“Cabaret” is a musical that follows an American writer in Berlin during the rise of the Nazi party and fascism. Over the years, it has been performed over 1,000 times on Broadway alone and has been revived three times since its debut on Broadway in 1966. Recently on TikTok, the musical has been gaining popularity again thanks to Molodyy Theatre, a Ukraine production company.
One stand-out feature of their production is the costume design and unique makeup style, specifically for Emcee, played by Ilya Choporov. Choporov has been acting since he was a child, finding the talent to come naturally and realizing he wanted to dedicate his life to the art. He graduated from the Kyiv National University of Theater, Film and Television in 2020.
“What I enjoy most is the opportunity to not just be myself. I love the process of working on a role and transforming on stage,” said Choporov. “My advice to aspiring actors is to never be afraid and always be honest. Never stop learning and continuously expand your artistic experience any chance you can.”
The spotlight on this show started when a clip of the theater’s production was posted to TikTok, specifically of Choporov preforming the opening number. People were quick to compliment the unique styles incorporated into the scene as well as his performance as a whole, and from there, more clips were posted and that began the trend.
“My life hasn’t changed significantly due to the popularity, but knowing that I can share the art of theater with a larger audience warms my heart,” he said.
During this time, sharing that art and perspective is very important, especially for those in Ukraine. In 2022, a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia began. The war is still ongoing, with more than one million Russian and Ukrainians having lost their lives.
“At the beginning of the war with Russia, we stopped working because we didn’t know if Kyiv would withstand. But as soon as the troops retreated from the capital, we understood that our mission is to bring art to people and promote our culture. Even now, it’s not easy, as we often have to pause or cancel performances due to air raid alerts,” Choporov said.
There is a certain irony in the performance of Emcee going viral. Typically in the musical his role is to distract the audience and offer a wittier commentary on the rise of Nazism. Many people, having seen the clips only from the Emcee’s performance, have failed to connect the message of the musical to the terror happening in Ukraine currently, distracted by the fun performance and facade that Emcee provides. Some have even stated that they would love to go to the country to catch a showing of the performance. The people unfamiliar with the musical are shocked to learn the true plot of the musical after only seeing a few clips of the over-the-top and lively Emcee. Once again, the Emcee is fulfilling his role by offering a distraction from the ongoing crisis of a nation. But, Illya and the theater company do things a little differently.
“In our interpretation, the Emcee doesn’t distract from the events happening around the characters. Instead, he provides ironic commentary, as if he exists outside of space and time. I love our production because it mocks apathy and disengagement from social events,” he said.
While going to Ukraine to see the performance may not be feasible, you can see clips from the performance on the theater’s TikTok page (@molodyytheatre) and Ilya’s (@i.choporov). Additionally, you can support the production by staying informed about the ongoing state of the war and listening to Ukrainian people share their experiences, stories, and work.
