Chicago vs Cabaret: Kander & Ebb’s Two Classics Compared

Composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb were one of the great songwriting partnerships in musical theater. Their two best-known shows, Cabaret and Chicago, share a lot: sharp, jazzy scores, morally complicated characters, nightclub settings and a sense that the performance itself is commenting on the world outside. Both became famous films too.

But the two shows feel very different. One is a dark satire of fame and the American justice system; the other is a haunting portrait of a society sliding toward catastrophe. This guide compares them so you can decide which to see first, or appreciate both more.

The Basics

Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1966, with a book by Joe Masteroff. It’s based on John Van Druten’s play I Am a Camera, which in turn drew on Christopher Isherwood’s stories about Berlin. It is set in Berlin around 1929 to 1930, as the Nazis rise to power.

Chicago opened on Broadway in 1975, with a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, who also directed and choreographed the original production. It’s based on Maurine Dallas Watkins’s 1926 play about real murder cases in 1920s Chicago. A 1996 Broadway revival, inspired by a concert staging, reintroduced the show to a new generation.

Story

Cabaret follows Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer who arrives in Berlin and meets Sally Bowles, a performer at the seedy Kit Kat Klub. Around them, the city’s politics darken. A subplot follows Fräulein Schneider, Cliff’s landlady, and Herr Schultz, a Jewish fruit seller, whose gentle romance faces growing danger. Presiding over it all is the Emcee, the club’s master of ceremonies.

Chicago follows Roxie Hart, a chorus girl who murders her lover and becomes a media sensation in jail. She competes with Velma Kelly, a vaudeville star also charged with murder, for the attention of the press and of Billy Flynn, a slick lawyer who can win any case for the right price.

Tone

Cabaret begins as playful and decadent, then grows increasingly unsettling. Its message is serious: people distracted by pleasure and personal problems fail to see the danger growing around them. It’s known for its powerful, often chilling ending.

Chicago is a satire, cynical and very funny. It mocks the way celebrity, media and the justice system can turn criminals into stars. It’s darkly comic rather than tragic.

If you want: something thought-provoking and haunting, choose Cabaret. If you want sharp comedy with dazzling dance, choose Chicago.

Music

Both scores are pure Kander and Ebb: catchy, witty and steeped in the styles of the era.

Cabaret’s songs include “Willkommen,” “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Perfectly Marvelous,” “Two Ladies,” “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” “If You Could See Her” and the title song, “Cabaret.” Some songs added for the 1972 film, including “Maybe This Time” and “Mein Herr,” have since been folded into later stage productions.

Chicago’s songs include “All That Jazz,” “Cell Block Tango,” “When You’re Good to Mama,” “All I Care About,” “We Both Reached for the Gun,” “Roxie,” “Mister Cellophane,” “Razzle Dazzle” and “Nowadays.” It’s styled like a vaudeville show, with numbers introduced almost like acts.

For more on Chicago’s songs and history, see our Chicago the musical complete fan guide.

Style and Staging

Cabaret uses the Kit Kat Klub as a frame. The club numbers comment on the story, and the Emcee acts as a sinister narrator. Many productions turn the theater into a club, with audiences seated at tables.

Chicago is staged as a vaudeville performance. In the long-running 1996 revival, the band sits on stage, costumes are mostly black, and the production is minimal, putting the focus on Bob Fosse-style choreography. Ann Reinking choreographed that revival “in the style of Bob Fosse.”

Characters

Cabaret’s key characters:
– The Emcee, the mysterious host of the Kit Kat Klub.
– Sally Bowles, a performer who refuses to see the world changing.
– Cliff Bradshaw, the American writer.
– Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz, an older couple whose romance is threatened.
– Ernst Ludwig, a friendly German whose true allegiance becomes clear.
– Fräulein Kost, a tenant in Schneider’s boarding house.

Chicago’s key characters:
– Roxie Hart, an ambitious woman who wants fame at any cost.
– Velma Kelly, a vaudeville star and Roxie’s rival.
– Billy Flynn, a smooth celebrity lawyer.
– Amos Hart, Roxie’s overlooked husband.
– Matron “Mama” Morton, who runs the jail.
– Mary Sunshine, a reporter.

The Films

Cabaret (1972) was directed by Bob Fosse and starred Liza Minnelli as Sally and Joel Grey as the Emcee. It changed the stage story significantly, keeping most of the songs inside the Kit Kat Klub.

Chicago (2002) was directed by Rob Marshall and starred Renée Zellweger as Roxie, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma and Richard Gere as Billy Flynn. It staged most songs as fantasies in Roxie’s imagination.

Both films are worth seeing, but the stage versions differ in structure and songs.

Famous Revivals

Both shows have been reinvented by later productions, which is part of why they stay fresh.

Cabaret was revived on Broadway in 1998 in a production directed by Sam Mendes and co-directed and choreographed by Rob Marshall, with Alan Cumming as the Emcee. That version turned the theater into the Kit Kat Klub and made the show’s darker side even more explicit. Many later productions around the world have taken a similarly immersive approach.

Chicago’s 1996 revival grew out of a concert staging and kept a deliberately bare look: the band on stage, simple chairs and ladders, and black costumes. That stripped-back style made the show easy to tour and to restage in many countries, and it’s the version most theatergoers know today.

Content Notes

Both musicals are aimed at adults. Cabaret includes sexuality, references to abortion and the rise of Nazism. Chicago includes murder, sexuality and cynical humor. Neither is a typical family show.

Which Should You See First?

See Chicago first if:
– You want fun, sharp satire.
– You love jazz, dance and spectacle.
– You prefer a lighter evening.

See Cabaret first if:
– You want a show with powerful emotional and historical weight.
– You’re interested in the history of 1930s Germany.
– You like immersive, club-style staging.

Both are excellent introductions to Kander and Ebb’s style, and seeing both shows you how the same team could write a satire and a tragedy with equal skill.

Keep exploring: see our Chicago songs explained and Rent songs explained.

Where to Listen Legally

• Chicago: the 1996 Broadway revival cast recording and the 1975 original cast recording are on Spotify, Apple Music and other major platforms. The 2002 film soundtrack is also available.
• Cabaret: the original 1966 Broadway cast recording, revival cast recordings and the 1972 film soundtrack are widely available on streaming services.

FAQ

Who wrote Chicago and Cabaret?
Both have music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

Which came first, Cabaret or Chicago?
Cabaret opened on Broadway in 1966; Chicago followed in 1975.

Are Chicago and Cabaret suitable for kids?
Neither is designed for children. Both contain adult themes and are best for older teens and adults.

Is the Cabaret film the same as the stage show?
No. The 1972 film changes the story and some songs, while the stage version keeps more of the original plot.