Review: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at Barrington Stage Company

Barrington Stage Company (BSC) officially launches its 30th anniversary season with a new production of the multi-Tony Award-winning musical, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.

With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is based on the play by Jean Poirot that also inspired the 1978 French film of the same name and its American remake, The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.  BSC’s production is directed by Mike Donahue and choreographed by Paul McGill. Angela Steiner (BSC Cabaret) is the musical director.

The original Broadway production opened in 1983 and won six Tony Awards in 1984, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. Two subsequent Broadway revivals won Best Revival of a Musical in 2005 and 2010, respectively.

Set in St. Tropez on the French Riviera, La Cage aux Folles is a riotous and touching musical comedy about a gay couple, Georges and Albin, who must disguise themselves for one night in order to impress a local ultra-conservative politician who is threatening to shut down the couple’s drag nightclub where Georges serves as Emcee and Albin as the star attraction, Zaza.  The production stars Alex Michaels, aka Alexis Michelle as Albin and Tom Story as Georges.

“LA CAGE AUX FOLLES is a delirious farce, with Harvey Fierstein’s hilarious book and Jerry Herman’s exuberantly tuneful score,” commented BSC Artistic Director, Alan Paul. “But it needs a believable couple at its center for the show’s beating heart, and we’re extremely fortunate to have Alex Michaels, perhaps best known for their drag persona Alexis Michelle on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and the dashing Tom Story as our Albin and Georges. With a brilliant cast and helmed by Mike Donohue with high-flying choreography from Paul McGill, we think BSC audiences are in for a treat.”  I wholeheartedly agree.

The cast also features Noah Wolfe as Jean Michel, Sally Shaw as Anne, Phillip Taratula as Jacob, Tanesha Gary as Jacqueline, Don Noble as Edouard Dindon, Michele Ragusa as Mme. Dindon, and Drae Campbell as Francis. Also starring as the “notorious and dangerous” Cagelles will be Jonté Jaurel Culpepper as Bitelle, Gabe Friedman aka Kiki BallChange as Chantal, Jules Geiss as Clo-Clo, Aaron Graham as Angelique, Kevin Murakami (Mercedes/Associate Choreographer/Dance Captain) and Kyle White as Hannah, with Raphe Gilliam and Drew Minard.

The creative team includes Alexander Woodward (Scenic Design), Rodrigo Munoz (Costume Design), Philip Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Ken Travis (Sound Design), Bobbie Zlotnik (Wig Design), Kyle Kreuger (Makeup Design), Robert Aronowitz (Whip Consultant). Sara Ford is Production Stage Manager. Casting is by McCorkle Casting (Pat McCorkle, CSA; Rebecca Weiss, CSA).

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES continues on the Boyd-Quinson Stage through July 6

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