This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOC advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers.
When people hear the name Columbus Children’s Theatre, they may picture matinees, summer camps, and first trips to the stage. But this season, CCT is inviting Columbus audiences to see a fuller picture of who they are and what they do through their bold and expanding Professional Series, led this spring by the iconic musical Cabaret.
The Professional Series exists alongside CCT’s wide-ranging youth programming, serving as a space for sophisticated storytelling, artistic risk, and professional-level performance. Cabaret is a powerful example of that mission in action. Designed for teen and adult audiences, this production highlights CCT’s commitment to producing work that challenges, provokes, and resonates across generations.
Set in 1930s Berlin, Cabaret unfolds inside the Kit Kat Club, where performers distract audiences from the political unrest growing just beyond the club’s walls. As American writer Cliff Bradshaw falls for the magnetic Sally Bowles, and the Emcee seduces the audience with wit and spectacle, the show reveals how easily joy and denial can mask the rise of something far more dangerous. With music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Cabaret remains one of musical theatre’s most relevant and unsettling works.
So why Cabaret, and why now? For CCT, this moment represents a turning point. As CCT continues to grow its identity within Columbus’ professional arts ecosystem, the Professional Series is an intentional investment in the kind of work that speaks to older teens, adults, and artists seeking meaningful, high-caliber theatre. Cabaret, a show that confronts history, examines complacency, and asks audiences to stay awake to the world around them, mirrors CCT’s belief that theatre should spark conversation, not just applause.
By programming Cabaret now, CCT affirms that its mission doesn’t end when audiences age out of youth programming. Instead, it evolves with them. The Professional Series creates a bridge between education and artistry, offering audiences the chance to engage with challenging material while reinforcing the idea that theatre is a lifelong relationship.
This dual mission of nurturing young artists while producing bold professional work sets CCT apart in the local arts landscape. Cabaret stands as both an artistic milestone and a statement of intent: CCT is here to serve its community at every stage, with theatre that reflects the complexity of the world we live in.
Cabaret is recommended for ages 13 and up and runs for a limited engagement. Whether you’re a longtime theatre lover or discovering Columbus Children’s Theatre beyond its children’s programming for the first time, this production offers a compelling invitation to see what the Professional Series is all about.
Catch Cabaret live at the Riffe Center, Studio 2 from February 20 through March 1 and don’t be surprised when you’re already planning your next visit before the curtain closes.
Cabaret
77 S. High Street, Columbus OH
February 20 – March 1, 2026
This article is a paid promotion sponsored by an SOC advertiser and designed to share valuable info with our readers.
