When Kevin Cahoon acquired his Tony and Drama Desk nominations in 2023 as a featured actor in Broadway’s “Shucked,” he carried out a hayseed character whose sexuality might or gained’t have been recognized to all people in his straight-laced, corn-fed group. Nevertheless in “La Cage aux Folles,” now having fun with on the Pasadena Playhouse, taking on the lead operate of the drag performer Albin, he pretty defiantly is who he’s — on the very least until the farcical second act has him comically pretending to be a straight man, then a straight woman, in an tried act of familial love. Extreme jinx ensue, as they’re saying… nevertheless so do pathos and anger, when Cahoon will get to ship the gay anthem “I Am What I Am.”
In a wide-ranging career that has hardly been restricted to these roles, Cahoon has acted in drag on stage (and on TV) plenty of events sooner than, collectively together with his turns in Broadway or off-Broadway productions of “Hedwig and the Offended Inch,” “The Rocky Horror Current” and “The Marriage ceremony ceremony Singer” along with television’s “Glow.” Nevertheless he’s on no account sooner than stepped proper right into a lead operate with pretty as rather a lot historic weight for the LGBTQ+ group as “La Cage,” the Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein-written current that was the first musical to provide consideration to gay lead characters when it opened in 1983. The Pasadena manufacturing is notable as one in every of many few events a severe revival has been put up with two well-known gay actors being solid, as Cahoon shares the raucous current’s additional tenderly romantic scenes with Cheyenne Jackson.
The plot, which has a right-wing politician desperate to shut down the first characters’ worthwhile drag revue, would possibly want appeared quaint and even outdated plenty of years prior to now… nevertheless, clearly, with the renewed demonization of trans of us and drag artists, “La Cage” has fallen once more out of the realm of interval piece. In an interview with Choice, Cahoon talks about how the current native climate has equipped “gasoline” for the interpretation he, director Sam Pinkleton (“Oh, Mary!”) and the other creatives received right here up with for this change… even as a result of the Broadway-worthy revival works primarily to provide warmth laughs for the entire family. Or the entire drag-friendly family, anyway.
Cahoon moreover discusses each little factor from his very first show-biz triumph — profitable “Star Search” as a youthful teen — to how Peanut, the character he carried out in “Shucked,” was impressed by every Minnie Pearl and shamen. (“La Cage aux Folles” continues on the Pasadena Playhouse by means of Dec. 15; get additional information and tickets proper right here.)
Most recently, of us have recognized you for “Shucked,” the place you may have been very dressed down. Nevertheless there are totally different points in your career that it’s easy to consider would possibly want launched you to ideas for the lead in “La Cage.”
That’s correct. I was throughout the genuine agency of “Hedwig and the Offended Inch,” the place I (took over) as quickly as each week for John Cameron Mitchell. I did “Rocky Horror” on Broadway (as Frank N. Furter). And in “The Marriage ceremony ceremony Singer” on Broadway, my character was obsessive about Boy George. So there’s an prolonged historic previous of roles which had been in drag. Nevertheless I had gone by means of a two- or three-year interval the place I felt like, “Oh, I’m into my nation bumpkin stage.” I had completed an hour-long drama on Fox known as “Monarch,” which was regarding the first family of nation music, after which “Shucked” was such a big second in my life. I assumed, properly, presumably my drag queen days are behind me.
After which Sam Pinkleton known as me out of the blue and invited me to come back again alongside and I really didn’t hesitate one minute. It has been liberating and fulfilling, and I’m totally in love with Cheyenne, the entire agency is nice, and the Pasadena Playhouse is such a top-notch, unimaginable theater. Merely with the care and the thought that they put into every single issue — I’m even talking just a few prop, or a flowery gown piece — the middle is just major the way in which through which there, and it’s apparent.
Have you ever ever been out proper right here to L.A. to do theater rather a lot sooner than?
I did a producing of “Minsky’s” on the Ahmanson (in 2009). I did this superior manufacturing of “The Tempest” with the LA Philharmonic on the Disney Reside efficiency Hall (in 2018). And I’ve completed stuff on the Outdated Globe in San Diego, and in San Francisco, nevertheless on no account Pasadena Playhouse. And listen to, I’ll be once more the minute they ask me.
You’ve taken over some lead roles beforehand, nevertheless not basically very many with as prolonged a historic previous as this. What’s it want to deal with this lead operate in “La Cage,” which is a extremely iconic and important half in a lot of folks’s reminiscences, for subsequently many causes?
I had been equipped the operate of Jacob the housekeeper sooner than in productions of “La Cage,” nevertheless on no account had I been thought-about for the operate of Albin sooner than. And it was an beautiful feeling that someone trusts you could be a co-pilot, along with Cheyenne, of this. You said it — it’s an iconic piece; large hit all all around the world given that ‘80s. And Sam had a imaginative and prescient to blow the mud off, so to speak, and it was thrilling. He had a definite imaginative and prescient for “I Am What I Am” than what I had ever seen completed sooner than. And naturally, that’s like a cliff. It’s a should to soar off and take a leap of faith, and uncover what it means to you as we converse.
Kevin Cahoon
That signature amount notably has what seems like a topical undertone to it.
I’ve to say that after the ultimate election, there was a definite gasoline throughout the tank than there was. We’ve got been rehearsing sooner than the election, after which after the election, we now have been nonetheless in rehearsals, nevertheless I’ve to say the dynamics and the vitality shifted. There was a high-octane gasoline, let’s assume. You’ll be capable to’t ignore what’s taking place on this planet spherical you when there’s 700 of us coming proper right into a theater every night to have a shared experience. If there’s one factor happening to all people as a collective, that’s a part of the recipe of the evening, and also you’ll’t ignore it. So we had an thought to do a sort of CBGB mannequin of “I Am What I Am,” when you’ll. There’s an precise kind of rock and roll coronary coronary heart beneath it, and this may be very empowering and intensely liberating.
I hope it helps to tell the story of these two people who’ve been in love for 20 years and have a son, and the obstacles that that relationship goes by throughout the face of bewilderment and bigotry. You notice, it’s a terrific big American musical for a trigger. Everybody is aware of, on the very least I do, that America works best after we’re all working collectively and all people has their freedom, And when there are individuals who discover themselves making an attempt to infringe upon that freedom, the wheels don’t work as properly in a democracy. So that’s what good American musicals do to me. They expose the fact and the surprise and the optimism {that a} terrific musical can. It’s in all probability probably the most optimistic paintings kind to me. Take “Les Miz.” Everyone’s ineffective on the end of “Les Miz,” nevertheless they’re all singing “Tomorrow’s gonna be greater, tomorrow’s gonna be a larger day”! That’s why I like musicals rather a lot. And on the end of “La Cage,” the conservative family has come spherical and all people’s collectively… all people as as a unit.
I was questioning if it is going to be completed as an ‘80s interval piece or set throughout the present day. However it absolutely feels want it’s meant to exist out of time. The one element that mainly marks it as present-day is the utilization of a hoop delicate if you find yourself doing your entire make-up throughout the dressing room scenes.
That’s correct. Positive.
So we take into consideration events have modified given that late ‘70s, when the French film was made, or early ‘80s, with the Broadway current. Nevertheless little or nothing needed to modified to make it actually really feel each updated or just unfixed in time. If one thing, the political side feels modern as soon as extra.
Inside the early ‘80s, when this current opened on Broadway, there had been one front-page story regarding the AIDS epidemic throughout the New York Events. They started scripting this in 1978. And there’s nonetheless an innocence to this love story, throughout the writing. It’s sooner than AIDS decimated a convention, when work at the moment shifted to be political, as a result of it must have. Nevertheless there’s one factor attention-grabbing in that they’re nonetheless making an attempt to ban drag golf tools in Florida. There’s nonetheless an uproar over drag story time in faculties. The legal guidelines stays to be being proposed, and it actually is shocking and sad. Nevertheless you acknowledge, isn’t that humorous, that it’s 2024, nearly ‘25, and we’re nonetheless talking about conservative of us making an attempt to shut down a drag membership.
Inside the gamut that your character runs throughout the current, loads of the prevalent comedy is mainly in your shoulders, though, as we talked about, you even have in all probability probably the most dead-serious second throughout the current.
It’s a expertise, and I’m kind of on the apply. I’ve, I imagine, 14 costume changes, which embrace jewelry and wigs and make-up changes, and I’m working like a hamster on a wheel backstage. So I really don’t have time to think about, you acknowledge, “Oh God, now we’re about to get to this half…” Sooner than I do understand it, I’m on stage in a single different wig and one different costume, saying the traces for that scene. So it actually is a wash of irrespective of Harvey Fierstein’s writing is, really happening throughout the second — which, as an actor, is what you want. And every viewers is completely totally different, so that you simply’re listening to them. The place are they? It actually is like an Olympic relay race, the place you’re working from one issue to the next and grabbing this, and also you then’re happening the observe. Every morning as soon as I rise up, I imagine: Oh my God, I can’t think about I did that closing night and I’ve to do it as soon as extra tonight.
It’s thrilling. I can’t think about we solely have two additional weeks. I’m gonna merely be heartbroken, and working spherical my house, doing it alone, most probably. I’ll identify Cheyenne on the cellphone and say, “Hey, let’s merely do that scene over the cellphone.”
Fortunately, this isn’t your first time working in extreme heels on stage. That might presumably be really taxing on someone who doesn’t have experience with that.
I’ve pretty just a little bit of experience in heels — and I’ve acquired good arches, merely genetic, God-given arches, and so that helps too. It was merely kind of the luck of the draw, and they also’ve helped me in the end.
And from Hedwig to Frank N. Furter to “Glow,” you’ve had a bit experience dressing up, even when these didn’t put collectively you for the variety of appears to be you run by means of on this.
Which may be very true. I’ve had a life in make-up, I want to say. … Carol Channing was thought-about one in every of my characters in “Glow” that I moreover do in “La Cage.” Sam was like, “What imitations do you do?” And I was like, “Successfully, I imagine I can do a reasonably good Carol Channing,” so that’s throughout the current (inside a gift), too.
Cheyenne Jackson and Kevin Cahoon in ‘La Cage aux Folles” on the Pasadena Playhouse
Jeff Lorch
When the current goes off-stage, so to speak, for its additional emotional and intimate moments, the chemistry with Cheyenne is clearly crucial.
And it’s unusual that two gay actors get to play two gay males who’ve been on this relationship for 20 years. That’s completely totally different than having fun with a relationship that you simply simply’ve been in for two years. There’s a data there; there’s comfort there. In my first scene throughout the current, I’m terrified that he’s having an affair on me. “The place have been you? I made a lunch. I do know that you simply simply’re with some youthful, bony, brunette boy”… I imagine with every single relationship, ultimately, someone in that relationship is doubting: Am I ample? Do I nonetheless have it? Is that this particular person nonetheless seeing me the similar technique? There’s one different lyric that my character has, about how “you’ve put a eternal star in my eye.” That’s such a shocking Jerry Herman lyric, so beautiful and really easy.
Jerry Herman wrote “Whats up Dolly,” and he wrote “Mame,” which can be these iconic roles for actresses. After which he wrote “La Cage,” the place the two gay males get to have the long-lasting roles. They get the 11:00 numbers; they get the showstoppers. And that’s unusual. After I used to be a toddler, I cherished “Whats up Dolly” and “Mame,” and I did my first Jerry Herman musical as soon as I used to be 11, so that’s as soon as I fell in love with Jerry Herman soundtracks and albums and solid recordings… So these items that come into your life when you’re 10 come once more spherical later. Every seed that’s planted is gonna come once more spherical.
To get into your background a bit — you in all probability did “Star Search” when you have been nearly that youthful, correct?
Yeah, I was 13, in 1985. I’m from Houston, so I had an agent in Houston and I did commercials and theater there, after which they said “Star Search” is coming by means of metropolis and they also’re auditioning. At the moment, that was Sam Harris, Rosie O’Donnell, Sinbad — the current was a big. I sang current tunes, and somehow we ended up in L.A. and I was on that current and obtained in 1985. Which is crazy, on account of all people was singing Van Halen and Michael Jackson and the hits of the day, and proper right here I come singing “Gypsy” and “Cats,” nevertheless somehow it occurred. We shot it on the Aquarius Theater on Sunset, which grew to turn out to be the Nickelodeon theater. Actually, from the street, you might nonetheless see the payphone throughout the lobby — it’s nonetheless there in that theater — the place I’d make my calls to my grandparents and say, “Oh, I obtained, I obtained.” There are lot of sweet reminiscences there. I nonetheless can’t think about that it occurred. After which we did a gift that summer season season known as “The Stars of Star Search,” which was type of a revue with Sinbad, myself, this singer Catte Adams… After which I went once more to Houston and commenced highschool.
What was your largest break when you may have been in New York?
I always suppose the first Broadway current’s the hardest one to get, and I was throughout the ensemble of “Tommy,” after auditioning eight events and going repeatedly. After which your first principal operate in a Broadway current can be the hardest one to get, and my first principal operate was throughout the genuine solid of “The Lion King,” having fun with Ed the Hyena. That was such a cultural second, and to have a look at Julie Taymor throughout the room creating this world with these characters and these costumes and masks, it was unbelievable — one different pinch-me second as soon as I take into accounts how I was a part of that.
After which I left “The Lion King” that exact same yr to go downtown to do one current each week for John Cameron Mitchell as (the understudy for) “Hedwig,” which at the moment was not what it’s now; it was nonetheless in search of its technique. And John’s writing and Stephen (Trask)’s writing have been so prophetic. They really observed the world in a technique that totally different of us didn’t, and observed what was going to be a part of the custom. Impulsively, the enterprise didn’t merely perceive me as a comedic musical theater actor as soon as they solid me in “Hedwig.” I was able to be perceived as moreover a crucial actor and likewise a bit bit downtown rock and roll, a bit edgier than they might have thought. So it was a troublesome decision: Am I gonna go away “The Lion King,” this principal operate in its first yr of its run, to go downtown to do this current that presumably obtained’t run?
And it was the best decision I ever made. What a dream that was. After which I ended up opening the Boston agency of “Hedwig,” and I did San Francisco for 9 months, after which I did Edinburgh, Scotland. It was an beautiful current that saved on giving.
After which “The Marriage ceremony ceremony Singer” was good for you.
Successfully, yeah, “Marriage ceremony ceremony Singer” after which “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” [where he played the Childcatcher]. I moreover did a play known as “The Foreigner” on the Roundabout (in 2004), which was my first play in New York, and that was an beautiful break, with Matthew Broderick and Frances Sternhagen — one different good second the place it’s all about notion and the way in which the enterprise is perceiving you. So as soon as they see you in a play with these iconic actors, you then get additional auditions for performs, and additional auditions for hour-long dramas or movies. And it on no account ends — you’re always taking the expertise as to what’s subsequent, and the way in which can I drawback myself?
And “La Cage” was such an beautiful, large drawback. It nonetheless is, every effectivity. Sam Pinkleton is so good and so good, and seeing his choreography for “Natasha, Pierre and the Good Comet of 1812,” after which seeing “Oh, Mary!” (Pinkleton’s presently working Broadway success)… When he known as, I was like, “Yep. What time would you like me there? This afternoon?”
Kevin Cahoon in ‘La Cage aux Folles” on the Pasadena Playhouse
Jeff Lorch
You had seen “La Cage” when you have been 10, correct?
Yeah, I observed “La Cage” in New York — genuine, genuine solid — and I’ll at all times bear in mind it, on account of by means of my 10-year-old Texas eyes, I was watching this current saying, what is this? There are some images in that current I’ll on no account, ever overlook.
What does it indicate now, by means of your no-longer-10-year-old eyes?
I seen that it’s been unusual that there have been two gay males which have carried out the leads. One factor that Cheyenne, Sam and I really wished to embrace is that we didn’t should be shy about their bodily affection and the way in which rather a lot they love each other and the way in which rather a lot they’re like each different married couple. I imagine that Albin can’t think about that someone like George, who’s so stunning and magnetic and charming, likes him. So that’s part of the wonderful thing about their relationship.
You end the first act so powerfully and intensely with “I Am What I Am,” then come once more initially of Act 2 and make of us chuckle as soon as extra, after having immersed them in some actuality correct sooner than intermission.
And there’s loads of stress on an actor to close the first act. So many people have completed “I Am What I Am” in merely iconic strategies. It’s been recorded by so many people. It’s presumably one in every of many first true gay anthems — not one different tune that was already written that the gay group has adopted, nevertheless a tune that was written as a gay anthem that the group embraced. And on the end of the first act, it’s like a “Defying Gravity” or a “Rose’s Flip” or a type of big musical theater numbers. There’s loads of stress to ship. Nevertheless as an actor, I’ve to kind of convey what I can do to the desk and apply it to the textual content material and hope that it actually works.
As you said, there are any number of strategies it might be carried out, inside a producing or as a stand-alone anthem. Alongside together with your edgier mannequin of it, you wished to make it about these events, somehow, and get some righteous anger into it?
Yeah, I imagine that, however as soon as extra, the LGBTQ+ group is listening to: You aren’t equal human beings, you aren’t equal Individuals. And with every step in course of progress — marriage equality, and all the other examples — it seems like there’s 5 additional steps backwards. And I imagine that there’s a primal, guttural response to that, on this mannequin of “I Am What I Am”: You aren’t listening to me. Let me shake you and say I’m what I’m. What I’m needs no excuses. That’s throughout the lyrics: I deal my very personal deck. Typically the ace, typically the deuces; typically it actually works, typically it doesn’t. However it absolutely’s my world. And the primal “I’m going to shake the muse of this until you hear me” — that’s what I’m contemplating every night. It nearly feels to me Shakespearean. It seems like a terrific soliloquy, and an deal with to the viewers saying, that’s an instantaneous problem. It’s important to hear what I’m saying. You notice, there’s that lyric that repeats: There’s one life, one life. That’s a key lyric. It’s thrilling to have the flexibility to do, and it’s terrifying.
It’s easy to consider how rather a lot that ought to take out of you.
After which you’ve like 15 or 20 minutes to get properly, to get all the clown make-up off and put all the other make-up once more on. My intermission is timed all the way in which all the way down to the minute, on account of the first character you see in Act 2 is Albin, so I’ve gotta get cleaned up and capable of start the next act with a big comedic scene. That first scene in Act 2 is hilarious, (after) the kind of melodrama and pathos. So it actually is a rollercoaster.
We’ve had good audiences, and I can see loads of the viewers at loads of completely totally different moments throughout the current, on account of I’m talking to the viewers a lot, like with that standup sequence in the middle of Act 1. After which “I Am What I Am,” it’s pretty lit. That’s really pleasurable to see the viewers, play with the viewers. Which Peanut in “Shucked” does a lot, too. He would have these kind of monologues that he would deal with to the viewers, kind of doing like a Minnie Pearl, “Hee Haw” type of standup routine with the viewers, and I always cherished that half. I like talking and communing with the viewers one-on-one. It’s unusual, however it’s thrilling to get to do.
Speaking of “Shucked,” proper right here’s a question about that operate, though you’ve moved on and totally different actors are doing it on tour. There could also be loads of sexual innuendo Peanut is putting all through, the place all people merely type of stops to listen to as he extends a metaphor. However it absolutely’s not basically apparent if he’s doing it deliberately or it’s creating by means of his unconscious. So… does Peanut know he’s gay?
I imagine he does. I made the selection that 1000% Peanut does know he’s gay. Nevertheless, you acknowledge, he’s a unicorn, in a metropolis crammed with goats. So he’s singular in that there’s not a lot of people who he would possibly uncover that side of himself with. And I’ve seen these of us in rural communities sooner than, who’re singular, who’re thought-about one in every of a kind. And I take into accounts tribal cultures too. Similar to the people who we would say are are trans, nevertheless in tribal communities, they’re between the female and the male world, someplace in-between. They’re the shamans of the tribal custom.
And Peanut functioned in that technique. He was kind of the thinker, kind of the preacher. He married the oldsters, he buried the oldsters. He was such an integral part of that group and the mechanics of that group, and folks people are such a gift to irrespective of group that they’re in. I always thought-about Peanut in that technique — like, there was one factor even a bit witchy about him. Like, you acknowledge, “if I bury this throughout the yard on a full moon, I guarantee you the crop will seemingly be even larger subsequent month.” I always thought-about him as having a connection to the land, and I had so many traces about him talking to completely totally different animals. I assumed, Peanut’s associated to everybody, talking to everybody. People suppose he’s crazy on account of he’s over there talking to a pig, nevertheless I guarantee you, he’s getting some important information. That was merely such an excellent character.
I’m moreover contemplating now regarding the drag world and drag queens and the way in which they’re kind of shamans. They’re kind of on this mystical totally different place that people take a look at with shock and amazement, that they’re capable of do what they do, separate from all people else, they usually’re communing with the world in a extremely completely totally different technique. I merely maintain contemplating of a shaman, like a healer, a thinker. It’s an unimaginable issue to have the flexibility to be given roles the place I’m having fun with these kind of larger-than-life characters which is likely to be hovering above all people else on this kind of technique.
