Character guide
The Emcee
from Cabaret
The Emcee is the sly, unsettling host of the Kit Kat Klub in Cabaret, a figure who narrates and comments on the decadence of Weimar era Berlin.
- Show
- Cabaret
- Broadway premiere
- 1966
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- John Kander
The Emcee on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1972 Bob Fosse film
Joel Grey won both a Tony Award and an Oscar for the Emcee: he originated the role on Broadway in 1966, initially just fifth-billed, winning the Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as the Master of Ceremonies in Bob Fosse's 1972 film.
Fosse's film reshaped the musical around the Kit Kat Klub: nearly every number is performed as an actual club act rather than sung by characters to express their feelings. On stage, later revivals reinvented him, with Alan Cumming in the 1998 Broadway revival and Eddie Redmayne in the 2021 London and 2024 Broadway Kit Kat Club production.
Who is The Emcee?
The Emcee presides over the Kit Kat Klub, the seedy nightclub at the heart of Cabaret, greeting the audience directly and framing the show's musical numbers with sly, knowing commentary. He exists partly outside the main story of Sally Bowles and Cliff, functioning as a kind of guide and mirror to the moral decay of the era.
As the show progresses and the political climate in Germany darkens, the Emcee's playful, seductive persona takes on a more sinister edge, reflecting the growing menace of the world just outside the club's doors.
Playing The Emcee on stage
The Emcee is a supporting role in terms of plot, but he is one of musical theatre's most iconic and demanding parts. It calls for a performer who can command a room, sing and move with theatrical flair, and shift convincingly from charming to chilling, often within a single number.
Because the role is so stylized and open to interpretation, it has become a favorite for actors who want to leave their own mark on a character, and different productions have found strikingly different shades of humor, menace, and vulnerability within it.
The Emcee: frequently asked questions
What show is The Emcee from?
The Emcee is the host figure in Cabaret, the 1966 musical with music by John Kander.
Is The Emcee a lead or supporting role?
The Emcee is technically a supporting role, but it is one of the show's most prominent and celebrated parts.
What is The Emcee's function in Cabaret?
He hosts the Kit Kat Klub and narrates the show, framing its musical numbers and reflecting the era's changing mood.
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