Broadway veteran Cheyenne Jackson is able to take one other break from musicals, as she has earlier than. Till he acquired a proposal he could not refuse.
“Oh Mary!” director Sam Pinkleton needed him to star within the Pasadena Playhouse’s revival of the Tony Award-winning musical “La Cage aux Folles.”
“A few week earlier than I received the decision from Sam, I had made the choice that I used to be going to take one other lengthy break from musicals,” mentioned Jackson, additionally identified to TV followers for his work on “The Odyssey.” Name Me Kate,” “American Horror Story,” and “30 Rock.” “I had been on a break for about 10 years, and I used to be like, ‘Okay, I have been scratched quite a bit.'” I had simply completed Mattress Fairy Tales and “Into the Woods,” after which I used to be completed . I need to give attention to writing. There are such a lot of different issues I need to give attention to. Sam referred to as me and, in fact, I knew “Oh, Mary!” He was very persuasive. He advised me his imaginative and prescient and I used to be on board.
Jackson performs Georges, the proprietor of a drag membership within the South of France, who’s requested by his son Jean-Michel (Ryan J. Haddad) to faux to be straight for an evening to fulfill his fiancé (Shannon Pulse). ‘s dad and mom. When George’s long-time companion and submissive queen of the membership, Albin (Kevin Cahoon), exhibits up at a household gathering as Jean-Michael’s aunt, pleasure ensues.
Cheyenne Jackson and Kevin Cahoon in “La Cage aux Folles” on the Pasadena Playhouse.
George Salazar performs Albin’s maid Jacob, the final of the opposite main LGBTQ solid members, and a solid of drag queens and gender-bending performers play the membership’s Les Cagelles .
“It is all so bizarre,” Jackson mentioned. “It is like an enormous homosexual glitter bomb that I get to be part of each evening. It is excellent remedy for me.
“La Cage aux Folles” is customized from the play and the 1978 French basic comedy movie of the identical identify. Director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Elaine Might tailored the American characteristic movie “The Birdcage” starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane.
Cheyenne Jackson and Ryan J. Haddad in “La Cage aux Folles” on the Pasadena Playhouse.
“I am embarrassed to say that I’ve by no means seen the French movie or any of the La Cage productions,” Jackson mentioned. “When La Cage was on Broadway, I used to be all the time on the present, so I by no means received to see it. I solely noticed The Birdcage.
The resurgence started lower than two weeks after Donald Trump was re-elected. “What we’re speaking about here’s a politician who’s making an attempt to close down all drag golf equipment and making an attempt to impose his morals on folks,” Jackson mentioned. “This present couldn’t have come at a greater time.”
“La Cage aux Folles” can be carried out on the Pasadena Theater on December 15. For tickets, go to pasadenaplayhouse.org.
