Robin DeJesus in LaCage?

[CukorLover]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:39pm

as Jacob ? If true, it's the casting coup of the season !!!

[divarobbie2]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:47pm

Yes, he announced it on facebook two days ago. Very excited for him.

[CukorLover]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:52pm

He'll be fantastic !

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:56pm

Does he add fans on his Facebook becuase I was just looking for people on Facebook and his was on private. He has a nice picture with his baby cousin or brother in church. :)

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:59pm

As if Nick Adams in drag wasn't incentive enough.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 7:59pm

Ahhh. I heard this a few weeks ago from a friend of a friend, but wasn't sure if it was just a rumor or not. VERY excited to see how this revival turns out. :)

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:08pm

Isn't Jacob written to be African-American?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:10pm

Here we go...

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:13pm

I'm not raising any objection, Smaxie. I'm just asking for clarification.

Updated On: 1/26/10 at 08:13 PM

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:15pm

Oh please, you could cast Harvey Fierstein himself as Jacob and it wouldn't be "the casting coup of the season !!!". It's a stupid role in a stupid, bad show. I am ALREADY sick of this production and its rabid fans, you make the RAGTIME revival bunch look like rank amateurs. This show has NEVER worked without Arthur's direction and I highly doubt it will this time.

Who wants to bet they try to get Arthur to come in to help Grammer and co. at the eleventh hour?

P

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:17pm

That will not be happening.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:17pm

They've lined up a pretty impressive cast thus far, Pgenre.

In addition to Hodge and Grammer, A.J. Shivley is playing Jean-Michel, Elena Shaddow is playing Anne, Veanne Cox is playing Madame Dindon, and Christine Andreas is playing Jacqueline.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:25pm

I am not denying the lovely cast any of the accolades they richly deserve, but the show is a hot mess and every single production since Arthur's has revealed what a wolf in sheep's clothing it is. The show is just bad. Period. Arthur is 100% responsible for its success and any production without him directing reveals how terrible a show it truly is.

Yes, Smaxie, you are right! I forgot that Arthur absolutely ABHORRED this production and tore it apart in the Playbill podcast interview. Believe me, I do not like the show but I still have to say Arthur's direction was in the Top 3 of any musical I have ever seen. Totally a situation of a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

This show will not be on Broadway this time next year, mark my words.

P

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:27pm

I saw Arthur's production and preferred this one. I missed exactly one thing from his version: the exciting dressing table pull away in "A Little More Mascara". But that's it.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:35pm

I will take those words to heart, Smaxie, as I truly respect your opinion (as well as somethingwicked's) and it was PRECISELY that moment in "A Little More Mascara" that I would cite as a moment that will never be equaled in any production - it's unbeatable. Perfection.

I'm just so OVER LC, and if there was ever a show besides FOLLIES I would want a step-for-step recreation (a museum piece, if you will) of it would be Arthur's original production, from the absolutely THRILLING opening on. But, of course, we get 2 questionable revivals that completely re-conceive it within the same decade.

I have no interest whatsoever in a stripped-down, Arthur-less LC, but I hope you guys have a good time! I really do!

P

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:38pm

We will! So, why not sit this version out, treasure your golden memories of Arthur's version, and stop trying to be a one-man wrecking crew? That is, if you are truly sincere in your hope that people enjoy the new production...

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 8:55pm

I am completely justified in expressing my opinion on a message board, and I am certainly not alone in my feelings about the original production or the neccessity for another revival 5 years after the last (unsuccessful, commercially and artistically), one. Nor am I a "one man wrecking crew". Until the CONTACT season, LA CAGE beating SUNDAY for the Tony was considered by most to be the most egregious oversight in Tony history. And for good reason.

You cannot tell me the show as written is on the level of SUNDAY, or even ANYONE CAN WHISTLE, for that matter (to use a Laurents/Sondheim show). Every director has the Herculean task of masking the myriad flaws and the only one who was completely successful so far was the original director, Arthur. Do you really think the show would have a half-way decent reputation if it wasn't for Arthur's guiding hand and expert direction/casting of the original? His contributions could not have been better. And the structure has more to do with the show working onstage than anything, and despite apparent bookwriting credit for Fierstein solely, you know it was Arthur who structured it that way.

P

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:08pm

So did the question of whether or not the role is written for an african american actor ever get answered?

[CukorLover]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:15pm

Well, the original Bway production and the Revival both cast african american actors, but the film (The Birdcage) cast Hank Azaria.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:27pm

Of course you are justified. But there is expressing your opinion once or twice, and there is expressing your opinion over and over with the intent to cause harm and beat others into submission. You have come onto every La Cage thread that has been posted here, saying the same thing: "Arthur's was better. There's no show without Arthur."

I was a Sunday fan in 1984 (and still am). I was rooting for it that year. But Sunday got mostly negative reviews, with only Frank Rich and a few intrepid others championing it. I wasn't surprised when La Cage won. I don't think the industry was surprised either, so I'm not sure it counts as the most egregious oversight in Tony history. La Cage had mass appeal and Sunday was always an acquired taste.

And while I may not think of La Cage as one of the golden greats, it's professionally written and I sat down at this London revival, relaxed immediately and was grateful to be in the company of the Jerry Herman score. I also was more moved at this La Cage than at either of the two Broadway productions and found that some of Georges' numbers, particularly "Look Over There," worked better than I ever remembered. I had more fun. And at the conclusion of the performance I saw, the audience went absolutely ballistic, including cheering their approval at the climactic kiss between Georges and Albin. Yes, the '04 version was a failure, but this one works just fine, without Arthur's help.

Despite my love for the Whistle score, in all of my experiences seeing it, it's an infuriating show to sit through. So... if forced, I'd probably say I prefer Sunday to La Cage, but La Cage to Whistle.

Yes, Arthur deserves credit for shepherding the success of the original production. It takes a lot to create a new musical from scratch. But there's also a time when you have to allow someone else to take a look at the material and see if there's another way to tell it. It doesn't invalidate the original approach by doing so. You can choose to prefer the way it was done originally. But it's also gracious to not try to clobber those who have and will like the new production with your opinion.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:35pm

I still have to say Arthur's direction was in the Top 3 of any musical I have ever seen.

Oh, please, Louise. Take it down a melodramatic notch or three.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:46pm

Smaxie, it is classy and erudite responses like yours that keep me coming back here. Bravo. I thank you for your thoughts and I will refrain from dumping on this production unless I actually do see it at some point and feel compelled to post, though I certainly think I am justified in saying what I have said thus far. I must admit, your words of approval mean more than the vast majority so this has moved from the NEVER SEE list to the POSSIBLY SEE list in my book. You rock!

And PJ, you HAVE to admit that the absolutely THRILLING opening, along with "A Little More Mascara" and the UNBELIEVABLE onstage/offstage glide effect is some of the best staging in a musical from the 80s. There a million more moments I could cite, but those 3 are absolutely perfect and oh-so memorable. And this coming from someone who dislikes the show itself! I know you and Arthur have your issues, but even you must admit LA CAGE is his best directorial work thus far. But I never saw WHOLESALE, HALLELUJAH BABY or ANYONE CAN WHISTLE so maybe those were better, .

P

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 9:49pm

Pgenre, didn't you once post that you're 25 years old? If I'm mistaking you for someone else, I apologize. But, if it's you, how exactly did you see the original production of La Cage Aux Folles?

[Pgenre]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 10:03pm

The same way I saw SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, NINE and any number of other shows pre-1984. Are you really asking this question, love?

P

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/26/10 at 10:05pm

No, just wanted to be clear that you've never actually seen the original production that you so admire live.
Updated On: 1/26/10 at 10:05 PM