EntertainmentPosted at: Sep 8 2025 8:14PM


Billy Porter withdraws from Broadway's 'Cabaret' amid sepsis diagnosis

New York, Sept 8 (UNI) Broadway's "Cabaret" revival has suffered a double blow, as its celebrated lead, Billy Porter, has been sidelined by a "serious case of sepsis," and the production will now shutter nearly a month ahead of schedule.
Sepsis, the condition prompting Porter's withdrawal, occurs when the body's immune response to infection spirals out of control, attacking its own organs and tissues. Symptoms can be similar to those of flu and include severe breathlessness and a high fever, reports BBC.
The 55-year-old actor and singer, decorated with both Tony and Emmy awards, had been embodying the enigmatic Emcee since July.
Doctors are confident that the US actor, who has been playing the Emcee in the show since July, will make "a full recovery", a statement said.
The production will now conclude on September 21, nearly a month ahead of schedule. "Come hear the music play. Final performance September 21," a post said on social media.
"Due to a serious case of sepsis, Billy Porter must also withdraw from the production. His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule."
This immersive production of the classic musical, which transforms the theatre into the Kit Kat Club in 1930s Berlin, was launched in London's West End in 2021 with Eddie Redmayne as the Emcee and Jessie Buckley as Sally Bowles.
It won rave reviews from critics and seven Olivier Awards in the UK.
The show transferred to Broadway in April 2024, again with Redmayne leading the cast. But it was met with a more muted reception from US critics, with the New York Times calling it "a misguided attempt to resuscitate the show" while also conceding it was "buzzy".
A string of actors have since taken the role of the Emcee, including Adam Lambert, Orville Peck and Porter.
But ticket sales have struggled since Redmayne's departure and have been "unsustainably low" in recent months, the New York Times reported.
The show's weekly takings peaked at $2m (£1.5m) in May 2024, but were $505,000 (£375,000) for the last week of August 2025, the paper reported.
Ticket prices for the remainder of the run range from $55 (£40) to $450 (£333).
Marty Lauter and David Merino will share the Emcee role at New York's August Wilson Theatre until closing night.
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