Cabaret (musical) Cabaret (musical) Cabaret is a 1966 musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Joe Masteroff, based on John Van Druten's 1951 play "I Am a Camera", which was adapted from the short novel "Goodbye to Berlin" (1939) by Christopher Isherwood. Set in 1931 Berlin as the Nazis are rising to power, it focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, and revolves around young American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his relationship with English cabaret performer Sally Bowles. A sub-plot involves the doomed romance between German boarding house owner Fräulein Schneider and her
Cabaret burlesque, drag shows, or a solo vocalist with a pianist, as well as the venues which offer this entertainment, are often advertised as cabarets. The first known use of the word "cabaret" was in 1655. It is may be derived from the Middle Dutch "cambret", itself probably derived from an earlier form of "chambrette", little room, or from the Norman French "chamber" meaning tavern, itself derived from the Late Latin word "camera" meaning an arched roof. The word "cabaret" came to mean "a restaurant or night club" by 1912. The word "cabaret" was originally Flemish (and possibly Picard before that).