Nicole Parker and Les Cagelles in La Cage aux Folles (Photo – Jeff Lorch)
Come one, come all to the hottest drag club in town! Meet and party with the queens and their families and share the joys, humor, and complications of their lives.
By Carol Edger Germain
This hilarious, high-energy, award-winning musical dramedy is based on the original French play, La Cage Aux Folles by Jean Poiret, the subsequent book by Harvey Fierstein, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. It was released as a movie in the US in 1979, and had a fantastically successful run on Broadway in 1983.
The performance at the Pasadena Playhouse, directed by Sam Pinkelton, keeps your ears, eyes, and attention Colorful, dramatic characters flying around the stage have their creative ways of dealing with drama and keeping secrets. It’s not all fun and games. There is an intense storyline adding serious drama, reckoning, and life lessons. The entire cast as well as the production team have extensive experience and it shows in every moment. Every square inch of the stage is eye-catching, colorful and as fluid as the characters, so much to see and feel. Georges (Cheyenne Jackson) is the owner of the drag club and he and his partner Albin (Kevin Cahoon) live upstairs and have a son, Jean-Michel (Ryan J. Haddad), who is confined to a wheelchair but otherwise totally functioning mentally and physically.
The underlying dilemma is that Jean-Michel is engaged to Anne (Shannon Purser) and is coming home to introduce his bride-to-be and her parents. He has not told any of them that he has two fathers, so they need to determine whether to have Albin “disappear” for the meeting or have him use his talents to adapt to a different persona and not acknowledge the true relationship. Yes, some intense, painful moments, but love has a way of adapting, and in this case a sense of humor as well.
Even with some serious undertones, which are a good refresher for current issues happening in the country, overall it is joyful fun. Large and talented cast – for a full list of company bios to date, visit this link.
Location Pasadena Playhouse 39 South El Molino, Pasadena 626-356-7529 pasadenaplayhouse.org Through December 15 Tues., Weds., Fri. 8:00 pm Thurs. 7:00 pm Sat. 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm Sun. 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm
Cheyenne Jackson in La Cage aux Folles (Photo – Jeff Lorch)
Kevin Cahoon in La Cage aux Folles (Photo – Jeff Lorch)
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