Posts Tagged ‘la cage aux folles’

Glittery, Campy “La Cage” Entertains in Style at the Muny

Posted in Snoop's Soapbox, St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

La Cage aux Folles
Book by Harvey Fierstein, Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the Play by Jean Poiret
Directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge
Choreographed by Richard J. Hinds
The Muny
August 9, 2025

Michael James Scott, Norm Lewis
Photo by MaryKatherine Patteson
The Muny

The Muny is currently revisiting a show it hasn’t staged in almost 40 years. La Cage aux Folles has been staged and revived many times around the world since its Broadway debut in 1983, and its catchy Jerry Herman score features well-known songs such as “I Am What I Am” and “The Best of Times”. It’s so catchy, in fact, that the songs have been playing in my head on repeat since I saw the Muny’s sparkling, dazzling production in Forest Park last night. Featuring a top-notch cast of Broadway and Muny veterans, this is a show that entertains in flashy, campy style, while also communicating heartfelt themes of family, individuality, and belonging.

The show, based on a popular French play that has been the inspiration for several films (including 1996’s The Birdcage), is set in St. Tropez, France, in a nightclub known for its popular drag shows. The shows are emceed by Georges (Norm Lewis), who lives in an apartment above the club with his longtime partner Albin (Michael James Scott), also known as “Zaza”, the club’s headlining star, who is backed by a memorable chorus of dancers and performers known as “Les Cagelles” (Julia Feeley, Cory Hammond, Kodiak Thompson, Michael Milkanin, Aaron Graham, Gordon Semeatu, Cooper Stanton, Michael Di Leo, Duncan B. Smith, Owen Kent Ing, Kaylee Olson, Kyle White). The two have also raised Georges’s son Jean-Michel (Mason Reeves), who has recently arrived after a time away with surprising news. He’s getting married, and not only that, but his fiancée, Anne (Cameron Anika Hill) is the daughter of an ultra-conservative politician. Also, her parents, the Dindons (Terence Archie, Allison Blackwell) are coming to visit so they can meet Jean-Michel’s parents, but there’s a catch that throws the whole family dynamic out of balance and hurts Albin deeply, although this is a comedy, so I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that things get better, and there’s also a lot of glitter, colorful costumes, and fantastically campy nightclub routines to the tune of those super-catchy Jerry Herman melodies. 

This production looks a little different than I had been expecting, since I usually associate this show with lots of pink and gold and glitter. Here, the glitter is there, but the palate is much more colorful. There is a fair amount of pink, especially in the restaurant run by Georges and Albin’s bubbly friend Jacqueline (Meghan Murphy), but there’s also a lot of blues, greens, purples, and more. The costumes, designed by Bobby Pearce are simply spectacular, outfitting Zaza and La Cagelles in a series of eye-catching outfits, and with the rest of the characters outfitted in suitable style. There’s also memorable work from wig designer Tommy Kurzman. The set by Matthew Buttrey is also colorful, dazzling, and versatile, adding to the atmosphere in the nightclub scenes and the outdoor scenes in the sunny French Riviera. There’s also marvelous lighting by Jason Lyons, and excellent video design by Kylee Loera and Greg Emetaz. The Muny Orchestra, led by music director Darryl Archibald, brings lush energy to the classic score, as well. 

As for the cast, they shine as bright as the set, if not more. Lewis is charming as Georges, and in great voice on numbers like “Song On the Sand” and “Look Over There”. His chemistry with Scott’s equally marvelous Albin is excellent, as well. Scott makes the most of every moment as Albin/Zaza, from the campier moments to the more emotional scenes like the stellar, show-stopping “I Am What I Am”. These two are the heart of the show, but they are surrounded by a memorable cast of characters, led by Reeves as the earnest, if misguided (at first) Jean-Michel, who has strong chemistry with Hill’s likable (but underwritten) Anne. Archie and Blackwell are suitably stuffy as the Dindons, with Blackwell showing an underlying desire to break free of her husband’s restrictions, and displaying a marvelous operatic soprano in moments when she gets to sing. There’s also a scene-stealing turn from Troy Iwata as Georges and Albin’s butler/maid Jacob, who desperately wants to be in the show at the club. There are also memorable turns from Murphy as the vivacious Jacqueline, Michael Hartung as the club’s stage manager, Francis, and Milkanin as the forceful Hanna, one of the more prominent Cagelles who is in a relationship with Francis. The rest of the cast, including Les Cagelles and an energetic Teen Ensemble, add to the energy and spark of this fun production.

Ultimately, La Cage aux Folles is a lot of fun. It’s been a long time since it’s appeared on the vast Muny stage, and it fits well. With style, heart, energy, and that timeless classic score, this is another memorable hit for the Muny’s 2025 season. 

Norm Lewis (Center) and Cast
Photo by BreAnna Kay Creative
The Muny

The Muny is presenting La Cage aux Folles in Forest Park until August 14, 2025

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New Line’s “La Cage aux Folles” Dazzles with Heart, Energy, Memorable Performances

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 22, 2019| Leave a Comment »

La Cage aux Folles
Book by Harvey Fierstein, Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Directed by Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor
Choreographed by Michelle Sauer and Sarah Rae Womack
New Line Theatre
March 16, 2019

Zachary Allen Farmer, Robert Doyle
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg
New Line Theatre

New Line Theatre has staged another remarkable production with their rendition of the modern classic musical La Cage aux Folles. As often happens at New Line, this production distills the essence of the show and brings out its human drama, emphasizing character and relationships, along with the excellent singing that I’ve come to expect from this company. In addition, it’s also sparkly and dazzling, with a strong ensemble and a truly stunning performance from one of New Line’s most recognizable players.

This production is also my introduction to this show, in terms of seeing it live. I’d heard the score many times, and seen clips of televised performances of some of the songs, but I’d never seen a production of the show before until now. I did know the story, though. It focuses on performers in a drag show at a nightclub in Saint-Tropez, France. Georges (Robert Doyle) is the MC of the show, and his longtime partner Albin (Zachary Allen Farmer) is the star of the show, performing as “Zaza” and backed by Les Cagelles (Jake Blonstein, Dominic Dowdy-Windsor, Evan Fornachon, Tim Kaniecki, Clayton Humburg, and Ian McCreary). Offstage, Georges and Albin live in an apartment over the club, and are attended by the enthusiastic butler/maid Jacob (Tiélere Cheatem), who is also an aspiring drag performer who wants to be in the show. Georges has a son, Jean-Michel (Kevin Corpuz), whom Georges and Albin have raised together. Now, Jean-Michel has returned with announcement–he’s engaged, and his fiancée, Anne (Zora Vredeveld) is the daughter of a prominent ultra-conservative political candidate, and he’s invited her parents (Kent Coffel and Mara Bollini) to meet his parents, but with a twist that leads to much examination of relationships, identity, and the sense of belonging for Albin, Georges, Jean-Michel and eventually most of the cast. This version is based on the most recent London and Broadway revivals, with a smaller cast than the original Broadway production, but with the catchy, memorable Jerry Herman score intact, as well as Harvey Fierstein’s insightful book and the memorable lead characters.

Casting-wise, this production shines, and particularly as a showcase for one of New Line’s most prolific performers. Thinking of all the shows I’ve seen at New Line since the first one I saw (Next to Normal) in 2013, it’s easier for me to count the shows Zachary Allen Farmer hasn’t performed in than the ones in which he has appeared. Still, seeing him here as Albin/Zaza is something of a revelation. Farmer is always excellent, but he’s especially so here, bringing out a depth and richness to both his acting and his always remarkable vocals on songs like the title number and especially the fiery “I Am What I Am” and the catchy “The Best of Times”.  Also, as with the best of performers, he brings a sheer level of stage presence that not only lights up the stage, but energizes everyone around him. A particular beneficiary of this energizing is Doyle as Georges, who starts off slowly but gets better and better as the show goes along, especially in his scenes with Farmer. The two have a strong, believable chemistry that lends poignancy to their characters’ relationship as a couple, exemplified in Georges’s ballad “Song of the Sand” and its duet reprise. Also standing out is Cheatem is a delightfully scene-stealing performance as the stylishly determined Jacob. There’s also strong support from Lindsey Jones as Georges and Albin’s friend, the vivacious restaurateur Jacqueline, and by Corpuz, who gives a strong performance as Jean-Michel, who also has convincing chemistry with Vredeveld as the sweet but little-seen Anne. Coffel and Bollini are also memorable in dual roles as two very different couples–the supportive, friendly Renauds and the more severe Dindons. There’s also excellent support from Joel Hackbarth as the club’s stage manager Francis and memorable, energetic singing and dancing from les Cagelles.

Visually, this show is striking, with a bold, flashy and very pink set by Rob Lippert, who also designed the excellent lighting. Sarah Porter deserves special mention for her spectacular costumes, from the sparkling Cagelles outfits to Jacob’s memorable attire, to Albin/Zaza’s array of eye-ctaching ensembles, many of which have a mid-80s vibe. There’s also an excellent New Line Band conducted by Music Director and pianist Nicolas Valdez, and vibrant choreography by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack, performed with flair by the cast.

This is a show I’d heard a lot about, and I knew some of the songs well, but I hadn’t seen it on stage until New Line brought it to the stage with its usual insightful, inventive style. This is a fun show with a lot of flash, but it’s also a very human show, with poignancy and wit and charm. It’s another winning production from New Line.

Cast of La Cage Aux Folles
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg
New Line Theatre

New Line Theatre is presenting La Cage au Folles at the Marcelle Theatre until March 23, 2019

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