C'est Moi: Robert Goulet Joins Broadway's La Cage aux Folles April 15
By Kenneth Jones
15 Apr 2005
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Robert Goulet
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Robert Goulet, who won a Tony Award playing a French Canadian in The Happy Time and came to wide fame as French knight Lancelot in the musical Camelot, is Gallic again on Broadway starting April 15, in La Cage aux Folles.
The concert, recording and stage star takes over the role of Georges, one half of a gay couple that thrives at the titular St. Tropez drag nightclub that's "slightly '40s and a little bit new wave." Daniel Davis created the part in the new Jerry Zaks-directed revival at the Marquis Theatre, but the actor and producers had a parting of ways five months into the actor's contract.
Between March 28 and April 15, John Hillner played Georges, who serves as emcee at the nightspot. Georges is married (though not legally, of course) to Albin (played by Gary Beach) — the club's star-diva, Zaza in the Jerry Herman-Harvey Fierstein musical.
Goulet will wrap his voice around such Herman classics as "Song on the Sand," "Look Over There" and "With You on My Arm."
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In addition to a long concert and recording career, Goulet has toured in recent years in productions of South Pacific, Man of La Mancha, The Fantasticks and Camelot (graduating to the role of King Arthur).
"It is absolutely thrilling to hear Robert Goulet singing these great Jerry Herman songs," said lead producer James L. Nederlander in a prepared statement. "He is true Broadway and is right back where he belongs. We wish the talented Daniel Davis well in his future endeavors."
Robert Goulet created the role of Lancelot — Arthur's champion and rival — in the musical fantasy Camelot by Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner and Moss Hart. He is known as a concert headliner, a recording artist and a TV and film actor. Goulet won his Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time.
La Cage tells the story of Georges and Albin, who are told by their son Jean-Michel (played by Gavin Creel) that he is marrying Anne (Angela Gaylor), the daughter of a morals crusader. What Anne and her parents don't know is that the new in-laws are not only gay but run a notorious drag cabaret — with Albin as the marquee star, Zaza. Cue the conflict, both between the two families and within the non-traditional family.
Jerry Mitchell (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty) choreographs. The production is set in the present-day, not in the 1980s, when the musical first appeared.
The Herman 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.
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. Composer-lyricist Herman and librettist Harvey Fierstein won Tony Awards for their work on the original production.
Performances 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.
Tickets range $25-$100, and are available through Ticketmaster.com at (212) 307-4100.
For more information visit www.lacage.com.
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