The musical “La Cage aux Folles” has been wowing audiences since its Broadway debut in August 1983. It earned nine Tony Award nominations and won six, including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. Along the way, the London debut was followed by a revival in that city and two others in New York. Reviewers raved about its many talented stars during those years, among them Gene Barry, George Hearn, Van Johnson, Robert Goulet, Gary Beach and Harvey Fierstein, the playwright and creator of the show with composer Jerry Herman. Now a sellout wherever it plays, the show that Herman feared was too far out of the mainstream has become a classic. Its first national tour, starring George Hamilton and Christopher Sieber, has moved into the Kennedy Center for a month’s stay. Sieber appeared in the 2010 Broadway revival as Georges opposite Fierstein. This time around, he plays Albin, while Hamilton is Georges.
“The advantage of switching roles is that I saw how Harvey, the man who wrote the show, played Albin,” he said. “I have some great songs. Perhaps my favorite number is the title song. Another big number, ‘I Am What I Am,’ calls for a lot of vocal power. Sometimes it’s just exhausting to sing it, but there’s a lot in there to make it so rewarding. Since this is my first tour, it’s fun to see different cities, spend time in them and get to know other theater people.”
Growing up in Minnesota, the two-time Tony Award nominee gravitated to the theater at an early age. He remembers getting out of bed after 10 p.m. when his parents thought he was asleep to watch the local PBS station broadcast of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Never did he imagine that his yen to watch absurd people doing absurd things would lead to performing onstage one day with Eric Idle. The two have become great friends.
| Onstage |
| ‘La Cage aux Folles’ |
| Where: Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater |
| When: Through Feb. 12 |
| Info: From $65 at 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324 of kennedy-center.org. |
Upon reaching 18, Sieber was so determined to act that he got on a plane and moved himself to New York to study the craft. His derring-do paid off with a Broadway debut in the musical “Triumph of Love” with Betty Buckley. Music and comedy dominate the plum roles he has played. Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” was followed by Trevor Graydon in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and Billy Flynn in “Chicago.” The 2002 revival of “Into the Woods” found him in two roles: Rapunzel’s Prince and the Wolf, a role he shared.
A natural wit, he explains that he was raised to find humor in everything. Consequently, he frequently is cast as a silly character garbed in a strange costume. Such was the case when he played Lord Farquaad in “Shrek the Musical.”
“That role wrecked my body,” he said. “Lord Farquaad was only four and a half feet tall, while I’m six feet two inches. I can only blame myself because I created the role and had to play it on my knees. I must say it was very funny.”
