MUSICAL MAYHEM: MY TOP TWENTY-FIVE
MUSICALS
The Honor Roll - Part 6
Just one musical today from the Honor Roll of
my top twenty-five musicals. A Tony winner for Best Musical, just this one show
fills up an entire post. In its way, it was a groundbreaker back in 1983. But,
before we begin, let's take a look back at the New York theatre lineup in
December, 1983.
And
now….Open your eyes. You have arrived at…La
Cage aux Folles. (Cue intro music)
LA CAGE AUX
FOLLES – Book by Harvey Fierstein, Music
and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
When
La Cage aux Folles opened at the
Palace Theatre in New York on August 21, 1983, it caused quite a stir. The very
first musical to feature a homosexual love affair at its center, La Cage, despite the sexual orientation
of its leading men, was just about as traditional a Broadway musical as they
come. It had everything a 1983 audience could want. You wanted glitzy show biz?
La Cage had production numbers with
an abundance of glamour and pizzazz that dazzled its patrons. You wanted
hummable tunes? Jerry Herman gave 'em to you song after song after song. You
wanted great sets, lights and costumes? Check, check, and check. Solid
direction and terrific choreography? No problem there. How about some great
acting? With George Hearn and Gene Barry as the original Albin and Georges, the
leading roles were infused with charm, pride and humanity. Based on the French
play La Cage aux Folles by Jean
Poiret and later made into a delightful French film of the same name (watch the
version with subtitles), this is infinitely better than the grating
Americanized film version, The Birdcage.
For me, as a gay man, it was thrilling to see a gay relationship portrayed
onstage and even more thrilling to have the show embraced and cheered and I
fell in love with the show. It won a slew of Tony Awards that season, including
Best Musical, ran for nearly 1800 performances in New York, had multiple North
American touring companies and international productions, including major ones
in Australia and London, and has become a popular money-maker for licensor
Samuel French. But as time marched on, the sweet innocence of the inhabitants
of St. Tropez seemed out of step with the rise of AIDS, the growing power and
influence of LGBT organizations, and the anger of playwrights like Tony Kushner
and Larry Kramer. It became almost a period piece, enjoyable to be sure, but
decidedly old-fashioned. The first major revival of La Cage in 2004-2005 did nothing to change that impression. But in
2010, a pared-down, newly invigorated production from London's famed Menier
Chocolate Factory opened at the Longacre Theatre that made the
twenty-seven-year-old La Cage seem
penny-bright and fresh, with the focus firmly on Albin and Georges. Yes, it was
still predictable and old-fashioned and it's certainly not a perfect show. The
ending has always been a bit problematic in both film and musical versions.
(I've not seen the original play version, so I can't comment on its ending.)
It's as if the authors went "We need to wrap this up…now!" and
whipped up the frantic, unbelievable finale. The penultimate scene in the
restaurant has the tiresome "The Best of Times," which just goes on
forever and, for some reason, has always irritated me. (Possibly because it's a
second-rate tune?) But then, everything calms down and the show is once again
about Albin and Georges, if only for a few final moments, and all is right once
again at La Cage aux Folles.
Sidebar: One of La Cage's Tony wins was for Jerry
Herman's last original Broadway score. In accepting his Tony, composer Herman,
gave an uncharacteristically ungracious acceptance speech with a not-so-subtle
dig at fellow nominee Stephen Sondheim's ambitious and challenging score for Sunday in the Park with George. It was
definitely not one of Herman's finer
moments.
Digital records and CASSETTES!
Box office sales were still the most preferred method of getting the best seats. For a Wednesday night, top price was a staggering $45.00. Ah, memories!
December,
1983. New Year's Eve performance. Champagne was being poured in the Palace
lobby. It wasn't free, mind you, but it was being poured nonetheless and the
atmosphere was festive. A beautiful New Year's Eve night at the hottest ticket
on Broadway. What could be better? The audience excitement was palpable, an
excitement that would escalate as the show played, culminating in a screaming,
rapturous standing ovation at the show's end. The hottest ticket on Broadway
did not disappoint. From the glamour and wow factor of the opening number to
the final strains of "Song on the Sand" that brought down the final
curtain, La Cage charmed us, utterly
and completely. It was something old and comfortable…a traditionally-made
musical with hummable tunes and lots of great production values, yet at the
same time, something new and, for the time, daring…a gay couple as its leads. Hard-working
George Hearn played Albin in a breakout performance that netted him a
well-deserved Tony. Outrageous and proud, he gave a layered performance that
was exciting to watch. When he finished "I Am What I Am" and stormed
up the Palace's aisle to end Act One, the theatre exploded in cheers and
applause. Gene Barry as Georges oozed his trademark charm from "Bat
Masterson" and "Burke's Law" and was an unexpectedly good
musical performer, a definite yin to Hearn's yang. I can't say enough about the
direction (Arthur Laurents), choreography (Scott Salmon), sets (David
Mitchell), lights (Jules Fisher) and costumes (Theoni V. Aldredge). Boasting a
solid supporting cast, I need to give a special shout-out to the ten men and
two women who were the "notorious" Les Cagelles. As I said earlier,
it's not a perfect show, and even then, I found "The Best of Times"
to be a bit too perky and feel-good for the show. It sounded as though it was a
discarded song from Hello, Dolly!
Quibbles aside, this was a simply grand way to welcome 1984. – at the Palace
Theatre, New York
June,
1986. It took a long time for La Cage aux
Folles to find its way to Chicago, and when it did, it unfortunately landed
at the inhospitable barn that everyone loved to hate, and with good reason, the
vast Arie Crown Theatre tucked away inside McCormick Place. But producer Allan
Carr made sure we got to see what New York was raving about…at least
physically. Duplicating the same fantastic design elements as the original, La Cage looked great and sounded great,
but lacked, oh, I don't know, the same heart (?) as the production I saw 2 ½
years earlier. Producer Carr cast one name from television, but one who did
have some theatre bona fides, and a Tony-winning actor much admired in the
theatre world. As Georges, "Hollywood Squares'" Peter Marshall was
amiable enough without being particularly memorable. As Albin, Keene Curtis
brought true star power to the evening and gave the part a heart and soul that
was especially effective in "I Am What I Am." One interesting note:
on Broadway the show was cast with twelve Cagelles; on tour, it was reduced to
ten. The show seemed a bit lost in the Arie Crown, but then, every show was a bit lost in the Arie
Crown. I enjoyed it, but felt it somewhat lacking. – at the Arie Crown Theatre,
Chicago
Sidebar: Best known for hosting
"Hollywood Squares" for fifteen years, Peter Marshall also had some
Broadway cred to his name. He was a replacement for Georges in the New York
company of La Cage near the end of
its run (paired there as well with Keene Curtis). But, as a musical theatre
nerd, I know him best, billed as Peter L. Marshall, from the original cast
recording of Skyscraper, the Julie
Harris (!!)-starring musical. What? You've never heard the recording? Once
you've listened to "Haute Couture," you'll know why the show was a
1965-66 failure.
December,
1987. The one thing that you could always count on whenever you saw a show at
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in suburban Summit was a Broadway-quality
production that was impeccably cast, designed and staged. Their production of La Cage aux Folles was just that. Bright
and shiny with a cast that included a very handsome and debonair Joel Craig as
Georges, a sweet and vulnerable, but with core of strength, James Harms as
Albin, and Chicago favorites Dale Benson as the pompous conservative politician
and Ami Silvestre as restaurant owner Jacqueline, this production was a bouncy,
tuneful delight with production values that belied the theatre's function as a
dinner playhouse. Make no mistake. This was a thoroughly classy production in
every way. Candlelight clearly spent some money on this production and spent it
well. Perhaps it was the intimacy of the venue, perhaps it was the joyous cast,
but whatever the reason, this was the one time I actually didn't mind "The
Best of Times." It was performed with such infectiousness, it seemed
curmudgeonly not to clap along. So I clapped along with the rest of the
sold-out house. A stunning production. – at the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse,
Summit, IL
Sidebar: James Harms is a
versatile, much sought-after Chicago-based actor who, when he's not stealing
the show with a bravura performance, is quietly giving a masterful performance
in a supporting role. His Albin is widely regarded as a Chicago legendary
performance and who am I to disagree? In the cast as one of the six Cagelles
(reduced from the touring production's ten) and also credited as co-choreographer
along with James Harms (what can't the man do?) was a young Rudy Hogenmiller
who decades later would be the Artistic Director of the highly-regarded Light
Opera Works in suburban Evanston.
February,
2005. The first Broadway revival of La
Cage aux Folles featured an all-male, consistently hard-working "Les
Cagelles," which added an extra bit of spice to the proceedings. Starring
Daniel Davis, best known as the butler in television's "The Nanny,"
as Georges and Tony-winner Gary Beach as Albin, this production had more than
its share of ups and downs. On the up side…Jerry Mitchell's sensational
choreography for his talented group of Cagelles gave the show a vibrancy and a
vitality that was often missing elsewhere in the performance. Costume designer
William Ivey Long outdid himself in feathers, fur and sparkle. The show wore
its heart of its collective sleeve and it was obvious everyone on stage was
there to entertain you. On the down side…even with its themes of family values,
homophobia, respect and equality, La
Cage seemed a bit tired and clunky in 2005. The normally likeable Gavin
Creel as the son was directed as a selfish, nasty little toad and, as a result,
his "Ah Ha!" moment near the end of the show was too little, too late
and rang false. Michael Benjamin Washington as Jacob, the sassy, flamboyant
maid, was so over-the-top, it was, frankly, irritating. Perhaps, most
interestingly, I found Gary Beach's performance as Albin to be, while competent
and enjoyable overall, to be a bit stilted, a bit flat. Everything was done
well, mind you, it just didn't seem to have much heart to it. His "I Am
What I Am" was sung powerfully, but it came off, for me at least, as an
effective rendition rather than an emotional one. I much preferred Daniel
Davis' wry and sardonic Georges, even if at times he seemed to be channeling
his character from "The Nanny." Whatever. It worked. – at the Marquis
Theatre, New York
Sidebar: A few weeks after I saw
it, La Cage was in the news when
Daniel Davis was abruptly fired, effective immediately, after a late March
Sunday matinee. Although Davis has never publically spoken about this, to my
knowledge, the reasons given were a toxic backstage environment caused by
Davis' intense dislike of co-star Gary Beach, his disrespect to Beach and other
company members, and, due to the situation, missed performances. Although his
departure had been rumored, the actual event, and the immediacy of it, took
Broadway insiders by surprise. The backstage drama did not transfer on to the
stage of the Marquis and watching the performance, you'd never know anything
was amiss between Davis and Beach. That's onstage professionalism.
June,
2005. Robert Goulet has been a star since he took his first bow as Lancelot in Camelot in 1960.
His rendition of "If Ever I Would Leave You" became an instant
standard. A Tony-winner for the minor Kander/Ebb musical, The Happy Time, Goulet's star career spanned forty-seven years
until his death in 2007 and included a wildly successful recording career and
acclaim both on stage and on television. Prior to taking over for Daniel Davis
in La Cage, Robert Goulet had been
absent from Broadway for nearly a decade. There are worse ways to spend a
Saturday afternoon than with a Broadway legend, so Bob and I bought two really
good seats at the TKTS booth and spent some quality time with Albin, Georges
and the Cagelles. We weren't disappointed. Although the flaws in this
production were still present, Goulet brought a suave sophistication that was
missing in Davis' performance. Handsome and commanding, if at times a bit
tentative in his scenes, his voice, even at seventy-one, was rich and powerful
and lovingly caressed the lovely "Song on the Sand" and "Look
Over There." Gary Beach's performance this time around was sharper, more
involving, almost as though the change in casting prompted him to up his game.
All in all, a good afternoon. – at the Marquis Theatre, New York
Sidebar: Although La Cage aux Folles won the Best Revival
of a Musical Tony at the 2005 Tony Awards, surprising since the superior
revival of the rarely-done Pacific
Overtures was also in the running, the show was never a box office smash.
It never played to sold-out houses and even with the addition of a bona fide
star like Goulet, it closed shortly after we saw it.
December,
2010. Conventional wisdom would advise that it would be foolish to bring back
another revival of a musical only five years after the last (its first Broadway
revival) revival of it, especially since that revival, despite winning a Tony
Award for Best Revival of a Musical, received less-than-rave reviews and did
less-than-stellar box office. But then conventional wisdom hadn't reckoned with
London's scrappy Menier Chocolate Factory, a tiny Fringe theatre that consistently
does great things in a small space and consistently brings home awards and
critical praise. The show that arrived at the cozy Longacre Theatre had a well-used
look about it, a genteel shabbiness that was comforting. This was a place where
the locals hung out for a good time. Yes, everything onstage looked worn and a
bit cheesy and that was the glory of it. It let the heart of the show shine
through. In toning down the production values, the glitz and the glamour, the
show's focus also shifted to Albin and Georges, as it should always have been, and
the event that set the story in motion, the engagement of their son to a
right-wing politician's daughter. In spirit, this resembled the wonderful
version I saw at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse twenty-odd years earlier.
Understand, this was most definitely not
a bare-bones production. There was a sizable chunk of scenery and lots of
costumes, in various states of delicious tattiness. The direction by Terry
Johnson, ably assisted with sparkling choreography by Lynne Page, was crisp and
on mark. The six "notorious and dangerous Cagelles" were six
individual human beings, each delightful in their own way. Robin De Jesus, as
the maid Jacob, was suitably out there, but had the good sense to keep
everything real. The exceedingly easy on the eyes A.J. Shively essayed the
potentially problematic role of the selfish, priggish son, but managed to make
him less selfish, less priggish, and created a nice portrayal of a young man truly having a struggle of conscience. In the most curious casting
choice, one-time Eliza Doolittle Christine Andreas was cast in the thankless
role of Jacqueline, and try as she might, Andreas wasn't able to make much of
this one-note role. As Albin, Olivier-winner Douglas Hodge, in his Broadway
debut, recreated his Menier Chocolate Factory triumph here. It was a stunning
performance…vulnerable, tender, tentative, proud, loving. His towering "I
Am What I Am" was awesome and thrilling. He justifiably won the 2010 Tony
for Best Actor in a Musical. The biggest surprise for me, however, was
television's Kelsey Grammer's ("Cheers," "Frasier")
performance as Georges. It was a terrific performance with nuance, great humor,
and a surprisingly agile voice. The chemistry between he and Hodge was obvious,
which only made the show stronger. We were able to snag table seats in the
front row, which allowed us to get immersed in the love, laughter and song that
took place on the Longacre stage. During the title tune, one of the Cagelles
danced on our table. Talk about up close and personal! It was a magnificent
performance, a magnificent production. I fell in love with the show all over
again. – at the Longacre Theatre, New York
Sidebar:
At the 2010 Tony Awards, this revival won the Tony for Best Revival of a
Musical competing against some very strong competition. It's reviews overall
were considerably better than the 2004 revival's, but, perhaps surprisingly, it
never was a box-office runaway. It did well, actually it did very well for a
spell, but then it chugged along for most of its run playing to houses that
were probably just above breakeven.
Autographed by the cast in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, my number 1 charity.
April,
2011. As wonderful as Kelsey Grammer and especially Douglas Hodge were as
Georges and Albin, respectively, it was the replacement cast that made this
wonderfully old-fashioned, marvelously tuneful love story come truly alive.
I've long been a fan of Christopher Sieber. He's talented, personable and he
totally charmed my niece and nephew, and, by extension, me, when they met him
at the stage door following a performance of Spamalot, their first Broadway show. Displaying an impressive
amount of leading man charisma, his Georges was the best sung of the ones that
I've seen. And what can I saw about Harvey Fierstein's Albin? By far, the most
full-figured of the Albins, he was also unquestionably the funniest. His comic timing was both flawless and
shameless. If there was a punch line in his script (remember Harvey Fierstein
is also the author of the book…and won a Tony for it.), Fierstein found a way
to put it across. His nipple and croissant bits had us laughing so hard, we
were practically crying. Not known as a singer, he nonetheless put across the
numbers with a casual panache and it was his foghorn of a voice that made
"I Am What I Am" the most potent rendition I'd heard. Tony-winner for
Rent, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, was
the new Jacob and he did a fine job with keeping it real and funny. We had such
a great time at the stage-side table seats, we bought them again. This time
Bob's seat was right next to the stairs that Albin used to exit the theatre at
the end of Act One. He also sat on the top step and engaged in some scripted,
yet improv, audience interaction during the title song. Bob, being right next
to him, got serenaded and kissed by Harvey, to everyone's delight. It was one
of those only-in-the-theatre moments. The physical elements were the same as
the Grammer/Hodge production, but the approach and interpretation were
different. I know it's called acting, but having openly gay actors play gay
parts just brings an innate sensibility and nuance that straight actors, no
matter how skilled, can manage. It was this added something that made this
version my favorite of all the versions I've seen. This was as close to a
definitive La Cage aux Folles as you
could get. I loved every minute of it.– at the Longacre Theatre, New York
That's
all for now. More later!
©
2015 Jeffrey Geddes
