I would like to know what part the Cabala plays in ...

Hardly any. Orthodox Judaism outs more emphasis on religious study and practice for moral living. Cabala was meant for study only after acquiring years of study of Torah and Talmud. It was felt that cabala studied without these years of study would divert people from religious living. Many who have studied cabala without a sufficient background of religious study fail to adhere to religious precepts and practice. I think, to some extent, many Conservative and Reform abbis feel the same about cabala study.

nearly no place at all. Most orthodox Jews don't even get to read or learn any of it, that knowledge is pretty unnecessary for everyday life.

In Jewish tradition, you are only allowed to learn Kabala if you are male, over 40 and married. The allure if it is supposed to be so big and the knowledge so effective, that students of Kabala needs to have very thick and strong roots in the physical life. At that age, most of the Orthodox Jews are busy raising a family and working and so only few people get to learn it. 

None...Madonna has brought it to the for front. If you want to look up a better jewish history. Look up the saphardics, now there you will find some interesting things about the jews.