Caulfield, Summerhays, Etc. Set for ME 'La Cage'

The Ogunquit Playhouse has announced that Maxwell Caulfield and James Beaman will star in its production of La Cage aux Folles.

The production, which runs July 17 – August 4, will feature stage and television star Maxwell Caulfield in the role of Georges and James Beaman as Albin. The show will also feature Tony-nominee Jane Summerhays, and Susan Powell, former Miss America (1981) and host of "Home Matters" on The Discovery Channel.  La Cage aux Folles, which won the 1984 Tony Award for Best Musical, features a score by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein.  It is based on Jean Poiret's play of the same title, which also inspired the hit film version.

Maxwell Caulfield arrives in Ogunquit direct from his West End stage debut as Billy Flynn in the long-running London production of Chicago. Caulfield, who won a 1980 Theatre World Award for Class Enemy, also starred in the Broadway production of An Inspector Calls and Off-Broadway productions of Entertaining Mr. Sloane, My Night with Reg and Salonica as well as touring productions of The Elephant Man and Sleuth. Caulfield's recent New York theatre credits include Tryst, My Deah and Our Leading Lady. He played Salonika opposite Jessica Tandy at the New York Shakespeare Festival, the celebrated 1981 revival of Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloan, Paradise Lost with the legendary Geraldine Page, and Class Enemy, for which he won a Theater World Award. His film credits include "Grease 2," "The Boys Next Door" and "The Real Blonde." He gained wide fame from his roles on TV's "Dynasty" and "The Colbys."

Joining Caulfield is award winning cabaret artiste, James Beaman, whose impersonation of Marlene Dietrich has been seen by audiences around the US, in Europe and on national and international television. He is also the creator of the Leslie Bricusse revue, Crazy World, which won the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs MAC Award for Revue of the Year in 2002.

Included in this star-studded cast is Jane Summerhays, who was nominated for a Tony Award for the role of Lady Jacqueline in Me and My Girl and also starred in the Broadway productions of Taking Steps and Lend Me a Tenor.  Summerhays' other Broadway credits include The Wild Party, Cabaret, Sugar Babies, and A Chorus Line.

Rounding out the cast is former Miss America (1981), Susan Powell, who was also the host of Home Matters on The Discovery Channel, which recently completed its ninth season. Powell also played Cora on the CBS Soap, "Guiding Light," made her operatic debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus with the Seattle Opera and debuted at the New York City Opera as Johanna in Harold Prince's production of Sweeney Todd.

Staging the production is BT McNicholl, who directed last season's production of Cabaret with Andrea McArdle and Jon Peterson here at The Playhouse. He is currently represented on Broadway as the Associate Director for David Hare on Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, starring Vanessa Redgrave.  

Performances of La Cage aux Folles begin Tuesday, July 17 and run through Saturday, August 4; Tuesday-Friday evenings at 8:00 PM, Saturday Evenings at 8:30 PM, weekday matinees Wednesday and Thursday at 2:30 PM and new for 2007, Sunday matinees at 3:30 PM. Tickets are available now at the Ogunquit Playhouse Box Office at 207. 646. 5511 or by visiting the website at www.ogunquitplayhouse.org, where the box office never closes.

Photo of Maxwell Caulfield by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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