This tailcoat was worn by Joel Grey in the role of the Emcee (Master of Ceremonies) in the 1972 movie version and 1987-1989 national tour of the musical <i>Cabaret</i>. The black polyester tailcoat has black buttons on its sleeves and down its front, with a white flower on lapel and white handkerchief in its breast pocket.
The musical Cabaret premiered on Broadway in 1966. With music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Joe Masteroff, the show was an adaptation of John Van Druten's 1951 play <i>I Am a Camera</i>, which itself was based on Christopher Isherwood's 1939 memoir <i>Goodbye to Berlin</i>. <i>Cabaret</i> is the story of love triangle centered around Berlin's Kit Kat Klub amidst the decadence, corruption, and political intrigue of the Weimar Republic era. The musical was celebrated for its originality, but was also controversial for its moral ambiguity, frank sensuality, and mature themes, including homosexuality, abortion, anti-semitism, and the rise of the Nazi party. Director Bob Fosse adapted <i>Cabaret</i> as a critically- lauded and popular film in 1972.
For his performances as the Emcee in both the stage and film productions, Grey won the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Broadway Musical in 1967 and Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1972.
