Phot courtesy Samantha Paige
La Cage aux Folles at La Cage
La Cage aux Folles at La Cage
Breaking the fourth wall much? This summer, Outskirts Theater Company and La Cage Nite Club celebrated both of their anniversaries—10 and 40 years, respectively—with a mutually beneficial staging of Harvey Fierstein’s La Cage Aux Folles. A dream in the making for co-artistic director and “Zaza,” Ryan Rehak, the performance transformed a non-traditional theater space into Georges and Albin’s drag floorshow and celebrated the diversity and talent of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community.
A variety of Milwaukee drag queens performed in a rotational role as a club ingenue every night, featuring performers such as Dita Von, Karen Valentine, and our very own Dear Ruthie. A challenging ask of local drag artists during Pride Month, though innovative and successful, this rotating casting choice enhanced the drag club atmosphere, showcased local talent and brought in patrons who weren’t regular theatergoers. Fans flooded the box office to support their favorite queens, heavily contributing to the show’s majority sold-out run.
More broadly, casting drew from the annual Milwaukee General Auditions, followed by several additional rounds of auditioning specifically for La Cage Aux Folles. “We were very specific about who we wanted in the show to really showcase the diversity of Milwaukee, especially in the queer community and drag community,” says co-artistic director, Samantha Paige. The final cast was a well-rounded mix of professional and semi-professional actors, some novice and some veteran.
A Frontrunner in Queer Nightlife
La Cage 1984 ad
La Cage 1984 ad
La Cage Nite Club opened in 1984, originally (in fact) as La Cage Aux Folles. According to The Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project, “La Cage quickly took dominance of the gay dance scene” after opening. Since then, ownership has changed hands, and many renovations over the years have changed the look of the club, but its elevated dance cage on the main floor remains an iconic emblem of the establishment.
With a stage suited for live music and drag revues on their second floor, La Cage had never hosted a live theater performance. Paige expressed gratitude for the generosity of the club, mentioning that the upstairs space was donated from day 1 of rehearsals. “We never rehearsed off-site,” says Paige. She elaborated that the production team wanted to lean into the non-traditional space. They decided quickly to make the show audience-immersive, using all the space and literally holding the show in the exact location it is meant to portray. Without use of a true backstage or wings, cast and crew alike figured out traffic routes while rehearsing: how to direct the audience’s attention elsewhere while changing the set, how to facilitate quick wardrobe changes, how to allow the bar to keep operating, and more. Cabaret-style seating for audience members enhanced the immersive feel, allowing patrons to order a drink at the bar while watching the show. Paige also thanked many volunteers and donors who lent tech equipment, lighting rigs, costumes, and more to bring the show to life.
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“We’ve been very blessed as a company to not have pretention be a part of our culture…we’re smaller, so we don’t have the budgets like big companies do. We work. We have generous donors that help us, but it’s really like … we have this joke, we’re the little engine that could. And it’s growing! ... We want a creative space that feels supportive and loving and familial.”
The beauty of La Cage at La Cage was its self-evidence. The club proved a perfect site to celebrate queer history, both through Fierstein’s writing and the unmistakable nightclub setting. Bass occasionally booming through the floor from the club below surprisingly didn’t detract from the theater-going experience, but rather enriched it. “It’s not lost on anyone that it’s a night club,” said Paige. The show and club directly acknowledged each other purely by coexisting. In addition, with both Outskirts Theater Company and La Cage Nite Club under queer management, the show celebrated multiple facets of LGBTQ+ liberation — joy, success, vibrance, and history. Paige described the surrounding community to have demonstrated only support for the show. “This means something,” Paige paraphrased. “Let’s honor La Cage.”
