La Cage Aux Folles 1987 Tour with Larry Kert and Harvey Evans

Camcorder clips from when the best of times was now and tomorrow was too far away.


Larry Kert and Harvey Evans sing and dance "With You in My Arms":

http://youtu.be/GHpBaiBdfqU






Part One:

http://youtu.be/DaouHWj2QFw


Part Two:

http://youtu.be/oeO1L59nKuQ



Part Three:

http://youtu.be/JhfE-xWBiww



Four years later, Larry Kert was gone, at the age of 60. The best of times is now.

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An interview with Larry Kert from the LA Times at the time of the tour:

http://articles.latimes.com/1988-10-16/news/hl-6309_1_la-cage-aux

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Thanks for sharing these clips. It's been exactly 30 years since I saw Larry Kert in a summer stock production of BARNUM. He was one of the most energetic performers I have ever seen. It's so great we can enjoy his talent time and time again on video.

Thank you very much, PJ!

A production of LA CAGE with two, openly gay men in the leads!

Who knew that was allowed?

That bus and truck was my first in-person exposure to the material and I have to say, I really thought it was terrible. There were *plenty* of preview articles in my city that were a lot like the one PJ linked. "This isn't about homosexuality, this isn't about homosexuality, this isn't about homosexuality." Ugh. I guess it wasn't about two men in love, it was about two people in love who just so happened to be men.

I remember liking aspects of Kert's performance, and respecting his esteemed past. But at times he came across like a game show host. Also, I don't really actually recall anything official, anywhere, about them being two out gay men. Perhaps they were to those in the know or something, but in all the chatter about the tour it was just about how it wasn't about homosexuality! And while everything Kert says is true about how it might have changed people after seeing the show, I cringe now when I read the line about AIDS. Maybe he was aware at that point and he was legitimately trying to deal with something that had come up, but to me it came across as callous.

And honest to God, for all its running away from the very idea of homosexuality in all the press material, wouldn't you know, they cast the biggest screaming queen in the company as the straight son. There was a point I was just giggling at the number of "s"es he seemed to put in Zaza. I probably wouldn't have laughed at all if it didn't come across as the perfect illustration of what the show was vs. how they tried to sell it.

I remember loving The Best of Times is Now, however.

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Maybe he was aware at that point and he was legitimately trying to deal with something that had come up, but to me it came across as callous.

Yes, he was. And, yes, he was. And, yes, you were right to take it that way.

But that was 1987. That was as good as the Best of Times got back then. All some people could do was put a big musical-comedy smile on their faces and keep on bucking and winging until they died.

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"But that was 1987."

Gurrrrl, I totally hear you, I do. And lord knows I am sure the official talking points were well established by the likes of Arthur Laurents that the one and *only* way to sell the show was to keep telling everybody over and over about how homosexuality was practically the furthest thing from the show's mind! It was so straight and normal. even a couple of the drag queens were girls! (What the hell was THAT all about, anyway?)

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Updated On: 5/18/13 at 10:27 PM

I can sort of kind of get it. The boy/girl thing, I mean.

I wish my youthful activist self had the knowledge of Harvey Evans then that I have now.

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Arf, as the dogbears say.

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Harvey in Follies via David Frost

^^ tres adorbs

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And with Lauren Bacall in Applause!

This is wonderful footage - I love how we are able to see the different, crazy and wonderful interpretations available of Georges and Albin over the years. This is an invaluable resource to younger people who are beginning to explore musical theatre.

In addition, those who may have performed in these various posted productions and their families certainly are enjoying the bits of video floating around - at least that's what my inbox says.

But, my dearest dwirth and Mr. PalJoey, beware as Jo-Jo and the boot police might scold you.

"Seriously. I can't stand people who upload these to Youtube. They should be taken out back and beaten with belt with rusty nails in it." per Officer Jordan - original spelling.

Gee, Officer Jordan!

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Updated On: 5/19/13 at 12:57 AM