Playbill Backstage is part of Playbill's new and expanding multimedia section. Our video guide backstage at La Cage at the Longacre Theatre is Chris Hoch, who plays Francis, the masochistic stage manager; he also understudies stars Kelsey Grammer (a Tony nominee here as Georges) and Douglas Hodge (a Tony winner as Albin).
Part one introduces the ladies who greet the patrons of St. Tropez's most notorious nightclub; part two offers more "Cagelles" and a tour of dressing rooms; parts three and four introduce Grammer, Hodge and their co-stars backstage.
High heels! Beefcake! Wild wigs! Six packs! Backstage wisdom! Playbill Backstage at La Cage aux Folles — edited by Playbill video producer Mark Ezovski — offers it all.
Here are Parts One through Four:
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Hodge, who originated the role of Albin (also moonlighting as drag performer Zaza) in this London revival, earned both the Olivier and Tony Awards for his performance. He is joined on Broadway by Tony Award nominee Grammer as his devoted partner Georges.
La Cage aux Folles — the tale of two gay drag-club stars whose son is in love with the daughter of a conservative politician — features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and book by Harvey Fierstein, based on the play by Jean Poiret. The production, which is choreographed by Lynne Page and directed by Tony Award winner Terry Johnson, originated at London's Menier Chocolate Factory.
The cast also includes Fred Applegate as Dindon; A.J. Shively, a recent University of Michigan graduate, making his Broadway debut as Jean-Michel; Tony nominee Veanne Cox (Company, Caroline, or Change) as Mme. Dindon/Mme. Renaud; Tony nominee Robin de Jesús (In the Heights) as Jacob; two-time Tony nominee Christine Andreas (My Fair Lady, Oklahoma!, On Your Toes) as Jacqueline; Elena Shaddow (Fiddler on the Roof, Fanny at Encores!) as Anne; Chris Hoch (Beauty and the Beast, Spamalot, Shrek the Musical) as Francis; Heather Lindell (Hairspray) as Colette; Bill Nolte (The Producers, 1776) as Tabarro and David Nathan Perlow (White Noise) as Etienne.
Appearing as the Cagelles are Nick Adams (A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Chicago), Nicholas Cunningham (La Cage aux Folles in the West End), Sean Patrick Doyle (Fiddler on the Roof national tour, Wig Out!), Yurel Echezarreta (West Side Story), Terry Lavell (Hairspray in Las Vegas, Smokey Joe's Café national tour) and Logan Keslar (West Side Story in the West End). The production also includes Christophe Caballero, Todd Lattimore, Dale Hensley, Caitlina Mundth and Cheryl Stern.
Visit LaCage.
