The critically acclaimed production of La Cage Aux Folles starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber is presented by Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) at the Hobby Center April 24 – May 6, 2012.  The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts is located at 800 Bagby & Walker, Houston Texas.  Photo by Paul Kolnik.
 

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES STARRING GEORGE HAMILTON and CHRISTOPHER SIEBER

In Houston April 24 – May 6, 2012

WINNER!  3 TONY AWARDS!

WINNER!   3 DRAMA DESK AWARDS!

WINNER!   4 OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS!

WINNER!  DRAMA LEAGUE AWARD!

(HOUSTON) – The critically acclaimed production of La Cage Aux Folles starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber is presented by Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) at the Hobby Center April 24 – May 6, 2012.

La Cage Aux Folles recently made Tony Awards history as the first show to ever win the Tony Award three times for best production.   The classic musical comedy by Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein originally won six Tony Awards in 1984, including Best Musical.  A Broadway revival won two 2005 Tony Awards including the Best Revival of a Musical prize.  The new, freshly reconceived La Cage won three 2010 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Director of a Musical (Terry Johnson). 

La Cage Aux Folles tells the story of Georges (George Hamilton) the owner of a glitzy nightclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his partner Albin (Christopher Sieber), who moonlights as the glamorous chanteuse Zaza. When Georges' son brings his fiancée's conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair, the bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas fly! La Cage Aux Folles is a tuneful and touching tale of one family's struggle to stay together... stay fabulous... and above all else, stay true to themselves!  Audiences will also remember the storyline of La Cage from the popular 1996 movie “The Birdcage”.

George Hamilton with his exceedingly handsome looks and charming personality is noted for his dashing, sporting, jet-setter image and perpetually bronzed skin tones in commercials, dramatic and comedic film roles and reality shows. He is best known for his MGM films in the 1960s' Where the Boys Are, Your Cheatin' Heart and Evel Knievel, he was nominated for a Golden Globe as the campy neck-biter in the Dracula spoof Love at First Bite (1979), which he executive-produced, and continued on the parody road successfully with Zorro, the Gay Blade (1981). Mr. Hamilton has been seen in a string of fun commercials, hosting beauty pageants and making breezy gag appearances.  He has broken through the "reality show" ranks by hosting "The Family" (2003) and participating in the second season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" (2005/I).

Co-starring with Mr. Hamilton is two time Tony Award nominee and Broadway veteran Christopher Sieber who makes his road debut in the role of “Albin.”  Most recently, Sieber appeared on Broadway as “Georges” opposite Harvey Fierstein in the Tony Award-winning revival of La Cage Aux Folles.  Sieber received a Tony nomination for his performance in Shrek and Spamalot.  Broadway credits also include Chicago, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, and Beauty and the Beast to name a few. His television and film credits include "Morning Glory," "Pushing Daisies," "Johnny and the Sprites," "See You in September," "It's All Relative," "Two of a Kind," "Sex and the City," "Ed," "Guiding Light," "All My Children” and Another World.”

Rounding out the cast is  Dale Hensley, Jeigh Madjus, Gay Marshall, Allison Blair McDowell, Michael McCormick, Cathy Newman, Billy Harrigan Tighe, Ashley Kate Adams, Wilson Bridges, SuEllen Estey, Todd Thurston, Danny Vaccaro, Matt Anctil, Christophe Caballero, Trevor Downey, Rylyn Juliano, Logan Kesler, Terry Lavell, Todd Lattimore, Mark Roland and Donald C. Shorter, Jr.

Winner of 3 Tony Awards!  La Cage Aux Folles starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber is presented by Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) at the Hobby Center April 24 – May 6, 2012.  The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts is located at 800 Bagby & Walker, Houston Texas.  Photo by Paul Kolnik.

La Cage Aux Folles is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani and Fran and Barry Weissler in association with NETworks Presentations.  

La Cage Aux Folles features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and book by Harvey Fierstein, based on the play by Jean Poiret. 

The creative team includes director Terry Johnson, who won a 2010 Tony Award for his La Cage direction, choreographer Lynne Page, set designer Tim Shortall, costume designer Matthew Wright, lighting designer Nick Richings, sound designer Jonathan Deans and orchestrator/musical supervisor Todd Ellison. 

The new production of La Cage Aux Folles played from November 23, 2007 to March 8, 2008 at the Menier Chocolate Factory, earning across the board raves and moving to the West End’s Playhouse Theatre on October 30, 2008, where it was nominated for seven 2009 Olivier Awards, winning for Best Musical Revival and Best Actor in a Musical for Douglas Hodge and won the 2009 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical. 

La Cage Aux Folles is a production not to be missed and reviewers agree.  The Associated Press raves it is “Riotously funny!  La Cage could not be more timely or enjoyable.”  Variety called it “Funny, heartwarming and terrific!”  Time Out New York sums it up: “Five Stars (out of five)! The Musical Revival of the Year!  A Sensation!”

Tickets (starting at only $24) are available on-line at TUTS.com, by phone at (713) 558-TUTS (8887), outside the Houston area at (888) 558-3882, or in person at the Theatre Under The Stars Box Office, located at 800 Bagby at Walker, Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.  An audio described performance is available Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m.; open captioning is available Sunday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Hobby Center is wheelchair accessible.  Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more.  Group tickets may be purchased by calling (713) 558-8888 or via email at groupsales@tuts.com.

Theatre Under The Stars’ 2011-2012 Seeing Is Believing season is generously sponsored by St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System. For all of TUTS’ shows, air transportation is provided by United Airlines, the official airline of Theatre Under The Stars. Media sponsors include ABC-13 and Houston Chronicle.  Season support is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Theater District Association and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is Houston’s acclaimed nonprofit musical theatre company whose mission is to enrich life through the experience of quality musical theatre and to positively impact lives beyond the stage through innovative education & community outreach programs.  TUTS was the first theatrical organization in Houston to perform free to the public when it was founded in 1968 at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park and is the only Houston arts organization that has performed there free to the public every year since the theatre opened.  Founded by Frank M. Young and currently under the direction of President and CEO John C. Breckenridge, TUTS has produced more than 300 musicals including many local, national and world premieres such as Kopit and Yeston’s Phantom, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Jekyll & Hyde, and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas as well as critically acclaimed re-inventions of classics Cabaret and Les Miserables.  Through its membership in the Independent Presenters Network, TUTS has helped bring Bombay Dreams, 9 to 5, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Spamalot, Legally Blonde, Ragtime, Curtains and The Color Purple to Broadway and ultimately back to Houston audiences.

In support of TUTS’ mission, TUTS Education programs provide instruction and stage experience for more than 21,000 students annually, allowing them to flourish in a year-round schedule of classes.  The Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) offers technique-driven classes for all ability levels and ages, ranging from four to adult.  Through a merger with The River Performing and Visual Arts Center (The River), TUTS provides an accessible and inclusive arts education for children of all abilities that will enhance their development into confident, balanced individuals.  TUTS Education provides extended on-site programming as well as off-site programming for children in schools, hospitals and other community-based sites.  TUTS also annually presents the Tommy Tune Awards, honoring the best and brightest in Houston's high school musical theatre programs.

DATE:             La Cage Aux Folles:  April 24 – May 6, 2012

LOCATION:    Hobby Center for Performing Arts

SUMMARY:     La Cage Aux Folles tells the story of George (George Hamilton), the owner of a glitzy nighclub in lovely Saint-Tropez, and his partner Albin (Christopher Sieber), who moonlights as the glamorous chanteuse Zaza.  When Georges’ son brings his fiancee’s conservative parents home to meet the flashy pair, the bonds of family are put to the test as the feather boas fly!  La Cage Aux Folles is a tuneful and touching tale of one family’s struggle to stay together…stay fabulous…and above all else, stay true to themselves!

                          Visit  www.TUTS.com  for more information.

 Theatre Under The Stars 800 Bagby, Suite 200 Houston, TX 77002-2525 | (713) 558-2600

Single Tickets: (713)558-8887 Tickets and Subscriptions E-mail: boxoffice@tuts.com

 
Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani and Fran and Barry Weissler in association with NETworks Presentations,  La Cage Aux Folles starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber is presented by Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) at the Hobby Center April 24 – May 6, 2012.  The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts is located at 800 Bagby & Walker, Houston Texas.  Photo by Paul Kolnik.