Meeting your son’s future in-laws can be awkward, especially if you’ve come out as gay. Even more so if the father is an anti-gay right-wing politician and he wants to crack down on gay nightclubs like the one you own! This is the hilarious setup for Suzart Productions’ La Cage aux Folles, a musical with Jerry Herman’s Tony-winning score, and Harvey Fierstein’s book.
Some might think this is an odd choice for a family oriented theatre company. However it was chosen exactly because it emphasizes that ALL types of families must be celebrated! “The performances will be spectacular, this is a given. But what’s really not to miss is this show’s message of love and acceptance of each other and of ourselves,” says Dani Bone-Corbishley, the show’s choreographer.
Thanks to its messages about tolerance, acceptance and love, this is a wonderfully entertaining musical with spectacular dance numbers and powerful music.
“The heart of the show is its touching portrayal of Georges (Jim Baldwin) and Albin’s (Kraig-Paul Proulx) enduring love and [its portrayal of] how family means everything,” according to artistic rirector Sue Fowler-Dacey. “Suzart is a place where all people and families are accepted. To paraphrase the main song in the show, they are who they are and we need to embrace them with love.”
The message is not the only thing on Fowler-Dacey’s mind. She needed to teach the men “cagelles” how to act, sing and dance convincingly as women, with high heels, skirts and, yes, bosoms. Maureen Russell’s costume-team has created corsets for each male and female “cagelle” to ensure the perfect nightclub look. The results are so impressive that you’ll have a good time guessing which of the “cagelles” are male or female as Centrepointe Studio Theatre transforms into La Cage nightclub. In this festive setting, some audience members will be at onstage bistro tables.
La Cage aux Folles will be presented at Centrepointe Studio Theatre December 4 to 6 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees December 6 and 7 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $23.75 to $31.25 and they’re available at the Centrepointe Theatre box office, at 613 580-2700 and at Centrepointetheatre.com.
About Suzart Productions (suzart.ca)
Suzart Productions is a non-profit, charitable musical theatre company specializing in affordable entertainment for the entire family. Elaine McCausland and Sue Fowler Dacey started this company in 2003 with the goal of providing an opportunity for people of all ages to experience the world of theatre in all its aspects.
