Director David DaCosta knew that if he were to produce “Cabaret,” it had to be with Molly Choate as the Emcee.

The only problem was that Choate had relocated to Minnesota after living and acting in Bend for two years.

So DaCosta took a shot in the dark and messaged Choate to ask if she would act in Thoroughly Modern Production’s (TMP) “Cabaret,” which runs for eight performances and two weekends, starting Friday, at the Tower Theatre.

Her response was a resounding yes.

Casting the Emcee

Choate said she has acted in more male or non-human roles than female parts. Her breakout role was in “Cats,” followed by a male character in “Newsies” and Mrs. Phelps in “Matilda the Musical,” all produced by TMP. Also on her resume is leading the teen theater program and appearing as the waiter in “She Loves Me” at Cascades Theatrical Company.

Choate is drawn to roles where it feels like she’s on the outside looking in.

“I like roles that I can break the fourth wall and talk to the audience in a way that’s like, let me bring you into the story, let me involve you no matter how uncomfortable it might make you,” she said.

Choate’s nontraditional characters have granted her the experience to excel as a physical performer.

On casting the Emcee, DaCosta said, “You need somebody who speaks volumes with their face and their body in addition to their voice and their singing. It was just an absolute no-brainer to try to get Molly.”

“Cabaret” plays out at the twilight of the Jazz Age in the seedy Kit Kat Klub in 1929 and 1930 Berlin. The Emcee’s role as a voyeuristic narrator is to reveal the absurd reality inside the nightclub and outside of it during the Nazi rise to power.

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Timeless messaging

“Cabaret” is a departure for TMP, which often focuses on family-friendly content and Disney classics. The company has been working up to a four-show season for years and achieved its goal last season with “Chicago,” its first strictly adult show.

The subject matter of “Cabaret” is enduring, touching on issues that have plagued humans since time immemorial.

“It’s a story for the ages,” Dacosta said, who places it in his top five favorite musicals.

Pull Quote

“Even though we may not agree with the way that some of the individuals wind up surviving, it’s human nature to want to survive (and) do what you need to survive.”

— David DaCosta

DaCosta formerly acted in “Cabaret,” and has an affinity for the World War II era. He has taken a historical approach to directing the show, especially compared to other recent theatrical versions.

Due to the depth of the characters, he classifies the production as more of a “play with music” than a musical.

“It’s messaging that we can’t forget. And it holds a pretty special place in my heart,” Dacosta said about the show created with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

When the curtains close at the end of “Cabaret,” there is no happy ending.

The show’s messaging is one of survivorship, DaCosta said. It’s about the choices the characters make in the midst of a hopeless situation.

“Even though we may not agree with the way that some of the individuals wind up surviving, it’s human nature to want to survive (and) do what you need to survive, he said.

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The mirror motif

The Broadway musical’s first production in 1966 featured a gigantic mirror on set. It was aimed at the crowd for the purpose of inviting audience members to reexamine themselves.

DaCosta pays homage to the mirror motif in the upcoming show. A 10-by-20-foot distorted mirror will hang above the cabaret, pointed at the faces looking on from the audience and asking spectators of the Tower Theatre show to do the same.

“The story itself is really a reflection of ourselves,” DaCosta said.

If You Go

What: “Cabaret”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-16 and 2 p.m. Nov. 16

Where: Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend

Cost: $41.50-$61.50 (includes historic preservation fee)

Contact: towertheatre.org/events or 541-317-0700