BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Ovation Theatre prepares to welcome the community to their latest production, "La Cage aux Folles," a musical celebrating love and acceptance and, of course, dazzling costumes.
- Video shows actors in "La Cage aux Folles" musical highlighting the importance of telling LGBTQ+ stories during Pride Month and beyond.
- The musical's cast says they are proud to be part of a show that embraces love and acceptance and challenges what makes a family.
- The cast says this show is the retirement show for their longtime costumer. The costumes were meticulously made to be dazzling, and they say the glamour compliments the musical numbers.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A celebration of love, acceptance, glitz and glam on stage downtown. The Ovation Theatre prepares for the opening weekend of its latest production.
"We talk a lot about representation, representation. I think to be visible is the first step and that is what we are doing and now the second step is to be vocal—to be heard," Jordan Espiritu said.
Part of that representation, Espiritu says, is highlighting queer stories.
As Ovation Theatre prepares to leap into its latest production, they're eager to share this story with the community. "La Cage Aux Folles" is a musical that explores family dynamics, love and acceptance.
"'La cage aux Folles' is one of the first times I had ever felt truly seen in the theater space because it's a queer show," Korbyn Jackson said.
Jackson is part of the show's ensemble. The musical is based on a 1973 French play, and it follows Georges, the manager of a nightclub in Saint-Tropez featuring drag performances, and Albin, his partner and star performer. When their son announces his engagement, they soon realize their soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Anne, grew up in a very different family dynamic.
"And the whole moral of the show is to just be who you are," Cody Garcia says.
Garcia explains that when they first meet the parents of the woman their son fell in love with, Albin and Georges are tempted to change who they are to appease the new family…a conservative politician and his wife…but ultimately, they stay true to themselves.
"Because there's only one of you and we love you exactly the way that you are," Garcia said.
"If you can see that people are people and love them for who they are, whether you agree with them or not, that's okay," Kat Kohler said.
Kat Kohler plays Marie, Anne's mother. She says she sympathizes with her character who fears the public opinion if her daughter were to marry into this family…
"But she loves her daughter more. I think for me doing this part, if we love someone, especially our family, we should be open to the things that they love even if we don't understand them."
"We as queer artists, drag entertainers, actors. We're all human. We all love the same," Espiritu said. "I think that's when the biggest message of the show. No matter what we look like, sound like dress like...my love is human. Our love is still human."
Opening weekend for the show is June 7, 8 and 9. Tickets can be purchased online at this link or in person at the box office downtown.
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