Billy Porter Stuns Fans: Emmy Winner Takes Over Broadway’s ‘Cabaret’ as Iconic Emcee—See First Look Photos

Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter is stepping back under the spotlight this week, assuming the tantalizing role of the Emcee in the acclaimed revival of “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” which moves into Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre tonight, July 22 2025. Porter will share the stage with powerhouse vocalist-actor Marisha Wallace, who reprises her Olivier-nominated turn as Sally Bowles. Together they anchor a production that was the toast of London’s West End and has already sold out several preview blocks in New York, prompting producers to extend the run through spring 2026. Porter’s casting marks his first full-time Broadway engagement since winning the 2013 Tony for “Kinky Boots,” and insiders say the creative team leaned on his multi-hyphenate skill set—actor, singer, activist, and fashion icon—to re-energize the show’s immersive club atmosphere. Early rehearsal photos tease custom tux-corsets and sequined tailcoats from costume designer Tom Scutt, giving fans the gender-fluid glamour they’ve come to expect from Porter’s red-carpet reign. Beyond the footlights, the 55-year-old star is also capitalizing on his style credentials with the formal launch of Black Mona Lisa Beauty, a gender-inclusive cosmetics line that drops its first collection—lip lacquers and vivid eye pigments—on August 15. Porter says the brand name nods to his 2023 album and tour while “redefining what it means to paint the town beautiful for every identity.” Beauty retailers are already reporting wait-list demand, mirroring the brisk Broadway box-office uptick following last month’s casting announcement. What to know if you’re planning a visit • Venue & dates: August Wilson Theatre (renamed the Kit Kat Club for the production); main-stem previews July 22–31, official opening night August 12. • Tickets: Dynamic pricing starts at $59 for mezzanine seats; premium on-stage table packages run up to $349 and include themed cocktails. • Creative team: Director Rebecca Frecknall recreates her West End staging, with choreography by Julia Cheng and music supervision by Jennifer Whyte. • COVID-era refresh: The venue retains its in-the-round reconfiguration and allows audiences to enter through a speakeasy-style bar 30 minutes before curtain, blurring the line between spectator and cabaret patron. SEO spotlight: why Billy Porter matters now Search interest around Porter has surged 300 percent in the past 48 hours, driven by theatergoers hunting “Billy Porter Cabaret tickets,” “Billy Porter Emcee costume,” and “Black Mona Lisa Beauty launch.” Fans also still stream his “Pose” performances and Grammy-winning “Kinky Boots” cast album, underscoring Porter’s cross-platform pull—all factors that could make “Cabaret” the season’s must-see event and catapult his beauty line into a multimillion-dollar debut quarter. Industry analysts predict the dual headlines—high-profile Broadway return and entrepreneurial expansion—will keep Porter on entertainment and lifestyle feeds through awards season. For now, Willkommen back to Broadway’s newest Emcee; the Kit Kat Club’s doors are open, and Billy Porter is ready to master the ceremony once more.