Alex Michaels, Best Known as Alexis Michelle, to Star in La Cage aux Folles at Barrington Stage

Alex Michaels—better known as drag queen Alexis Michelle—will lead the Barrington Stage Company production of La Cage aux Folles as Albin alongside Tom Story as Georges. Directed by Mike Donahue and choreographed by Paul McGill, performances will run from June 11 through July 6 on the Boyd-Quinson Stage. June 16 will be the production's official opening. 

With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, La Cage aux Folles is based on the play by Jean Poirot that also inspired the 1978 French film of the same name and its American remake, The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. The original Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles opened in 1983 and won six Tony Awards in 1984, including Best Musical, Best Original Score (Herman) and Best Book of a Musical (Fierstein). Two subsequent Broadway revivals won Best Revival of a Musical in 2005 and 2010, respectively.

Set in St. Tropez on the French Riviera, La Cage aux Folles follows a gay couple, Georges and Albin, who must disguise themselves for one night in order to impress a local ultra-conservative politician who is threatening to shut down the couple’s drag nightclub where Georges serves as Emcee and Albin as the star attraction, Zaza.

The Barrington Stage cast will also feature Noah Wolfe as Jean Michel, Sally Shaw as Anne, Phillip Taratula as Jacob, Tanesha Gary as Jacqueline, Don Noble as Edouard Dindon, Michele Ragusa as Mme. Dindon and Drae Campbell as Francis. Also starring as the “notorious and dangerous” Cagelles will be Kevin Murakami as Mercedes (Murakami additionally serves as associate choreographer and dance captain), Jonté Jaurel Culpepper as Bitelle, Gabe Friedman aka Kiki BallChange as Chantal, Jules Geiss as Clo-Clo, Aaron Graham as Angelique and Kyle White as Hannah, with Raphe Gilliam and Drew Minard.

The creative team includes scenic design by Alexander Woodward, costume design by Rodrigo Munoz, lighting design by Philip Rosenberg, sound design by Ken Travis, wig design by Bobbie Zlotnik, makeup design by Kyle Krueger and music direction by Angela Steiner.