‘Keep Your Wig On’: Behind the scenes of ‘La Cage Aux Folles’

In typical drag shows, the performers traditionally remove their wigs at the end of a set as a final flourish. Director Morgan Young ’16’s vision for “La Cage Aux Folles” is for the show to metaphorically “keep on the wig.” Young is fascinated by drag as a performance art, she said. In Princeton University Players’ and Theatre Intime’s joint production of "La Cage Aux Folles," Young presents drag as more performance than visual spectacle. Despite that, she and cast members Carey Camel ’17 and Evan Strasnick ’15 still appreciate that the show’s set and costumes are aesthetically gorgeous.

A few days ago, Street sat down with Young, Camel, Strasnick and music director Sam Kaseta ’15 to discuss some behind-the-scenes production details. Young submitted her proposal for "La Cage Aux Folles" last year, and the project was jointly picked up by both Princeton University Players and Theatre Intime. In January, Young held auditions, and rehearsals began in February, with an intense tech week leading up to opening night last Friday, April 17.

"La Cage Aux Folles" the musical was adapted by playwright Harvey Fierstein and lyricist and composer Jerry Herman from the 1973 French play by Jean Poiret. Before the musical was created, the play had already been adapted into a French film, which was remade in 1996 as “The Birdcage,” starring Robin Williams and directed by Mike Nichols. Strasnick described the plot as a timeless, heart-wrenching love story with a modern twist — the main couple is gay. One of the central characters, Albin, has an alter-ego named Zaza (both played by Camel) who is a drag star, and the story is interwoven with colorful, glitzy musical numbers that take place at a drag club in St. Tropez owned by Albin’s partner, Georges (played by Strasnick).

In discussing their experiences as the leads of "La Cage Aux Folles", Strasnick and Camel explained some challenges they faced in playing their roles. Strasnick talked about his difficulty maintaining neutrality in his own feelings for the way his son Jean-Michel (Georges’ biological son, raised by both Georges and Albin) treats Albin. As Jean-Michel is about to marry a woman with very conservative parents, he asks that Albin not be present at a dinner meeting between the two families. In this moment, Georges feels conflicted.

Camel has been able to execute his role quite naturally, as he feels he and Albin are somewhat similar. However, it was difficult for him to accurately portray the ad-libbed nature of the stand-up portions of certain drag scenes, he said. He described the format of a drag show, which consists of musical numbers interspersed with interactive stand-up monologues. Camel said that it felt strange to have the stand-up scenes written out for him as if they were being improvised.

According to Kaseta, one of the show’s gems is the orchestration of the music, which is more complex than it sounds. The pit consists of eight musicians, and is situated behind the stage of the Hamilton Murray Theater, with a wall in between the singers and the musicians. Kaseta explained that although the setup presented a challenge, the pit is a key component to the life of the musical, and the musicians have overcome this obstacle.

The production premiered last week, and is also showing this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in Hamilton Murray Theater. On Thursday night, English and theater professor Stacy Wolfe will facilitate a “talkback” after the show with the cast and crew members. According to Young, Strasnick, Camel and Kaseta, Wolfe has fantastic insights that will add a lot to the viewing experience. So keep your wig on, and see "La Cage Aux Folles" this weekend.