La Cage aux Folles

[foxy]

Still in preview, so no telling how the "real" critics will react but I liked it and Gary Beach singing "I Am What I AM" packed a punch at the end of the second act. If you like seeing guys in sequins and feathers (and there are plenty of those) you won't be disappointed.

[+ Lucky]

Foxy, the last time I saw you in sequins and feathers, I was pretty impressed, so I know I will like La Cage!

 

When I saw the show 20 years ago I wrote a fan letter to one of the chorus guys and we had several very fun times in the sack. He was a great performer!

[foxy]

Are you telling me there were gay guys in this show??

 

I'm afraid my sequins are a bit tarnished and I know my feathers have wilted.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Gary Beach is an amazing performer~

 

I got to see him progress from working Disney shows (Beauty & The Beast) to his former starring role in The Producers. He's one of the hardest working guys on Broadway and i can't think of anyone else who so deserves this role. I hope he's on track for a Tony.

 

In other musical-related news, the London production of The Producers is a SMASH. Nathan Lane is, again, incredible and i can't totally explain just how amazing this 'Producers' incarnation in the UK is. The audiences in London seem to 'get' this show and the house was packed on the evening i caught the performance. You've got until Janruary 8th to see Lane in the show before Broadway (and 'Producers') vet Roger Bart takes over for him.

 

I was, however, kind of bummed that i didn't have a chance to see Disney's new musical stageshow Mary Poppins. It's supposed to be pretty decent. Anyone here have a chance to see it yet?

 

Also, this upcoming week i'm headed to Vegas and will try to get word on the rennovation of the Guggenheim at the Venetian into the new theatre for 2006's, $100 million production of The Phantom of the Opera. Considering the original show on Broadway was budgeted at $10 million, this should be an interesting, if not over-the-top, new production. Look for this news in my weekly '15 Minutes...'

 

So much theatre, so little time

 

 

Warmest Always,

 

 

 

Benjamin Nicholas

[Tommygunzz]

Well, I saw La Cage in the second night of previews. I'd never been to a preview before and it was "interesting". I sat across the aisle from Harvey Fierstein and that was pretty cool. I swear Lauren Bacall was in the second row.

 

Another interesting thing was that there was some technical difficulty with the scenery after the first musical number. One of the sets slammed to a stop as it was carting all the drag queens off stage. They all went flying off the set----feathers, sequins and asses all in the air. Quite fun, and a 20 minute delay to re-set.

 

As for Gary Beach, I kept feeling the whole time that he was doing an imitation of Nathan Lane. Mannerisms, voice inflections--the whole thing reminded me of Nathan Lane in the movie version. For me, it was a distraction. Gary Beach has a wonderful voice, however, and his show-stopper end to Act I was incredible, even after hearing it done by everyone from George Hearn to disco divas for the past 20 years.

 

Daniel Davis was great. Totally at ease in the role, and seemed as if he had been doing it for years. I couldn't place where I'd seen him before until intermission when I read the Playbill---he was the fussy butler on six seasons of "The Nanny" with Fran Drescher.

 

Not sure if it will turn out to be a huge hit, but it certainly was fun.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Thanks for the mini-review Tommy... Glad to see you liked things and that the show wasn't in terrible shape~

 

Also, very cool that you sat near Harvey F Did he look any different in appearance, as he's about to head into 'Fiddler' for a month of performances? I'd love to see him do that show. It might be a trainwreck, but maybe (just maybe) he'll be able to pull it off.

 

 

Warmest,

 

 

 

Benjamin Nicholas

[Rick Munroe]

I'm probably alone here, but wouldn't it be nice if we could have a gay character on Broadway that isn't dealing with the "issue" of being gay (La Cage) or lisping (Producers) or dying (Angels in America)? Maybe I'm just a dreamer...

[Tommygunzz]

Harvey had a little more facial hair when I saw him at La Cage than he did when I saw him in Hairspray. Slightly more .. <grins>

[fedssocr1]

They had a performance on the Today show this morning of the big "La Cage" number. Those drag queens can really do the splits. I'm not much on the whole musical theatre thing, but I was impressed.

[uptownmike]

I will definitely be seeing it.

[CT Dick]

Tommy, I saw it that afternoon. There were technical difficulties then but I found them interesting.

 

I loved the dance numbers (they were all rewritten and newly choreographed for this production). They were HUGE and well done. The story is a bit old but I think it will sell.

 

Dick

[OneFinger]

RE: The Producers

 

Last year I saw the LA version with Jason Alexander and Martin Short. They were fantastic!! I've seen others do the show but really felt they didn't measure up to Short.

[Guest rohale]

>

>I was, however, kind of bummed that i didn't have a chance to

>see Disney's new musical stageshow Mary Poppins. It's

>supposed to be pretty decent. Anyone here have a chance to

>see it yet?

 

>

>So much theatre, so little time

>

>

>Warmest Always,

>

>

>

>Benjamin Nicholas

 

 

This is one production I'm looking forward to attending very much. I got confirmation tickets about four days ago for a showing in London on December 21st at The Prince Edward Theatre on Old Compton Street in Leicester Square for the early evening. Once I've had the chance to see it, I may post a review of the musical.

 

Speaking along those lines, on December 14th, the 40th Anniversary Edition DVD will be coming out of the film version of Mary Poppins. In fact last night I was told that this past Tuesday at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, there was the re-premiere of the movie. In attendance was good ole ' Chim Chim Cher-ee '; himself Dick Van Dyke and from Weybridge, the great dame herself Miss Julie Andrews. There was a big turn out as I was told for this re-union just to see these two legendary hatchets once again. It's nice to know that there is still interest in one of Disneys best musicals of all time.

 

Rohale