Thom Allison talks La Cage aux Folles with Krista Jackson.

TEARS AND GLITTER.
That's exactly what you should expect from the 2024 production of La Cage aux Folles.
Join director Thom Allison with host Krista Jackson (Co-Director and Dramaturge, The Diviners) as they dive into this extravagant production’s “magic tinkle trunk of wonder,” to discuss everything from love and connection to family disputes and acceptance. Listen in as they talk about how family dynamics can be messy and dysfunctional and why the writers didn't shy away from this fact in pursuit of a real, relatable story.
As Allison says, "Audiences are in for an extraordinary ride [and will] leave the show tapping their toes, feeling a bit lighter, understanding their family a little better and wanting to come back to see La Cage aux Folles 18 more times!"
La Cage aux Folles
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play by Jean Poiret
Directed by Thom Allison
Choreographed by Cameron Carver
Music Director - Franklin Brasz
Set Designer - Brandon Kleiman
Costume Designer - David Boechler
Lighting Designer - Kimberly Purtell
Makeup Designer - Dino Dilio
Sound Designer - Brian Kenny
Fight and Intimacy Director - Anita Nittoly
Drag Consultant - Justin Miller
00:00 Intro
01:28 Let's talk “La Cage aux Folles”
03:43 Act 1: plot synopsis
05:12 "I am What I Am", is an anthem
05:28 Act 2 : plot synopsis
06:05 Where does the love come in?
06:40 Jean-Michel's growth in the Show
07:14 "Asking for love does not mean..."
07:27 Thom's Origin Stories
07:57 Thom's past experiences being reflected into this production
08:14 Thom discovering the movie "Outrageous"
08:32 "The Cartoon in my soul…”
09:20 How Thom found his way towards drag
10:52 How Thom understands gender
11:47 Thom's parental influence on the masculine and feminine energies
13:20 Thom realizing his strengths
13:58 Drag as a transformative lens in La Cage aux Folles
15:07 Jean-Michel's youthful motives
16:12 The central relationship between Albein & George
17:03 Why La Cage aux Folles the musical is ground breaking
17:57 The original opening night story
19:14 Why audiences love the show
20:02 "Where there is love, there is grace."
21:03 "Sometimes, deeper love has to be earned through struggle."
21:29 Family is universal / Being allowed to make mistakes
22:31 “All that matters is the love that was there”
22:58 "La Cage is outrageously funny as well as moving..."
23:27 The difficult event in the show
25:09 “It's a family trying to find their way, it's not a hate crime...”
25:38 Family dynamics are what teaches us how to face the world
26:00 Thom's personal experience with his mother
27:25 A type of love that says "I'm here for you no matter what."
28:31 Coming back to the themes of the show
28:49 Chosen Family
29:03 The drag queens in the show
30:21 The Dindon family
30:49 Family looks so different for everyone
31:02 The story balances the hetero couples in the story in reflection of one another
31:28 Why is this only the 3rd time this show has been produced in Canada?
33:03 For the Artistic Director, Antoni Cimolino to program this show puts the Stratford Festival on the right side of history
34:21 La Cage being a continuation of positive queer representation on the Stratford Festival’s stage productions from 2023, such as “Rent”, “Casey & Diana” & “Richard II”
34:56 The late 2000s conversations of opening up racially in the big live theatres
35:20 "...things needing time for the audience to get use to it, is a cop-out..."
36:24 Thom’s directorial process
36:32 The drag training with Justin Miller a.k.a “Pearle Harbour”
37:03 Dino Dilio, the make-up designer
37:32 David Boechler, costume designer
37:51 Brandon Kleiman, set designer
38:04 Art direction: "...the whole show has to be a drag show..."
38:37 Art direction: the glamour that the 70s was fed by
38:59 Kimberly Purtell, lighting designer
39:11 The stamina of the opening number
40:06 Cameron Carver, choreographer
41:07 “The Diviners” choreography crossover
41:30 The La Cage set is a character in itself
42:04 Thom's directorial process
43:51 The importance of a good ensemble
44:20 "...audiences will want to see this show hopefully 18 times..."

[@rosemarydelong6572]

I am thrilled that this production has such vision!! The internal dynamics embraces the external strife shake up our emotions!!! Absolutely 💯 Stunning ✨✨

[@maddiec7204]

Love the truly Canadian-coded Mr Dressup Tickle Trunk reference!! We had a Little Tykes (I believe) storage bin full of costumes that my mom always referred to as the Tickle Trunk for that reason and I only understood the reference when I was older 😊