Billy Porter has serious case of sepsis, ‘Cabaret’ on Broadway closing early

The “Cabaret” curtains are closing early.

The Broadway show is shutting down production four weeks early due to lead star Billy Porter developing “a serious case of sepsis.”

In an Instagram statement shared on Sunday, producers confirmed that Porter, 55, “must withdraw from the production.”

“His doctors are confident that he will make a full recovery but have advised him to maintain a restful schedule,” producers added.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “sepsis is a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection. The infection-fighting processes turn on the body, causing the organs to work poorly.”

“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club” will now make its final bow at the August Wilson Theater on Sept. 21, instead of the originally announced Oct. 19 end date.

Marty Lauter and David Merino will replace Porter in the role of Emcee for the final two weeks of performances, producers confirmed.

“Billy was an extraordinary Emcee, bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent,” producer Adam Speers of ATG Productions wrote in a statement. “We wish Billy a speedy recovery and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future.”

Speers continued: “I personally invite audiences to return to the Kit Kat Club one last time to see the incandescent Marisha Wallace as ‘Sally Bowles,’ alongside the remarkably talented Marty and David, two actors who have been giving soul-stirring performances as ‘Emcee’ since we first opened last April.’”

The Post has reached out to Porter’s rep for comment.

The revival of the John Kander and Fred Ebb musical began its Broadway run in April 2024 with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin in the lead roles.

“Cabaret” follows the nightlife at the Kit Kat Klub in Berlin during the Nazi party’s rise to power. The original Broadway production opened in 1966. A film adaptation starring Liza Minelli and Michael York came out in 1972.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the expensive revival has been suffering from a recent decline in box office sales. Capacity fell to just below 70 percent in the past several weeks while grosses have been around $500,000.

In July, Porter told People that he was loving his role in “Cabaret.”

“I feel really great to be doing this,” the “Pose” star said. “This show in particular, at this time in American history, it’s really important for me.”

“Art has the power to heal, art has the power to transform,” Porter continued. “My art is my calling, my purpose, my ministry, my resistance, my activism, my hope, my joy, my love. It’s everything to me. And so to be able to express myself this way is such a gift and such a blessing.”