similar, the presentation is all it's own and the way our director Jeremy Hutton [West Side Story, Peter and the Starcatcher, Into the Woods, Cabaret]  has staged it is quite imaginative. Our choreographer Adam Sergison has a strong personal style that really stands on its own while giving a clear tip of the hat to Fosse's towering influence." But he is forging a slightly different path of his own. "I think it's important to know the history of the show and it's cultural relevance. But I don't think it helps to compare yourself to previous actors' incarnations. There are certain elements you need to nail. But every actor is different and I think the key to a great performance is knowing the material and knowing how you can bring your own strengths in to serve it."

He says bluntly, "I don't physically resemble Joel Grey at all, so I don't look like the Emcee most people imagine. But I feel pretty at home in his personality. It's more of a challenge to channel the energy necessary to embody him physically with my 225 lb frame. Our version of the Emcee is a little more present in the story than in the traditional version. Small aspects of the script have been cleverly tweaked to give him a stronger presence within the narrative and we're taking a pretty bold stance, which I don't want to spoil, with our production. I'm trying not to be influenced by other interpretations. I'm keeping it uniquely my own and have intentionally avoided watching other iterations. Joel Grey's iconic performance lives in my memory but I did not want his character fresh in my mind. I wanted to find it my own way without getting trapped in imitation."

It can be difficult to create under a long shadow. "I think Liza is such a pop culture icon that she is synonymous with this show in a lot of ways," says Bacon. "Amanda Milligan plays our Sally Bowles. She's absolutely fabulous. We have been friends since we played Frank-N-Furter and Janet in Rocky Horror together several years ago. I'm thrilled to be doing this show with her. Our Sally has all the elements you need for the character, but she's also quite different from Liza, visually and vocally. I think our interpretations of the characters stand on their own. It feels like a very special cast we have on this one. Our team has worked hard to recognize and utilize our strengths. I'm a great mover but not a genuine dancer, but we have an insanely talented group of dancers around me who are astonishing. I've worked hard to bring my best and I hope it shines through."

Bacon could easily be typecast in beefcake roles but he prefers a challenge like the Emcee. "This character requires a huge amount of energy and dedication in order to pop like he needs to. He's a highly intelligent character but also largely ambiguous on the page. It's very much up to the individual performer and team to interpret him. He's partially defined by subtext rather than the actual words he's saying. So I've been focusing a lot on ways to tell a story without words." And much of the Emcee's ambiguity is sexualized, something Bacon has experience with. "I think my tendency to be cast in sexual roles is mostly just due to my brazen attitude," says Bacon, ignoring his natural pulchritude. "I don't feel awkward being nude or sexual in a performance, so my comfort in those situations tends to give me an edge. My casting as the Emcee was connected to my performances in Hedwig and Rocky Horror. Joseph Patrick produced both of those shows and thought of me for this role. The Emcee is a highly sexual, charismatic person who uses his power to his advantage. He knows what he is and what his strengths are and has zero reservations about exploiting them." That, minus the exploitation, makes Bacon a remarkable fit for the role.

Despite all the hard work, Bacon is enjoying embodying the Emcee. "This show is full of brilliant songs and fantastic numbers," he says. "At the moment, I'm having a tremendous amount of fun with "Two Ladies.' It's just funny and sexy and wild. And I'm particularly proud of our finale . . . Though I'll give away no spoilers here.