I Am What I Am 1ry6b

La Cage Aux Folles

Book by Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song Trilogy) Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman (Mame and Hello Dolly) Based on the play by Jean Poiret Palace Theatre, Broadway - 21 August 1983 (1761 perfs) London Palladium - May 7, 1986 (301 perfs)

As a long-running Paris boulevard comedy, later as a highly original classic film, and more recently as one of the decade's biggest Broadway musicals and a major hit in the West End at the Palladium, La Cage aux Folles has millions of fans. Jerry Herman's music and Harvey Fierstein's book add new dimensions to the story of the homosexual lovers whose twenty years of domestic tranquillity are shattered when a son, fathered during a one-night heterosexual fling, decides to marry the daughter of a bigoted politician.

Story Georges and his friend Albin, stage name Zaza, run a St Tropez nightclub, La Cage aux Folles, where the stars and the chorus line are mainly men in drag. Georges and his friend have lived happily together for many years. Their apartment is also home to their black 'maid' Jacob. And, as of today, Georges' son Jean-Michel (the result of a casual liaison some twenty years before). Jean-Michel has news. He's engaged to Anne. That's the good news. The bad news is that her father is head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party, whose sworn aim is to close the local drag clubs. And her parents want to meet their daughter's future in-laws, including his real mother. Jean-Michel has described Georges as a retired diplomat, which could lead to trouble. Jean-Michel has a solution. Albin will absent himself for the visit - and all the furniture will be

changed for something less spectacular. When he finds that he's to be marginalised, Albin is deeply hurt. Has he not brought up Georges' son, man and boy, and been a good mother? He quits the club in a thoroughly justified huff. Next morning Georges finds Albin on the beach and suggests he dresses up as a macho uncle Al. Why not? Back at the apartment, now transformed into a cell reminiscent of a monastery, Georges receives a telegram. Jean-Michel's mother Sybil isn't coming. What to do? A ring at the door. Anne's parents arrive. Albin flees to his room, emerging as a buxom forty-year-old. Jacob has burned the dinner. A trip to a local restaurant, Chez Jacqueline, belonging to an old friend of Albin and Georges, is quickly arranged. No one has briefed Jacqueline on the situation and she asks Albin for a song. Alas, as Zaza, he completely forgets himself and at the song's climax tears off his wig, revealing his true identity. Back at the apartment the Dindons make their disapproval known. Their daughter is not persuaded. She's in love with Jean-Michel and will stay with him. The Dindons prepare to leave. Their way is blocked by Jacqueline, who has arrived with the Press! How piquant to have a picture of the most notorious anti homosexual with the most famous St Tropez homosexuals. Georges and Albin have a solution. Anne and their son must be allowed to marry, of course. And the Dindons will be allowed to escape - through La Cage aux Folles next door! And that is what happens, with the Dindons dressed as artistes of the revue, and Mr Dindon as the ugliest drag queen imaginable! So all ends happily - at least for everyone for whom it should.

Musical Numbers: 1. We Are What We Are - Les Cagelles 2. A Little More Mascara - Albin and friends 3. With Anne On My Arm - Jean-Michel 4. With You On My Arm (Reprise) - Albin and Georges 5. The Promenade - Townspeople 6. Song On the Sand - Georges 7. La Cage Aux Folles - Albin and Les Cagelles 8. I Am What I Am - Albin 9. Masculinity - Georges and Albin 10. Look Over There - Georges 11. Cocktail Counterpoint - Georges, Dindon, Mme. Dindon, Jacob 12. The Best of Times - Albin, Jacqueline and Patrons

   

"It's a family show ... a glittering, fast-stepping extravaganza..." New York Daily News "... glitz, showmanship, good cheer ... unflagging tunefulness..." New York Times "Funny, glitzy, novel, saucy and with some decent human feelings in the ventricles of its sentimental heart..." Daily Telegraph "It catches at the heartstrings ... " Daily Mail

The Cast: M 10, F3, chorus of 10M, 2F extras          

Georges Chantal * Monique * Dermah * Nicole * Hanna * Mercedes * Bitelle * Lo Singh * Odette *

* "Les Cagelles"

         

Angelique * Phaedra * Clo-Clo * Francis Jacob Albin Jean-Michel Anne Jacqueline M. Renaud

         

Mme Renaud ± Paulette ± Hercule ± Etienne ± Babette ± Colette ± Tabarro ± Pepe ± Edouard Dindon Mme. Dindon

| ± St Tropez Townspeople

The Scenes: Various interior and exterior settings

Orchestration Reeds 1-5, Trumpets 1+2, Horns 1+2, Trombone 1+2, Drums, Percussion 1+2, Violins A+B, Cello, Bass, Guitar/Banjo, Harp, Accordion/Electric Keyboard

I Am What I Am (Broadway musical song) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"I Am What I Am" is a song originally introduced in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles (1983–1987). The song is the finale number of the musical's first act, and performed by the character of Albin Mougeotte, first played by George Hearn.[1] The song was composed in 1983 by Jerry Herman, an openly gay man.

Contents 

1 Gloria Gaynor version o 1.1 Track listing o 1.2 Chart performance

 

2 Other versions 3 References

Gloria Gaynor version

"I Am What I Am" Single by Gloria Gaynor from the album I Am Gloria Gaynor Released

1983

Genre

Soul, Disco

Length

3:51

Writer(s)

Jerry Herman

The song was later released as a single by Gloria Gaynor in 1983 and went on to become one of the singer's best known songs. A club hit in America, Gaynor's version of "I Am What I Am" was a hit throughout Europe and eventually became a gay anthem.

Track listing 

7" Single[2] A. "I Am What I Am" - 3:51 B. "More Than Enough" - 4:46

Chart performance Chart (1983)

Peak position

U.S. Dance Music/Club Play Singles[3]

3

U.S. R&B Singles[3]

82

UK Singles Chart[4]

13

Other versions Welsh singer Shirley Bassey recorded the song for her 1984 album I Am What I Am. That version was released as a single from the album, with "This Is My Life" as the B-side. The song has been also covered by Marti Webb, Joannie Taylor, Carol Jiani, George Hearn, Hannah Jones, Soraya Arnelas, Ken Page, Linda Eder, Amateur Transplants, Karen Mulder, Andrew Rannells, and John Barrowman. In Argentina, the singer Sandra Mihanovich made a Spanish-cover of the song called "Soy lo que soy". Páll Oskar has recorded an Icelandic version of the song called "Ég er Eins og ég Er". In the Philippines, the song was included and was sung by Maricel Soriano in the movie "Inday Bote". It became the title of her weekly musical variety show. She would sing a portion of the song as her finale. French singer Amanda Lear covered "I Am What I Am" for her 2009 album Brand New Love Affair.[5] Swedish drag queen Babsan, who sang the song "Ge mig en spanjor" in the Melodifestivalen 2011, regularly performs a Swedish version of the song, "Jag är som jag är". The song was used as the closing number of the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London sung by Beverley Knight. The Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands, a micronation occupying the Coral Sea Islands off Australia, have adopted the song as their national anthem. Anthony Geary (as his character Luke Spencer) performed a version of this song at the 2014 Nurses Ball on an episode of the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital on May 9, 2014. Camryn Manheim (as Daisy on Two and a Half Men) covered the song. Ginger Minj performed a version of this song at the 2016 Trailblazer Honors in tribute to Harvey Fierstein.

La Cage aux Folles (musical) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

La Cage aux Folles

Original Broadway windowcard Music

Jerry Herman

Lyrics

Jerry Herman

Book

Harvey Fierstein

Basis

La Cage aux Folles by Jean Poiret

1983 Boston tryout 1983 Broadway 1985 Theater des Westens Berlin, 1986 West End 2001 Madrid Productions 2004 Broadway revival 2008 West End revival 2010 Broadway revival 2011 U.S. Tour 2017 UK Tour

Awards

Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical Tony Award for Best Original Score Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical

Revival

La Cage aux Folles (French pronunciation: [la kaʒ o fɔl]) is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein[1] and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman.[1] Based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, it focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction, and the farcical adventures that ensue when Georges's son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents to meet them. La cage aux folles literally means "the cage of mad women". However folles is also a slang term for effeminate homosexuals (queens). The original 1983 Broadway production received nine nominations for Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. The success of the musical spawned a West End production and several international runs. The 2004 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival, the 2008 London revival garnered the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. The 2010 Broadway revival was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. La Cage aux Folles is the first musical which has won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical twice and the show that has won a Best Production Tony Award (Best Musical or Best Revival of a Musical) for each of its Broadway productions. A National Tour, based on the 2010 revival, began in October 2011 with George Hamilton as Georges and Christopher Sieber as Albin. The show has had five nominations for Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical from the three Broadway productions, twice for Georges and three times for Albin, and won twice, both for Albin.

Contents  

 

  

1 Background 2 Synopsis o 2.1 Act I o 2.2 Act II 3 Characters 4 Productions o 4.1 Original Broadway production o 4.2 Original London production o 4.3 2003 20th Anniversary Production o 4.4 2004 Broadway revival o 4.5 2008 London revival o 4.6 2010 Broadway revival o 4.7 National Tour (2011–2012) o 4.8 2017 UK Tour o 4.9 International productions 5 Musical numbers 6 Recordings 7 Awards and nominations o 7.1 Original Broadway production o 7.2 2004 Broadway revival o 7.3 2008 London revival

   

o 7.4 2010 Broadway revival 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 External links

Background Allan Carr, who had produced the successful film adaptation of Grease (1978), was eager to work in theatre and thought a musical version of the hit 1978 film La Cage aux Folles would be an ideal vehicle for his Broadway debut.[2] However, he was unable to secure the rights to the film and was forced to settle for the rights to the original play only.[3] Carr hired Jay Presson Allen to write the book and Maury Yeston to compose the score for The Queen of Basin Street, an Americanized version set in New Orleans. With Mike Nichols set to direct and Tommy Tune on board as choreographer, Carr searched for executive producers and found them in Fritz Holt and Barry Brown, who immediately fired the entire creative team that Carr had assembled. All of them eventually filed lawsuits, but Yeston alone won and later collected a small royalty from La Cage.[4] Holt and Brown had produced the 1974 revival of Gypsy directed by Arthur Laurents, and they approached him with an offer to direct their new venture. Laurents was not a fan of drag or camp entertainment and thought Holt and Brown never would find enough investors to finance a gaythemed project at a time when, during the early years of the AIDS epidemic, homophobia was more intense than ever.[5] He agreed only because Holt and Brown were close friends and he wanted them to remain on Carr's payroll as long as possible, but his interest grew when he learned Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman had committed to the project.[6] According to Laurents, when he met with Fierstein and Herman for the first time, they had restored both the title and locale of the original play but had neither a script nor even an outline for the plot. All they had was the Herman song "I Am What I Am," and Laurents immediately envisioned it as an emotional outburst sung at the close of the first act. Laurents further claims that when he explained his concept to Fierstein and Herman, he inspired the direction they took in writing the musical.[6] Herman tells a very different story in an interview included in the original cast CD. He claims that they were well into the collaboration when Fierstein arrived one day with an emotional fiery scene he had written for the end of Act I that included the words "I am what I am." Delighted, Herman asked to use the five words, boasting he would have a song by morning, which he did. With gay-activist Fierstein and the political Laurents on board, the show could have "become a polemic diatribe on gay rights."[5] However, Herman was a moderating influence. Having suffered a series of disappointments with darker-themed shows since 1969, he was eager to score a hit with a mainstream, emotional, optimistic song-and-dance entertainment that middle-class audiences would enjoy.[5] The team opted to create "a charming, colorful, great-looking musical comedy - an old-fashioned piece of entertainment," as Herman recalled in his memoir Showtune.[7] By "delivering their sentiments in a sweetly entertaining manner", the team was able to convey their gay-themed message with more impact than they could have with a more aggressive approach.[8]

Fierstein, Herman and Laurents met daily in Herman's Manhattan townhouse to work on the musical. Because they were limited to using only the Poiret play as a source, they were unable to include the character of Jean-Michel's birth mother, who had been created for the film. They focused the plot on the fact that the relationship of Georges and Albin seems so natural that the boy is able to accept a man as his "mother".[9] The three men agreed that Albin needed to be as glamorous an entertainer as possible, and Theoni V. Aldredge was hired as costume designer to achieve their goal.[10] The producers agreed to a Boston tryout, and just before the second preview (the first was cancelled due to problems with the mechanized set),[11] Herman had a panic attack prompted by his fear that the city probably was too conservative to embrace a gay-themed musical, albeit one designed for a mainstream audience. The Boston crowds gave the show an enthusiastic reception.[12] Fierstein, Herman and Laurents were also concerned that this was essentially a love story in which the lovers barely touched each other. Fierstein suggested they kiss on the cheeks at the end, and Laurents, citing the common custom of French men kissing each other on both cheeks, agreed.[13] George Hearn as Albin had the showier role and many of the big musical numbers. His character was fully drawn, and behind the drag performer, the audience could see "a person driven to take a stand for himself – a notion that all people could relate to."[8] In contrast, during rehearsals, everyone had ed firing Gene Barry, who was considered adequate but never outstanding as Georges, but finding a replacement proved to be difficult. Finally, just before opening night, Laurents directed him always to look into Hearn's eyes, whenever the two men were on stage, so the audience would sense the depth of the couple's feelings for each other. The director also had Georges introduce the various club acts with more of a flourish, "like an aria that will land like a musical number." Both of these last-minute stage directions enabled Barry to get a better grasp of his character.[14] Barry went on to get a Tony nomination for Best Actor in a musical for his efforts, Co-Star Hearn took home the trophy. According to theatre historian John Kenrick, La Cage aux Folles helped make the 1983 Broadway season an especially strong one. He noted that following La Cage and Big River in 1985, for "the first time since Oklahoma, a full decade would go by before a new American musical would the 1,000-performance mark."[15]

Synopsis

Act I Georges, the master of ceremonies, welcomes the audience to his St. Tropez drag nightclub, "La Cage aux Folles". The chorus line known as Les Cagelles appear and introduce themselves to the audience ("We Are What We Are"). Georges and his "wife", Albin, have lived happily together for many years in an apartment above La Cage with their "maid" Jacob. Albin is a drag queen and the star performer of La Cage aux Folles under the alias of "Zaza". As Albin prepares to perform ("[A Little More] Mascara"), Georges' 24-year-old son JeanMichel (the offspring of a confused, youthful liaison with a woman named Sybil) arrives home

with the news that he is engaged to Anne Dindon. Georges is reluctant to approve of JeanMichel's engagement, but Jean-Michel assures his father that he is in love with Anne ("With Anne on My Arm"). Unfortunately, her father is head of the "Tradition, Family and Morality Party", whose stated goal is to close the local drag clubs. Anne's parents want to meet their daughter's future in-laws. Jean-Michel has lied to his fiancée, describing Georges as a retired diplomat. Jean-Michel pleads with Georges to tell Albin to absent himself (and his flamboyant behaviors) for the visit - and for Georges to redecorate the apartment in a more subdued fashion. Jean-Michel also asks Georges to invite Sybil, who has barely seen him since his birth, to dinner in Albin's stead. Albin returns from the show to greet his son when Georges suggests that they take a walk ("With You on My Arm"). Georges takes Albin to the Promenade Café, owned by Monsieur and Madame Renaud, where he attempts to soften Albin's emotions before telling him of Jean-Michel's request ("Song on the Sand"). Before Georges can break the news to him, Albin suggests that they hurry back to La Cage to make it in time for the next show. They arrive in time and Albin takes the stage once more as Zaza ("La Cage aux Folles"). While Albin is performing, Georges and Jean-Michel quickly redecorate the house. While Albin is changing for his next number, he notices the two carrying his gowns and demands to know what is going on. Georges finally tells Albin of JeanMichel's plan and expects Albin to explode with fury, but he remains silent. Albin then re-s Les Cagelles onstage, tells them to leave, and begins to sing alone in defiance of Jean-Michel, stating that he is proud of who he is and refuses to change for anyone ("I Am What I Am"). He throws his wig at Georges and departs in a huff.

Act II The next morning, Georges finds Albin at the Promenade Café after his abrupt departure and apologizes ("Song on the Sand [Reprise]"). He then suggests to Albin that he dress up for dinner as macho "Uncle Al". Albin is still upset, but reluctantly agrees to act like a heterosexual for Jean-Michel. With the help of Monsieur and Madame Renaud, Georges successfully teaches Albin to abandon his flamboyancy ("Masculinity"). Back at the chastely redesigned apartment, Georges shows "Uncle Al" to Jean-Michel. Jean-Michel doesn't like the idea and expresses his dislike for Albin's lifestyle. Georges angrily reminds Jean-Michel of how good of a "mother" Albin has been to him ("Look Over There"). They then receive a telegram that Jean-Michel's mother Sybil is not coming and Anne's parents arrive ("Dishes [Cocktail Counterpoint]"). Hoping to save the day, Albin appears as Jean-Michel's buxom, forty-year-old mother, in pearls and sensible shoes. The nervous Jacob burns the dinner, so a trip to a local restaurant, "Chez Jacqueline", belonging to an old friend of Albin and Georges, is quickly arranged. No one has told Jacqueline of the situation, and she asks Albin (as Zaza) for a song, to which he hesitantly agrees ("The Best of Times"). Everyone in the restaurant begins to take part in the song, causing Albin to yield to the frenzy of performance and tear off his wig at the song's climax, revealing his true identity. Back at the apartment, the Dindons plead with their daughter to abandon her fiancé, for they are appalled by his homosexual parents, but she is in love with Jean-Michel and refuses to leave him. Jean-Michel, deeply ashamed of the way he has treated Albin, asks his forgiveness ("Look Over There [Reprise]"), which is lovingly granted. The Dindons prepare to depart, but their way is

blocked by Jacqueline, who has arrived with the press, ready to photograph the notorious antihomosexual activists with Zaza. Georges and Albin have a proposal: If Anne and Jean-Michel may marry, Georges will help the Dindons escape through La Cage downstairs. Georges bids the audience farewell while Les Cagelles prepare the Dindons for the grand finale ("La Cage aux Folles [Reprise]"). Georges then introduces the Dindons, dressed in drag as of the nightclub's revue, and they escape the paparazzi with Jean-Michel and Anne behind them. With everyone gone, Albin enters and he and Georges briefly sing of their love for each other before sharing a kiss ("Finale [With You On My Arm/La Cage aux Folles/Song on the Sand/The Best Of Times]").

Characters            

Albin – the aging star of La Cage aux Folles who performs as the drag queen “Zaza.” Georges – Albin's husband of twenty years and the owner and master of ceremonies of La Cage. Jean-Michel – Georges' twenty-four-year-old son from a brief heterosexual fling in Paris, raised by Albin and Georges as mother and father. Jacob – Albin and Georges’ butler, although he prefers to be called the maid, who dreams of performing in their show. He is close to Albin and often at odds with Georges. Jacqueline – Albin and Georges' stylish and imposing friend and the owner of Chez Jaqueline, an elegant restaurant. Anne Dindon – Jean-Michel's fiancée. Edouard Dindon – Anne's ultra-conservative father and the Deputy General of the Tradition, Family, and Morality Party. Marie Dindon – Anne's mother and Edouard’s wife. Francis – the stage manager of La Cage. M. Renaud – Albin and Georges’ friend and the owner of the Promenade Café. St. Tropez Townspeople – Babette, Colette, Etienne, Hercule, Paulette, Mme. Renaud, and Tabarro. Les Cagelles, twelve ensemble drag performers who work at La Cage (six in the 2010 Broadway Revival) – Angelique, Bitelle, Chantal, Clo-Clo, Dermah, Hanna, Lo Singh, Mercedes, Monique, Nicole, Odette, and Phaedra.

Productions

Original Broadway production La Cage aux Folles opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre on August 21, 1983. It was directed by Arthur Laurents and choreographed by Scott Salmon, with set design by David Mitchell, costume design by Theoni V. Aldredge, and lighting design by Jules Fisher. The original Broadway cast included Gene Barry as Georges and George Hearn as Albin, with John Weiner as Jean-Michel, Walter Charles as M. Renaud, Jay Garner as Edouard Dindon, Merle Louise as Mme. Dindon, Elizabeth Parrish as Jacqueline, Leslie Stevens as Anne, and William Thomas, Jr. as Jacob.[16] Among the replacement performers who appeared in La Cage aux Folles during its original Broadway run were Walter Charles, Keene Curtis, Van Johnson, Peter Marshall, Keith Michell, Jamie Ross and Lee Roy Reams.[16] The original production received nine Tony Award nominations, winning a total of six including Best Musical, Best Original

Score and Best Book of a Musical. The show beat several strong competitors in many categories, including Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. It also won three Drama Desk Awards. The production ran for four years and 1,761 performances, closing on November 15, 1987.[16] After the great success of the production's opening night, Herman felt vindicated. He "had nothing else to prove" to his critics and "vowed never to write another show for Broadway".[17]

Original London production The show had its West End premiere at the London Palladium on May 7, 1986 with the same creative team as the Broadway production. Hearn transferred with the production, which was made possible through an agreement with the American and British actors' unions, allowing him to come over in exchange for Robert Lindsay appearing in Me and My Girl on Broadway.[18] The production also starred Denis Quilley as Georges,[19] Jonathon Morris as Jean-Michel, Richard Owens as M. Renaud, Brian Glover as Edouard Dindon, Julia Sutton as Mme. Dindon, Phyllida Law as Jacqueline, Wendy Roe as Anne and Donald Waugh as Jacob and Jerry Lane as Phaedra. The show closed in London after 301 performances. Its short run and financial failure were partly blamed on the AIDS crisis, and producers were uncomfortable about portraying gay lives onstage quite so openly in mainstream musicals for some time afterwards.[20]

2003 20th Anniversary Production HOFSTRA USA Produced a 20th Anniversary Production of "La Cage aux Folles" at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse that ran the entire month of August 2003 and was extended for an additional 3 Performances. The Production was Directed & Choreographed by Gary John LaRosa and Stage Managed by Joe Gladstone & Flora Biagi. The Production featured a 27 Pieces Orchestra; the Original Broadway Costumes and Starred Michael Allen Gray as "Georges" and Cas Marino as "Albin.

2004 Broadway revival The first Broadway revival opened at the Marquis Theatre, beginning previews on November 11, 2004, with an official opening on December 9, 2004. The production team included Jerry Zaks as director, Jerry Mitchell as choreographer, Scott Pask, Donald Holder and William Ivey Long as designers. The cast included Gary Beach as Albin, Daniel Davis as Georges, Gavin Creel as Jean-Michel, Merwin Foard as M. Renaud, Michael Mulheren as Edouard Dindon, Linda Balgord as Mme. Dindon, Ruth Williamson as Jacqueline, Angela Gaylor as Anne, and Michael Benjamin Washington as Jacob.[21] Robert Goulet replaced Davis as Georges on April 15, 2005 and played the role until the production closed. Reviews for the production were mixed, with The New York Times stating that it "often gives the impression of merely going through the motions, amiably but robotically, of its gag-laden, sentimental plot", yet praised Les Cagelles, who "bring acrobatic oomph and angularity to centerpieces that include an aviary of exotic, back-flipping birds and a vigorous Montmartre-style can-can. As long as the Cagelles are doing their thing, your attention stays thoroughly engaged".[22] The revival won numerous Tony and Drama Desk awards. The production closed on June 26, 2005. Ticket sales for the show had not increased

after winning the Tony Award, and the show had been consistently selling at less than 60% capacity in the months before closing.[23][24]

2008 London revival A scaled-down London revival, starring Philip Quast and Douglas Hodge opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory on January 8, 2008, and played there until March 8, 2008.[25] The cast also included Neil McDermott, Iain Mitchell and Una Stubbs, with direction by Terry Johnson and choreography by Lynne Page. The production had originally been scheduled to open in December 2007, but it was delayed twice due to illness within the cast. By the time the production officially opened, all remaining performances had sold out. The show opened to mostly positive press with particular praise for Hodge's performance as Albin.[26] The Menier Chocolate Factory production transferred to the West End on October 20, 2008 at the Playhouse Theatre co-produced with Sonia Friedman Productions, Robert G. Bartner, David Ian Productions, The Ambassador Theatre Group, Matthew Mitchell and Jamie Hendry Productions. It was initially d as a "Strictly Limited 12 Week Season",[27] although this became open-ended due to its success.[28] Hodge reprised his role as Albin, ed by Denis Lawson as Georges.[29] The cast also included Iain Mitchell as M Renaud/Edouard Dindon, Paula Wilcox as Mme. Ranaud/Mme. Dindon and Tracie Bennett as Jacqueline. The production gathered rave reviews, with high praise again for Hodge and Les Cagelles. Whatsonstage.com commented: "A great Broadway show has been reborn as a classic musical comedy with real punch and pizzazz." Michael Billington of The Guardian reported that the show had improved with its transfer to the West End from the Menier Chocolate Factory.[30] The 2008 West End cast appeared as a guest act for the Royal Variety Performance 2008, staged at the London Palladium on December 11, 2008, in the presence of senior of the Royal family[31] The production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, and Hodge won for Best Actor, out of a total of seven nominations. The roles of Albin and Georges have been re-cast in London every three months with well-known actors to keep the production fresh and public interest high. Television personality Graham Norton took over the role of Albin on January 19, 2009, alongside Steven Pacey as Georges.[32] They were succeeded on May 4, 2009, by theatre veterans Roger Allam as Albin and Philip Quast reprising his role of Georges from the Menier Chocolate Factory.[33] From September 12, 2009, until November 28, 2009, John Barrowman and Simon Burke played the roles of Albin and Georges respectively.[34] Douglas Hodge as Albin and Denis Lawson as Georges returned to the production from 30 November 2009, until the production closed on January 2, 2010.[35]

2010 Broadway revival A transfer of the 2008 London revival to Broadway began previews at the Longacre Theatre on April 6, 2010, and officially opened on April 18, 2010. Johnson and Page directed and choreographed. Douglas Hodge reprised the role of Albin. Kelsey Grammer starred as Georges in his debut in a Broadway musical (he had previously performed Shakespeare on Broadway). The set design was by Tim Shortall, costumes by Matthew Wright, lighting by Nick Richings, and scaled down eight-player orchestrations by Jason Carr.[36] The production received positive reviews, many praising the scaled-down nature of the production and the performances of

newcomers Douglas Hodge and Kelsey Grammer as Albin and Georges.[37] The cast also featured A.J Shively in his Broadway debut as Jean-Michel, Robin de Jesus as Jacob, Fred Applegate as M. Renaud/M. Dindon, Veanne Cox as Mme. Renaud/Mme. Dindon, Christine Andreas as Jacqueline and Elena Shaddow as Anne. The Cagelles included Nick Adams, Logan Keslar, Sean Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Cunningham, Terry Lavell and Yurel Echezarreta. The production received 11 Tony Award nominations and won Best Musical Revival, Best Actor in a Musical (Douglas Hodge) and Best Direction of a Musical. A cast recording of the revival was made by PS Classics and was released on September 28, 2010. The production closed on May 1, 2011, after 433 performances and 15 previews. Notable replacements  

     

Allyce Beasley replaced Veanne Cox as Mme. Renaud/Mme. Dindon on September 14, 2010. Jeffrey Tambor replaced Kelsey Grammer as Georges on February 15, 2011, but withdrew from the production following the February 24, 2011, performance. Chris Hoch, who normally played Francis, and also served as an understudy for the leads assumed the role of Georges until a permanent replacement was found.[38] Harvey Fierstein replaced Douglas Hodge as Albin/Zaza on February 15, 2011. Wilson Jermaine Heredia replaced Robin de Jesus as Jacob on February 15, 2011. Michael McShane replaced Fred Applegate as M. Renaud/M. Dindon on February 15, 2011. Christopher Sieber replaced Jeffrey Tambor as Georges on March 11, 2011. Veanne Cox returned to the role of Mme. Renaud/Mme. Dindon on April 5, 2011. Heather Lindell replaced Elena Shaddow in the role of Anne on April 5, 2011.

National Tour (2011–2012) A national tour modeled after the 2010 Broadway Revival began in September 2011 starting in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, Mr. Fierstein was asked to play the role of Georges and Mr. Sieber was asked to play the role of Albin, each taking the role each other had played on Broadway. Due to a full schedule, as having to write the book of the Disney musical Newsies and the musical Kinky Boots, Mr. Fierstein had to decline this offer. This tour starred George Hamilton in the role of Georges and Christopher Sieber as Albin. Sieber, who was very critically praised for his portrayal of Albin, had previously played the role of 'Georges' on Broadway opposite Harvey Fierstein. This was Sieber's national tour debut.[39][40]

2017 UK Tour A UK tour produced by Bill Kenwright is scheduled to begin on 5 January 2017 at the New Theatre, Oxford. The cast will include John Partridge as Albin, Adrian Zmed as Georges and Marti Webb as Jacqueline.[41] Martin Connor will direct the production, with choreography by Bill Deamer, design by Gary McCann and musical direction by Mark Crossland.[42] This production will be the first to tour the UK.

International productions 1985 Australian production

The 1985 Australian production starred Keith Michell (as Georges) and Jon Ewing (as Albin).[43] 1985 German production

The German production opened at the Theater des Westens in Berlin on October 23, 1985 starring Helmut Baumann as Albin/Zaza, Günther König as Georges and Steve Barton as JeanMichel. It played for 301 performances. In 1986, Steve Barton, who opened the show as JeanMichel, took over the role of Albin/Zaza. 1991 Colombian production

The Colombian production debout was on June 1991 at the Teatro Nacional La Castellana, Bogotá. Salsa singer César Mora (Albin/Zazá) and the great Spanish-Colombian actor and ShowMan Fernando González Pacheco as George (actually called Renato, in this Spanish version by César Scola and María Cecilia Botero) There is a recording of this stage production. Soap Operas famous villain Catherine Siachoque was a Cagelle on this Colombian production. 1993 Mexican production

The Mexico City production ran for two and a half years at the Teatro Silvia Pinal and starred Javier Díaz Dueñas as Albin/Zaza and Gustavo Rojo as Georges. 1999 Estonian production

The Estonian production was staged in Tallinn City Concert Hall (Tallinna Linnahall) by Smithbridge Productions and starred Tõnu Oja as Albin and Tõnu Kilgas as Georges. It is remarkable, that this was the first production in the former Soviet Union area. 2001 Spanish production

The Spanish production premiered at the Teatro Nuevo Apolo in Madrid and starred Andrés Pajares as Albin, Joaquín Kremel as Georges and Jacobo Dicenta as Jean-Michel. 2009 Portuguese production

The show opened in Portugal at the Rivoli Theatre in Porto on April 2009 with Carlos Quintas as Georges (Armando del Carlos) and José Raposo as Albin (Carlos Alberto/Zazá)[44] 2010 Dutch production

A Dutch production premiered in November 2010 and ran through to June 2011 in the DeLaMar theater, Amsterdam.[45] 2012 Korean production

The Korean production ran in Seoul in 2012 for two months.[46] Korean production won 4 awards in Korean Musical Awards. 2013 Danish production

A new Danish production opened in the spring 2013 it the Aarhus Theatre starring Niels Ellegaard (Georges) and Anders Baggesen (Albin). 2013 Panama production

The show opened in Panama City on June 2013 at the Teatro en Círculo. It stars Edwin Cedeño (Albin/Zaza) and Aaron Zebede (Georges).[47] 2013 Puerto Rican production

The Puerto Rican production premiered on August 16, 2013 at the Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center in San Juan, starring Rafael José as Albin and Braulio Castillo, Jr. as Georges, with Ulises Santiago de Orduna as Jean-Michel. Junior Álvarez as M. Renaud/Edouard Dindon, Sara Jarque as Mme. Renaud/Marie Dindon, Deddie Romero as Jacqueline, Andrea Méndez as Anne, and Bryan Villarini as Jacob[48][49] 2013 Queenstown New Zealand

1 week only, in conjunction with Gay Ski Week. Premiere 1 Sep. 2013 Swedish production

The Swedish production premiered on September 7, 2013 at The Göteborg Opera in Gothenburg, starring Mikael Samuelson as Albin/Zaza and Hans Josefsson as Georges.[50] Other foreign language productions have played in Copenhagen, Oslo (twice), Bergen, Vienna, Italy, Turku, Helsinki (twice), Jyväskylä, Seinäjoki, Buenos Aires, Lima, Stockholm, Bogotá, Tallinn, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo.[citation needed]. 2014 Hungarian production

The Hungarian production ("Az Őrült Nők Ketrece" in Hungarian language) premiered on July 12, 2014 at Átrium Film-Színház theatre in Budapest, produced by Kultúrbrigád, is still running. This production directed by Robert Alfoldi, choreographed by Krisztián Gergye, starring András Stohl as Albin/Zaza, Gábor Hevér as Georges, Balázs Fehér as Jean-Michel, with László Józan and Tibor Fehér as Jacob. [51] 2014 Korean Revival

The Korean Revival ran in LG Arts Center, Seoul in 2014 for three months

2015 Philippine production

The Philippines production premiered February 28, 2015 at the Carlos P Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza, starring Audie Gemora as Albin and Michael De Mesa as Georges, with Steven Silva as Jean-Michel, produced by 9 Works Theatrical, with direction by Robbie Guevara and scenography by Mio Infante. 2015 Mexican Revival

The Mexican Revival premiered November 23, 2015 at the Teatro Hidalgo, starring Roberto Blandon as George, Mario Ivan Martinez as Albin (later replaced by Jose Antonio Lopez Tercero), Rogelio Suarez as Silviah (who also covered Zazá for some shows), and Israel Estrada as Jean-Michel, directed by Matias Gorlero and produced by Juan Torres. [52] 2015 Swedish production

The Swedish production premiered November 14, 2015 at the Uppsala stadsteater, and is still running (last show March 3, 2016). [53]

Musical numbers Note: Original Broadway production[54] Act I        

Act II Prelude – Orchestra "We Are What We Are" – Georges and Les Cagelles "(A Little More) Mascara" – Albin and Les Cagelles "With Anne on My Arm" – Jean-Michel and Georges "With You on My Arm" – Georges and Albin "Song on the Sand" – Georges "La Cage aux Folles" – Albin, Jacqueline and Les Cagelles "I Am What I Am" – Albin

       

"Song on the Sand" (Reprise) – Georges and Albin "Masculinity" – Georges, Albin, Monsieur Renaud, Madame Renaud and Tabarro "Look Over There" – Georges "Cocktail Counterpoint" – Georges, Edouard Dindon, Mme. Dindon and Jacob "The Best of Times" – Albin, Jacqueline and Company "Look Over There" (Reprise) – Jean-Michel "La Cage aux Folles" (Reprise) – Georges Finale – Company

Recordings There are currently three cast recordings available for the show: the Original Broadway cast, the Original Australian cast and the 2010 Broadway revival cast. No recording was made for the 2004 revival.

Albin's Act I finale number, "I Am What I Am", was recorded by Gloria Gaynor and proved to be one of her biggest hits. It was also recorded by other artists, including Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Pia Zadora,[8] and John Barrowman . It also became a rallying cry of the Gay Pride movement.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production Year

Award

Category

Nominee

Best Musical

Result Won

Best Book of a Musical

Harvey Fierstein

Won

Best Original Score

Jerry Herman

Won

George Hearn

Won

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Tony Award

Gene Barry

Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical

Arthur Laurents

Won

Best Choreography

Scott Salmon

Best Costume Design

Theoni V. Aldredge

Best Lighting Design

Jules Fisher

Nominated

Outstanding Book of a Musical

Harvey Fierstein

Nominated

Nominated Won

1984

George Hearn

Won

Outstanding Actor in a Musical Gene Barry Drama Desk Award

Outstanding Music

Nominated Won

Jerry Herman Outstanding Lyrics

Nominated

Outstanding Orchestrations

Jim Tyler

Nominated

Outstanding Costume Design

Theoni V. Aldredge

Won

Outstanding Lighting Design

Jules Fisher

Nominated

2004 Broadway revival Year

Award

Category

Nominee

Best Revival of a Musical

Tony Award

2005

Won

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Gary Beach

Best Choreography

Jerry Mitchell

Best Costume Design

William Ivey Long Nominated

Outstanding Revival of a Musical Drama Desk Award

Result

Nominated Won

Won

Outstanding Choreography

Jerry Mitchell

Won

Outstanding Costume Design

William Ivey Long Nominated

2008 London revival Year

Award

Category

Nominee

Best Musical Revival

Result Won

Douglas Hodge

Won

Denis Lawson

Nominated

Best Actor in a Musical

2009

Laurence Olivier Award

Best Performance in a ing Role in a Jason Pennycooke Nominated Musical Best Director of a Musical

Terry Johnson

Nominated

Best Theatre Choreographer

Lynne Page

Nominated

Best Costume Design

Matthew Wright

Nominated

2010 Broadway revival

Year

Award

Category

Nominee

Best Revival of a Musical Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Won Kelsey Grammer Douglas Hodge

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Robin de Jesus Musical

Tony Award

2010

Nominated Won Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical

Terry Johnson

Best Choreography

Lynne Page

Nominated

Best Orchestrations

Jason Carr

Nominated

Best Scenic Design

Tim Shortall

Nominated

Best Costume Design

Matthew Wright

Nominated

Best Lighting Design

Nick Richings

Nominated

Best Sound Design

Jonathan Deans

Nominated

Outstanding Revival of a Musical

Drama Desk Award[55]

Result

Won

Won

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Douglas Hodge

Won

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Robin de Jesus

Nominated

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Terry Johnson

Nominated

Outstanding Choreography

Lynne Page

Nominated

Outstanding Costume Design

Matthew Wright

Won

Outstanding Sound Design

Jonathan Deans

Nominated

Her Sequins, Plumes and Foghorn Voice By BEN BRANTLEYMARCH 28, 2011

Continue reading the main story Share This Page      

Share Tweet Pin Email More Save

The leading lady’s costumes have had to be sized up, but there was never any question of their not fitting. After all, it’s Harvey Fierstein who has stepped into the role (and corset, plumes and pumps) of Zaza, the main attraction of the nightclub and the musical named “La Cage aux Folles.” Mr. Fierstein, you see, owns the role of Zaza — and that of her male alter ego, Albin — in a way that replacement stars on Broadway seldom do. It was he who, three decades ago, wrote the book for this 1983 musical (adapted from the French film of the same title) and won a Tony for it. And, as an actor, he has previously won Tonys for parts that required him to squeeze his ample frame into drop-dead dresses: his own “Torch Song Trilogy” (seen on Broadway in 1982) and the hit musical “Hairspray” (2002). You might have predicted that for Mr. Fierstein, playing Albin/Zaza (for the first time) would be a walk in the park (or a promenade, since Zaza never merely walks), and so it proves. Appearing opposite a first-rate Christopher Sieber — as Georges, the St. Tropez nightclub host who is Albin’s longtime partner — Mr. Fierstein wears his sequins like an army veteran’s well-earned badges of honor. When he sings “I Am What I Am,” the show’s anthem, it is with blazing oldtrouper authority. Does Mr. Fierstein make you forget Douglas Hodge, whose Tony-winning turn in this Londonborn revival made you forget every Albin who had preceded him? No, he doesn’t. Mr. Hodge, an adventurous British actor whose previous roles had mostly been in tros (with the occasional classical toga thrown in), brought a surprising, ragged insecurity to Albin, an anxious aspiration to deluxe glamour that could never be entirely fulfilled. Photo

Harvey Fierstein, center, as Albin in the musical "La Cage Aux Folles." Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

When this version of “La Cage” (directed by Terry Johnson) opened a year ago, you were always aware of the poignant distance between how Albin saw himself as Zaza and how he truly was. It was to Mr. Hodge’s (and the show’s) advantage that Zaza’s costumes didn’t quite fit him, at least figuratively speaking. And it matched our awareness of the seediness of the nightclub and of the winning clumsiness of its bustier-wearing chorus boys. (They’re still a hoot, by the way.) That gap is less conspicuous now. On or off the stage, Mr. Fierstein’s Albin is a royal diva and commanding cut-up, who mugs quite happily even in times of crisis. Whether in brash comic or softer sentimental mode, he exudes a bright, switched-on starshine that audiences can bask in comfortably. Paradoxically, he is both much more the real thing than Mr. Hodge was and slightly less realistic. Never mind. The way Mr. Fierstein uses his limited, smoggy voice to put over Jerry Herman’s songs is a triumph of style over larynx. And he and Mr. Sieber (in a role created in this revival by a very good Kelsey Grammer) have a sparky, disarming chemistry that makes you believe in Albin and Georges as a couple.

Theater Update Every week, stay on top of the top-grossing Broadway shows, recent reviews, Critics’ Picks and more.

Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services.  

See Sample

This is especially impressive, given that Mr. Sieber took over the part of Georges only a few weeks ago, when Mr. Grammer’s original replacement, Jeffrey Tambor, abruptly left the production. Mr. Sieber is best known for his deftly sketched musical-comedy cartoon performances in “Shrek the Musical” and “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Here, as a matinee idol manqué, he shows a leading man’s suave mastery of more conventional showbiz charms. The production’s other newcomers include Wilson Jermaine Heredia (of the original cast of “Rent”) as Jacob, Albin and Georges’s sassy butler-cum-maid. I’ve always found it an insufferably adorable role, but the balletically graceful Mr. Heredia embodies it with something close to restraint. Over all, this “La Cage” is smoother than when it first opened, which isn’t entirely a good thing, since its rough edges were what made it feel fresh. But it may be even more appealing now to mainstream audiences. Though the show celebrates the marriage of one over-the-top drag queen and her enduringly loyal guy, “La Cage” now s more than ever as feel-good family entertainment.

Correction: March 30, 2011

A critic’s notebook on Tuesday about the current Broadway version of the musical “La Cage aux Folles” misidentified the director in some copies. He is Terry Johnson, not Terry Hands. (Both are British directors.) “La Cage aux Folles” continues at the Longacre Theater, 220 West 48th Street, Manhattan; (212) 239-6200, telecharge.com. A version of this article appears in print on March 29, 2011, on Page C2 of the New York edition with the headline: Her Sequins, Plumes And Foghorn Voice. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/theater/harvey-fierstein-s-la-cage-aux-folles.html

La Cage took the Tony for Best Musical, but with so many fine new musicals debuting on Broadway, theatergoers were the real winners. This giddy year for musical theatre fans ended all too soon. The following season brought only one original hit – Big River (1985 - 1,005 performances) a refreshing adaptation of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn with a score by country western composer Roger Miller. With no effective competition, it won the Tony for Best Musical and ran for three years. And then there was a sudden, chilling silence. New American musicals still appeared on Broadway, but they had trouble attracting a sizeable audience. For the first time since Oklahoma, a full decade would go by before a new American musical would the 1,000 performance mark. What happened? http://www.musicals101.com/1980bway2.htm

2 ACTORS' UNIONS WAGE TRANSATLANTIC BATTLE By JEREMY GERARD Published: June 25, 1987      

Facebook Twitter Google+ Email Share Print

 

Reprints

Andrew Lloyd Webber has written half a dozen of the most successful shows in musical theater history and made millions in London and New York, but his wife, a British actress, can't get a job on Broadway. Mr. Lloyd Webber is angry, and his anger threatens a New York production of ''Phantom of the Opera,'' perhaps his biggest hit ever. As a result, the theater worlds on both sides of the Atlantic are in an uproar. The American Actors' Equity Association this week refused to permit Sarah Brightman, who is married to Mr. Lloyd Webber and who starred in the London production, to play the leading female role in ''Phantom'' on Broadway in November in the belief that the part should go to an American actress. The decision, which is being appealed by the show's British producers, has left British Equity angry with the American union and has jeopardized the production, which could ultimately provide employment for 150 American actors. It also threatens an agreement between the two unions that has governed theatrical exchanges for the last five years. And at least one American producer has put his plans for a London production on hold until the storm es. The American union is insisting that the producers of ''Phantom'' abide by the exchange agreement, whereby an American actor would be guaranteed a job on a London stage comparable in stature to the one played by Ms. Brightman. Such exchanges have been common since an agreement was forged early in 1982, after American actors objected to the appearance of Ben Cross - a British actor who had just found recognition as a star of the film ''Chariots of Fire'' - in the Off Broadway premiere of John Guare's ''Lydie Breeze.'' After meetings over several years, the American and British unions agreed to require producers to guarantee an equal exchange of acting jobs. Robert Lindsay, a British actor, was allowed to perform his leading role in ''Me and My Girl,'' to cite one recent example, in exchange for an appearance by George Hearn, an American actor, in the London production of ''La Cage aux Folles.'' On a larger scale, the New York Shakespeare Festival entered a highly acclaimed exchange program with the Royal Court Theater that has brought five new British plays, with their casts, to New York and sent four New York productions to London. Stars Were an Exception There were two exceptions to the plan. Recognized stars of international stature were excluded from the agreement. No exchange was required, for example, for John Mills and Peter O'Toole, who are appearing on Broadway in ''Pygmalion.'' And star ensembles such as the Royal Shakespeare Company also were excluded, though their runs are limited to 20 weeks. The question of who is or is not a star has been a source of friction between the two unions, and it is an underlying issue in the case of ''Phantom of the Opera.'' According to people at both the union and in the production who asked not to be identified because of the negotiations, Mr. Lloyd Webber and his colleagues argued that the role was written for Ms. Brightman and that she could perform it best - a point ed by her favorable London reviews. The producers

also have guaranteed comparable employment in an unspecified London show in exchange for Ms. Brightman's approval. 'Creating' a Star The situation is complicated by the fact that Mr. Lloyd Webber's production company, the Really Useful Company, is a publicly held concern responsible to stockholders. Those stockholders might not look kindly on foregoing a lucrative Broadway engagement. But Equity has decided that the role Ms. Brightman plays is one that will ''create a star,'' to use the terminology of one union official, and should be open to an American actor. So the union rejected Ms. Brightman, at least until the producers identify a specific job opportunity in exchange for her appearance. That decision has reportedly angered Mr. Lloyd Webber (both he and Ms. Brightman refused through spokesmen to talk to reporters), as well as British Equity, which may call off the whole exchange program. ''What we have continually come up with is a willingness to complete the exchange and even to stand a bond,'' Cameron Mackintosh, a co-producer of ''Phantom,'' said in a telephone interview yesterday from his London office. ''It's impossible for us to proceed until this is resolved,'' he continued, adding that he specifically had guaranteed ''three or four roles for Americans'' in his next production, ''Miss Saigon.'' Mr. Lloyd Webber has been weighing an offer from Steven Spielberg to film ''Phantom'' and by Broadway. Mr. Mackintosh acknowledged that it was a possibility but an unlikely one because ''Andrew is a theatrical animal and what he will want more than anything else is to bring a show of which he is rightly proud to Broadway.'' The decision has also disturbed the Shubert Organization, which fought for the right to house the show in the Majestic Theater, where ''Phantom'' is scheduled to open on Nov. 12. The organization is investing more than half a million dollars to renovate the Majestic specifically for the show, but has not been allowed to sell tickets. Bernard Jacobs, president of the organization, said yesterday that ''the pressure is on for Equity to meet again this week on 'Phantom.' '' ''If they don't,'' he said, ''the ship may well have sailed.'' 'Broadway Bound' Stymied Emanuel Azenberg, the producer of Neil Simon's ''Broadway Bound,'' said yesterday that he had postponed requesting permission to send an American company of that hit show to London for fear of retaliation by British Equity - even though he has credits from employing British actors in his American productions. ''Obviously, to make a request now would be foolish,'' Mr. Azenberg said. Speaking of the issue of a role creating a star, Mr. Azenberg added: ''They're making up new rules. Couldn't British Equity turn around and make the same case for Linda Lavin's part in 'Broadway Bound'?'' In another case, Athol Fugard's play ''The Road to Mecca'' has been kept from a Broadway production because of Equity's refusal to permit Yvonne Bryceland, a British actress for whom the leading role was written, to re-create that role in New York. Miss Bryceland recently played the part at the American Spoleto festival, and Equity may well reverse its decision because of her appearance there.

People at Actors' Equity wondered yesterday if there was any wisdom in sacrificing ''Phantom of the Opera'' over Ms. Brightman's appearance in New York. But Alan Eisenberg, Equity's executive secretary, defended the union's reluctance to yield on the issue by citing the case of Judith Ivey, the American actress who became a star when she appeared as a Cockney in the Broadway production of ''Steaming.'' ''We are a union of exceptionally competent actors,'' Mr. Eisenberg said. ''We want those jobs.'' Photo of Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer of ''Phantom of the Opera,'' and wife, Sarah Brighton, star of London production; Photo of Cameron Mackintosh, co-producer of ''Phantom of the Opera; Photo of Alan Eisenberg, executive secretary of American Actor's Equity; Photo of Bernard Jacobs, president of the Shubert Organization http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/25/theater/2-actors-unions-wage-trans-atlantic-battle.html

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/la-cage-aux-folles-4231

I am what I am [a] I am my own special creation. [b So come take a look, [c] Give me the hook or the ovation. [b] It's my world that I want to take a little pride in, [d] My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in. [d] Life's not worth a damn, [a] 'Til you can say, "Hey world, I am what I am." [a] I am what I am, [a] I don't want praise, I don't want pity. [e] I bang my own drum, [f] Some think it's noise, I think it's pretty. [e] And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle, [g] Why not try to see things from a diff'rent angle? [g] Your life is a sham 'til you can shout out loud [h] I am what I am! [a] I am what I am [a] And what I am needs no excuses. [i] I deal my own deck [j] Sometimes the ace, sometimes the deuces. [i] There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit; [j] One life, so it's time to open up your closet. [j] Life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, [k] "Hey world, I am what I am!" [a]