LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

Kevin Hansen and Steven Meerdink named as 2006 Best Actors in a Musical by Lavender Magazine!

June 2 – 25, 2006 – Hennepin Stages

Music and Lyrics – Jerry Herman
Book – Harvey Fierstein

The winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical (and recently Best Revival of a Musical on Broadway), La Cage aux Folles has it all:  a knockout Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame) score, a hilarious book by Harvey Fierstein, and a gorgeous, glamorous tap dancing company.  Fierce and funny, as those who have seen the film adaptation ‘The Birdcage’ with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane can attest, La Cage’s elegant St. Tropez nightclub has surprises lurking at every turn.  And when a non-traditional family’s future in-laws come for a visit, the truth comes out in the wildest of ways!

Director – Eric Johnson
Musical Director – Kevin Hansen
Choreographer – Steven Meerdink

Scenic Designer – Eric Johnson
Light Designer – Alexandra Yarusso
Costume Designer – Steven Meerdink
Sound Designer – Tom Bothof
Rehearsal Accompanist – Emily Hanson
Set Construction – Jay Schueller
Prop Designer – Robbie Droddy
Stage Manager – Jane Caplow

Cast
Albin / Zaza – Kevin Hansen
Georges – Steven Meerdink
Jean-Michel – Shaun Nathan Baer
Jacob – Robbie McNamee
Renaud / Deputy Dindon – Paul Reyburn
Mme. Renaud / Marie Dindon – Susan Brodin
Anne – Sondra Norland
Jacqueline – Cynthia Soucheray
Francis – Brent Teclaw
La Cagelle – Lisa Bark
La Cagelle – Catherine Battocletti
La Cagelle – Fran Benjamin
La Cagelle – Emily Brooke Hansen
La Cagelle – Brian Kess
La Cagelle – Bart Ruf
La Cagelle – Edward Williams, Jr.

“MMT’s La Cage Aux Folles succeeds because, behind all of the sparkly costumes, director Eric Johnson and the cast understand what’s truly important about the show,­ the relationship and the true love that rests at the center of the story. That will never be outdated.”  TalkinBroadway.com

“Director Johnson concentrated on the two leading characters, and placed Meerdink, who wisely underplays Georges as the heart, at the center of the story. He is equally matched by Kevin Hansen as Albin/Zaza.  Hansen is absolutely marvelous, and his stirring rendition of “I Am What I Am,” is the highlight of the evening. Both leading men score personal triumphs here.” On the Purple Circuit

“Minneapolis Musical Theatre’s production, running at Hennepin Stages, is a labor of love…Kevin Hansen was born to play Albin. He is simply wonderful as the over-the-top queer diva…Meerdink’s…level of easy intimacy with Hansen creates believable warmth and affection…Two members of the supporting cast are standouts. Robbie McNamee, as the campy butler, nearly steals the show with his comic zaniness. And as the son, Shaun Nathan Baer’s sweet tenor and natural, unaffected performance makes even the character’s atrocious behavior seem palatable…The simple sets make effective use of the small space. But it’s Meerdink’s costumes that really catch the eye.” – Minneapolis Star Tribune

This activity is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature.