Garden Theatre to Open Season with LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

The Garden Theatre (160 W Plant St.) is proud to present the musical comedy La Cage aux Folles showing September 25 - October 25, 2015. The presenting sponsors of La Cage aux Folles are Bob and Dianna Duffy. La Cage aux Folles is also sponsored by Insight Credit Union and Toole's Ace Hardware. The media sponsor is Watermark Media, and the orchestra recording sponsor is Starke Lake Studios. This marks the first professional production of this musical produced in Central Florida since 1990.

Set against the glitter of a Saint-Tropez nightclub, a middle-aged gay couple agree to hide their relationship when their son returns home with his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents. Feathers get ruffled and households upended in a poignant tale of one family's struggle to stay together, stay fabulous and above all else, stay true to themselves. This is the first show to ever win the Tony Award for Best Musical three times. The play inspired a hit film adaptation, The Birdcage, starring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams.

This classic musical comedy is produced by Garden Theatre and is directed and choreographed by Rob Winn Anderson, who joined the Garden Theatre staff this season as Consulting Artistic Director. Anderson is an award-winning playwright/director who has written and directed original, world-premiere plays for the Garden Theatre stage, including Alice Lost in Wonderland and Christmas by Committee: A Musical. His work has been seen on stage, in video and across the world of theme park entertainment. He will also serve as director for this season's drama, The Whale, produced by Beth Marshall Presents, as well as choreographer for the Garden's May 2016 production of Singin' in the Rain.

The 15-person professional cast of La Cage aux Folles includes Matthew Arter as Albin, Brian Minyard as Georges, Joshua Kolb as Jean-Michel, Rob Ward as Jacob, Laura Miller as Anne, Keith Smith as M. Dindon and M. Renaud, Janine Papin as Mme. Dindon and Mme. Rinaud, Giorgia Connelly as Jacqueline and Tyler Ilgen as Francis. Those who have previously appeared on the Garden Theatre stage include Matthew Arter (Hairspray); Laura Miller (Boeing Boeing); Keith Smith (Joseph, The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels & Hairspray), director of A Christmas Survival Guide & Boeing Boeing); Janine Papin (Nunsense, 33 Variations & Sweeney Todd); and Giorgia Connelly (Peter Pan).

Tickets are $33 for adults and $29 for seniors and students, with special pricing of $29 for adults and $25 for seniors and students for opening night and Thursday performances. Show times are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. There will be two Industry Night performances on Monday, October 5 and October 19 at 8pm with $15 tickets.

For tickets, visit gardentheatre.org or contact the Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736). Groups of 10 or more are eligible for discounts of up to 25% by contacting group sales manager Jana Goupil at 407-877-4736 x208.

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