Actor Price Waldman Experiences Medical Emergency on Stage During Cabaret Performance
Actor Price Waldman, who was performing in the role of Herr Schultz in the Broadway production of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, experienced a medical emergency during a performance on Friday, September 12. The incident occurred during Act 1 of the show, forcing the production to pause for nearly 30 minutes before resuming with Colin Cunliffe stepping in as Herr Schultz.
The event took place more than 20 minutes into the performance, during the scene leading up to the number “Don’t Tell Mama.” A stage manager escorted Waldman off the stage, and the house lights were turned on as audience members were asked to remain seated. The bar was also closed during this time.
Waldman was taken via ambulance to a local hospital, where he was treated and is reported to be “doing okay.” Theatergoers were informed that he was “conscious” and “responsive” when he was taken away. However, no official diagnosis was released at the time. The production team has not yet provided further details or comments on the incident.
After the brief interruption, the show continued with Colin Cunliffe taking over the role of Herr Schultz. Audience members gave a standing ovation when Cunliffe made his bow, and the applause grew even louder during his curtain call.
This is the second time this month that Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club has made headlines due to an actor’s health. On September 7, it was revealed that Billy Porter, who had been playing the role of the Emcee, had withdrawn from the production after being diagnosed with sepsis, a life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to an infection. Porter had previously played the role in the London production and was scheduled to continue until October 19.
Porter’s exit led producers to make the difficult decision to close the show early. The musical, which began its run in April 2024, will conclude its final performances on Sunday, September 21, at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City. This includes 18 preview performances and 592 regular shows.
For the remaining performances, the role of the Emcee will be shared among Marty Lauter and David Merino, the production’s longtime alternates. Marisha Wallace, who joined the cast alongside Porter in July as Sally Bowles, will continue with the show through its closing.
Background of Cabaret
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play I Am a Camera, which itself was adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin. The musical, with a book by Joe Masteroff, follows the story of fictional American writer Clifford Bradshaw as he moves to Berlin during the rise of the Nazi party. His observations of the eccentric characters at the Kit Kat Club, including the mysterious Emcee and the British singer Sally Bowles, form the basis of both the musical and his future novel.
The score features iconic songs such as “Willkommen,” “Don’t Tell Mamma,” “Mein Herr,” “Two Ladies,” “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” “Money,” “Maybe This Time,” and “Cabaret.” The musical first premiered on Broadway in 1966 and was later adapted into the 1972 film Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli as Sally Bowles. It has since been revived on Broadway in 1998 and 2014, with Alan Cumming in the role of the Emcee.
This latest revival, which originally opened in London, began its Broadway run with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin in the title roles. Both actors received Tony nominations for their performances. After Redmayne and Rankin exited the production in September 2024, they were replaced by a new cast, including Adam Lambert and Auli’i Cravalho, as well as Orville Peck and Eva Noblezada.
Tickets for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club are now available for purchase.
