The Jerry Zaks-directed revival of the 1983 smash musical based in the Jean Poiret film and play stars Gary Beach and Daniel Davis as a gay couple who work a St. Tropez nightclub where Beach's Albin is the star drag-show attraction, Zaza. When Davis' Georges learns that his son, Jean-Michel (played by Gavin Creel), is engaged to the daughter of a conservative morals crusader, there is tension in the household that spills over into the titular nightclub, a place billed as "slightly Forties and a little bit new wave."

Herman told Playbill On-Line the production, which opens Dec. 9, is set in present-day, not in the 1980s, when the musical first appeared. Composer-lyricist Herman and librettist Fierstein won Tony Awards for their work on the show.

Did the creators do any script or score revisions before the first performance?

"We tweaked," Herman admitted, "but they were small. Harvey has added some funny new lines — not that he had to! We had a chance to make it even better. I added some funny lines for Georges in the son's song, 'With Anne on My Arm,' and it's made a difference. Only people who really know the show well will see the difference, but a lot of those places are stronger and funnier, but basically it's the same."

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Ruth Williamson, Michael Mulheren, Linda Balgord, John Shuman and Michael Benjamin Washington are among featured players in the new Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles. In the musical comedy about marriage, family and love, Mulheren (The Boy From Oz) and Balgord (Cats, Aspects of Love) play the ultra-conservative parents of Anne (Angela Gaylor), who is engaged to Jean-Michel (Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel, of Thoroughly Modern Millie). The title nightspot is populated by flashy folk such as Jacqueline (Williamson) and housemaid Jacob (Washington). John Shuman plays Francis, the nightclub's stage manager.

The company also includes Adrian Bailey, Bryan Batt, Paul Canaan, Joey Dudding, Merwin Foard, Christopher Freeman, Patty Goble, Dale Hensley, John Hillner, Leah Horowitz, Clark Johnsen, Brad Musgrove, Eric Otte, Nathan Peck, Andy Pellick, T. Oliver Reid, Jermaine Rembert, Dorothy Stanley, Charlie Sutton, Will Taylor, Josh Walden and Emma Zaks.

Jerry Mitchell (The Full Monty, Never Gonna Dance, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) choreographs the flashy and heartfelt musical, which includes nightclub numbers with a chorus line in drag.

The score includes "Song on the Sand," "Look Over There," "We Are What We Are," "A Little More Mascara," "With You on My Arm," "I Am What I Am," "The Best of Times" and more.

La Cage aux Folles is produced by James L. Nederlander, Clear Channel Entertainment, Kenneth Greenblatt, Terry Allen Kramer and Martin Richards.

Designers are Scott Pask (scenic), William Ivey Long (costume), Donald Holder (lighting), Peter Fitzgerald (sound) and Paul Huntley (hair). Musical direction is by Patrick Vaccariello, leading a 22-piece orchestra.

The original production opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on Aug. 21, 1983. It ran for 1,761 performances and won six Tony Awards including Best Musical.

There will be an added performance Nov. 26 at 2 PM. Performances will play Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2 PM, and Sunday at 3 PM. Note that during previews Tuesday performance are at 8 PM. There will be no matinee or evening performances on Nov. 24.

Tickets range $25-$100, and are available through Ticketmaster.com at (212) 307-4100.

For more information visit www.lacage.com.