magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#1re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 8:58amNot an official recording. Some troupe in Australia made a recording of their production, which I think the authors put a stop to.
"Gif me the cobra jool!"
#3re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 9:17amIt really is a FUN show. I wish they would release a CR. I saw a regional production in Connecticut where the original costumes were used. I also saw it when it was running in London on West End. We took my mother-in-law (she was with us in Ireland and London for her 80th birthday) and we were all CRYING with laughter.
". . . POP . . ."
#5re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 10:20amWhich part is he playing? Miss Industrial North East, Miss Texas, Miss Bible Belt, Miss Great Plains, Miss Deep South, Miss West Coast? Or the host (BLAH)?
". . . POP . . ."
wildcat
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/04
#7re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 10:27amI had no idea the Australian cast recording was withdrawn. I wondered why I hadn't seen it around lately.
#8re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 11:45amI love that show! "Chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough!" I think my favorite song though is Ruth Ann Ruth, Miss Bible Belt's "Bankin' On Jesus!"
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
#9re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:46pmI've done the show twice. LOVE the show! We used the costumes from the London production...which are now all hanging in my closet. The Australian recording was pretty miserable, not a very good representation of the show. Bustinloose, I hope it's a good production. It can be so fantastic if it's done properly, e.i. taken as a serious pageant and not a drag show.
#10re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:59pmI LOVE when the 5 semi-finalists are selected and the curtain closes on the 1 girl not selected!!! PRICELESS!!! And all the Glamoresse beauty product commercials are a scream.
". . . POP . . ."
#11re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:00pmFacial Spackle!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
#13re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:06pmI've had enough of the shaving of the chest and armpits, though. Fun show to do, but I'm happier as a man. Although, the solar rollers do come in handy when getting ready to go out on a Saturday night.
#14re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:08pm
Well I know (at least in London, but I think in NY), part of the humor was that they DIDN'T shave. They wore these low-cut pageant gowns with chest hair showing.
EDIT: Although I KNOW what you mean. The 3 times I did La Cage, I got tired of shaving, but even more tired of it growing back!
". . . POP . . ."
Updated On: 8/19/05 at 01:08 PM
#15re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:16pmThey did shave in NYC, but you're right, in London they did not. It was directed by the book writer in London, as well as in Chicago. He, interestingly enough, directs it to be VERY campy and over the top. I've seen one of the productions he directed and wasn't very fond of it. It becomes about a joke after a while, and begins to wear thin. That being said, the audience ate it up...so just my opinion. Prefer it to be done as men really taking these characters seriously and competing for the crown. And let me tell you, the competition can get UGLY backstage.
#16re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:19pmI'm SURE -- heaven FORBID if you aren't the prettiest drag-queen on that stage.
". . . POP . . ."
#17re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:22pm
Well I'm sure you saw the occasional flying wig or heel backstage in your La Cage days. 
#18re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:25pmActually, we were fairly civil, but by necessity wigs and costumes and heels were ALWAYS flying. It's impossible with those quick changes to pick your beige character shoes out of a pile of them.
". . . POP . . ."
#19re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 1:56pm
There was an actual official "Australian Cast Recording" on Polydor Records. It's actually a live recording of the show, but for some reason, I don't know the actual details (I think it had to do with the recording rights), the writers had the CD withdrawn. But, copies exist. It's a fun recording.
Please visit Michael Rupert's MySpace Page includes rare and live performances.
Updated On: 8/19/05 at 01:56 PM
AndSoItBegins
Chorus Member Joined: 11/11/04
#20re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 3:34pm
PAGEANT is a great show -- very funny! I did a production that got revived a few times here in Texas. Even the Texas crowds eat it up (if you can believe that)! Miss Texas, of course, always did very well -- she is a pro after all.
But, in my opinion, the actors and the director must take the piece seriously (in fact the script comes with a paragraph about each character describing what the authors feel the actor should know). I think the MORE womanly the men look the better. The audience will always know they are men, but eventually the audience begins to see it as a REAL competition, and if the guys/ladies are good enough they slowly forget that they are men, to some degree, which in turn makes the competition work well. The more masculine features (chest hair etc) the more the show becomes a one joke show -- which gets old, fast.
It's just more fun to let the audience get sucked in rather than constantly reminding them "Hey those are men in dresses."
#22re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 3:55pmDefinitely, the more you BELIEVE the situation you're in as a comic actor, the FUNNIER the comedy is. It becomes even more ludicrous. Even in London with the unshaven chests, the actors were convincing as pageant contestants, which made the entire production more enjoyable.
". . . POP . . ."
#23re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:05pm
I had the recording at one point or another...let me do some digging to see if it's lying around somewhere.
Andso...when it was done in Texas, did she always win? It's much more fun I think when she loses. The first time it did it, it was staged by the original Ms. Texas. He even had to step in at one point for a week (believe me, there was very little arm twisting to get him back in that gold evening gown).
AndSoItBegins
Chorus Member Joined: 11/11/04
#24re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:21pm
No, no, Miss Texas didn't always win for sure (although people would go crazy for her introductory monologue). I agree it is MUCH more fun when she doesn't. In fact, when word got around how funny it was when she lost, the audiences began to sabotage "her". When Miss Texas won Miss Bible belt was the "sore loser" and it was equally as funny due to the nature of the character.
With our cast. Miss Bible Belt and Miss Texas were the big winners for both runs.
Ha ha, that's great the original Miss Texas staged your show. I agree with Him, It would take a LOT to get me back in a dress after doing that for such a long time. I definately appreciate how a woman feels now! haha.
roquat
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/25/05
#25re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:39pmI did four productions of this show with the same cast, at different venues. The director was very specific about creating real female characters, and the audience identified with all of them--when shy little Miss Great Plains won one night, people had tears in their eyes. They had time to grow into the parts, so it became truly wonderful. But it was odd backstage until all of the girls had won at least once!
I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."
#26re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:41pmGod, I wanna do this show again! Such good times!
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
#27re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:42pm
WonderBoy -- who were you? I'll come back to NC and do the show with you!! Let's put a cast together.
". . . POP . . ."
#28re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 5:53pm
I was supposed to be Miss Texas, Kitty Bob Aimes but couldn't join the cast due to scheduling conflicts. However, I was called in to design make-up. They were also having a problem with Consuela Manuella Raphaella Lopez and asked me to cover that role in case he was fired. Talk about crazy times!
I am actually glad that I wasn't in that production because all the 'girls' got along so well and were so supportive of one another. Now, we all know that if I was in that show competing for the title of Miss Glamourese I would be putting ground up glass in those bitches cold cream.
I would have been a much, MUCH better Miss Texas and you can guarantee that my @ss would have tied every night with Miss Bible Belt! However, I did end up dating Miss Texas for quite a while and he still remains very dear to me. It's amazing how things work out, "it'n it?"
So, after that experiance I have been longing to be in the show. Pageant girls beware!
I also agree that they should be approached as real women and not drag queens too.
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
sing4mysupper
Swing Joined: 8/16/05
#29re: Pageant
Posted: 8/19/05 at 6:04pm
I did the show in California last year for 4 months. It was such a fun show! I played Miss Industrial Northeast and would play that part again if given the chance. By the end of the run I had the accordian down pat! Yeah, something new for my resume! Miss Texas won most of the time with bible belt a close second, but the nights I won all hell broke loose. After doing female illusions for 5 years I knew what I was doing and the guy that played Texas hated that I got all the cat calls...We had this very obvious loathing for each other on stage, the audience ate it up!!! The director saw it coming and intentionally put us in matching evening gowns, fuel for the fire!!!
