(L-R) Michael Van Why as Albin/Zaza and Stephen Walsh as Georges
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES: Musical Comedy. Book by Harvey Fierstein / Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Based on the play by Jean Poiret. Music direction by Mary Chun / Stage direction by Sheri Lee Miller. Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952.
707-763-8920 or www.cinnabartheater.org.
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES a Grand and Gaudy show at Cinnabar
Sonoma County’s Cinnabar Theatre has mounted a colorful, hilarious, heart-tugging production of La Cage aux Folles which received a deservedly thunderous applause from an appreciative audience on opening night. The spacious stage of this 99 seat theatre has been converted into the night club “La Cage aux Folles” with a six piece band to back up the cast of 15 talented performers. Thankfully, all that is missing is cigar/cigarette smoke for further authenticity.
That cast assures us in the song “La Cage aux Folles” that this is a ‘grand and gaudy’ place where you can meet your ‘mistress, boyfriend and wife’ at the same time! This new version that originated in London in 2008 traveled to Broadway in 2010 receiving accolades and awards on both sides of the Atlantic. All the original songs are left intact and are given excellent renditions with professional singing and acting with the purposely graceless dancing by the hysterical, “hilarious kickline of Les Cagelles feature(ing) J. Anthony Favalora, Jean-Paul Jones, Quinn Monroe, Valentina Osinski, and Zack Turner.
(l to r) Quinn Monroe, Jean-Paul Jones, J. Anthony Favalora, and Zack Turner are in the hilarious kickline for “La Cage aux Folles,” (Photo by Eric Chazankin)
This exciting and loving staging is not the flashy overproduced original musical comedy that was a smash hit on Broadway but a new more intimate show with heart. Because the recent defense of marriage act fiasco is still fresh in our minds, La Cage is even more politically/socially significant than its original performances 30 years ago.
Georges (Stephen Walsh) and effeminate transvestite Albin/Zaza (Michael Van Why) have been married for more than 20 years raising a son Jean-Michel (Kyle Stoner) born after a drunken one night liaison of Georges with Sybil a show girl (who does not appear in this new version) 24 years ago. Jean-Michel has fallen in love with Anne (Audrey Tatum) the daughter or Edouard (Stephen Dietz) and Marie Dindon (Madeleine Ashe). Mr. Dindon is the chairman of a committee to protect T.F.M. (Traditional Family Marriage) and is dedicated to removing every vestige of homosexuality from the Riviera.
Poor Jean-Michel feels that he cannot introduce Albin/Zaza as his mother and asks Georges to send Albin/Zaza away for a couple of days while they change the frou-frou apartment décor to a more staid appearance. And what are they to do with Jacob (James Pelican) the star-struck butler who dresses as a maid? [Side Note: the tall, gangly James Pelican would be hit in Charlie’s Aunt]Conflict arises and the bitter-sweet fun unfolds.
In this revision George pokes his head and then body through the stage curtain (believe it, there is an actual curtain) and introduces the up coming scenes to the audience and cues the band. First up are the Le Cagelles appearing as silhouettes behind transparent scrim panels then bursting out with dance and song with “We Are What We Are” as Georges joins in. What a great way to start.
After a swift scene change, (you will be amazed at the swift/mostly smooth scene changes) our ‘heroine’ Zaza has a copasetic solo “A Little More Mascara” before our Les Cagelles again flood the stage. You never know when they will flounce on and off the stage and that is part of the fun.
Charming Kyle Stoner is slight of build with a soft tenor voice shares his thoughts with Georges in an exuberant love song “With Anne on My Arm” that mirrors George’s plaintive love song to Albin “With You on My Arm” and the beautiful “Song on the Sand.”
While Zaza is performing with the Cagelles (“La Cage ax Folles”) George and Jean-Michel have redecorated the apartment that is now as ascetic as a Monk’s quarters with the statue of nude David replaced by a wooden cross, and butler/maid Jacob in a white wig and footman’s garb. The stunned Albin silently takes center stage for the haunting “I Am What I Am” that captivates the audience as the curtain closes on Act one.
After this marvelous first Act the anticipation of what is yet to come permeates the audience and they are not disappointed. The scene where Georges and stage manager Francis (Miguel Evangelista) try to teach Albin “Masculinty” is a riot even though it is a direct steal from Tea and Sympathy. And more fun comes after two touching scenes defining the true meaning of “family” no matter what are the genders involved with the tender “Look Over There.”
Then the Dindons arrive and it is too complicated to describe all the details. Suffice it to say that as usual Stephen Dietz adds zip to any part he plays even when he is the unlikeable chairman of the dastardly T.F.M! Don’t ask how it happens or why, the creators of the show have slipped in “Cocktail Counterpoint” sung and danced by ALL the family when Albin shows up as ‘mother’ in a sedate full length gown. Later, his faux pas after the charming “The Best of Times” creates pandemonium before the finale with most of cast members in drag. The costumes (Clay David) are a drag queens dream.
What really makes the La Cage aux Folles work is the fine acting of Stephen Walsh and Michael Van Why. They have a plethora of charisma that can be felt by all. Be assured you will be humming two or more of Jerry Herman’s songs on the way out of the night club “La Cage aux Folles.” Running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldintermagazine.com
