How does one of the region’s, if not the nation’s, most established repertory theaters stamp their mark on the new year? By reinvigorating audiences through shedding new light on old favorites. For all the highlights across Asolo Repertory Theatre’s 2022-23 season, one stands out in particular: Cabaret. In fact, the season’s motto, “In here, life is beautiful” is a direct quote from the musical. “It’s the flagship production of the season. It’s been such a rough two years with the pandemic, war in Ukraine, climate crisis, that we found it really inspiring to think about a story where people came together in a really fraught time in their history to survive, make art, and embrace joy where they could,” says Associate Artistic Director Celine Rosenthal.  Directing Cabaret is Josh Rhodes, who has previously worked with the company in the past. “What Josh always does which is so brilliant is that he really goes back to the text, reinterrogates it and thinks about it with the designers and the creative team, and thinks about how it resonates with us today.  He’s really wonderful and works with artists who excel at taking the larger themes and metaphors of a piece and building them to a size that fills the Asolo theater and has a beautiful aesthetic resonance to the story,” 

Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, 941.351.8000, 800.361.8388. .asolorep.org.