La Cage Aux Folles
Ignite Theatre: 8/14 – 9/6
Les Cagelles
“La Cage Aux Folles” is a musical comedy that features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (“Hello Dolly!“, “Mame” and “Mack and Mabel“) and a book by Harvey Fierstein. In 1983 it received six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. Subsequently it’s won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical twice.
“La Cage Aux Folles” is a musical comedy that features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (“Hello Dolly!“, “Mame” and “Mack and Mabel“) and a book by Harvey Fierstein. In 1983 it received six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. Subsequently it’s won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical twice.
The Ignite Theatre production now on view
on the main stage at Aurora Fox Arts is an extravaganza of glittering glam and glitz
that never loses sight of the life-long love of Georges and Albin, two gay men who run a
fashionable gay nightclub in St. Tropez.
L-R: Darren Koehler and Jim Hitzke
Near the top of the play Georges’ son, Jean-Michel, returns to tell them he is marrying his fiancée, Anne. Things get complicated when Georges discovers that Anne is the daughter of Edouard Dindon (dindon means turkey in French!), the minister of the bureau of Traditional Family Values. Things get even more hilarious as things have to get “straight”ened up when Jean Michel asks Georges to guess who’s coming to dinner?
Near the top of the play Georges’ son, Jean-Michel, returns to tell them he is marrying his fiancée, Anne. Things get complicated when Georges discovers that Anne is the daughter of Edouard Dindon (dindon means turkey in French!), the minister of the bureau of Traditional Family Values. Things get even more hilarious as things have to get “straight”ened up when Jean Michel asks Georges to guess who’s coming to dinner?
Director Bernie Cardell has done a great
job casting the show as well as pacing it at a nice clip.
Jim Hitzke’s Georges is beautifully
realized and wonderfully sung. His singing of “Song on the Sand” and “Look Over
There” both bring tears to the eye.
John White as Albin/Zaza and Les Cagelles
John White as Albin/Zaza and Les Cagelles
John White’s superb Albin is at his best stepping
into the spotlight to sing the rousing anthem: “I Am What I Am.”
The
dynamic created between Hitzke and White is heartfelt and genuine.
Andy
Anderson’s portrayal of Dindon is better than the one I saw in the original show
on Broadway. His ability to lend this character a snobbish smug air of superiority that shifts
to horrified embarrassment and humiliation later is simply delicious.
Shahara Ray’s portrayal of Jacqueline sparkles
as she unleashes a rendition of “The Best of Times” that’s worth the price of
admission all on its own. Randy Chalmers acting of the role of Jacob received
roars of approval from the audience as he sought his moment in the spotlight in
Act Two.
Darren Koehler’s Jean Michel is admirably
acted and sung. One hopes to see him again soon upon the Denver stage.
The
high-kicking Cagelles do a great job hoofing their way through the
big numbers. The actors who are cast as Les Cagelles are: Preston Lee Britton,
Peter Dearth, Carlos Jimenez, Christian Munck, Jeffrey Parizotto and Eric Pung.
Matthew D. Peters keeps the choreography swishing along beautifully.
The music is played with exuberant flash
and flair by the backstage orchestra conducted by music director Blake
Nawa’a.
Rob Prytherc's scenic design is adequate and sometimes takes a bit longer than one might wish for set-up.
Rob Prytherc's scenic design is adequate and sometimes takes a bit longer than one might wish for set-up.
Director Bernie Cardell’s production
engages the heart much more effectively than the one I saw on Broadway in the
nineteen-eighties. And it’s funnier, too!
For tickets call:
866-811-4111 or go online at www.ignitetheatre.com
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