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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 could or received’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 perform 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 girl, in an tried act of familial love. Extreme jinx ensue, as they’re saying… nonetheless 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) various events sooner than, collectively along with his turns in Broadway or off-Broadway productions of “Hedwig and the Offended Inch,” “The Rocky Horror Current” and “The Wedding ceremony ceremony Singer” along with television’s “Glow.” Nevertheless he’s in no way sooner than stepped proper right into a lead perform with pretty as so much historic weight for the LGBTQ+ group as “La Cage,” the Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein-written current that was the first musical to present consideration to gay lead characters when it opened in 1983. The Pasadena manufacturing is notable as certainly one of many few events a severe revival has been put up with two well-known gay actors being cast, as Cahoon shares the raucous current’s further tenderly romantic scenes with Cheyenne Jackson.

The plot, which has a right-wing politician desperate to shut down the first characters’ worthwhile drag revue, may want appeared quaint and even outdated various years up to now… nonetheless, clearly, with the renewed demonization of trans people and drag artists, “La Cage” has fallen once more out of the realm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 exchange… 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 further knowledge and tickets proper right here.)

Most currently, people 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 may 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 Wedding ceremony ceremony Singer” on Broadway, my character was obsessive about Boy George. So there’s an prolonged historic previous of roles which have 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, probably 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 a number of prop, or a elaborate costume piece — the middle is just foremost the way in which during which there, and it’s apparent.

Have you ever ever been out proper right here to L.A. to do theater so much 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, nonetheless in no way Pasadena Playhouse. And listen to, I’ll be once more the minute they ask me.

You’ve taken over some lead roles beforehand, nonetheless not basically very many with as prolonged a historic previous as this. What’s it desire to sort out this lead perform in “La Cage,” which is a extremely iconic and very important half in a number of folks’s reminiscences, for due to this fact many causes?

I had been equipped the perform of Jacob the housekeeper sooner than in productions of “La Cage,” nonetheless in no way had I been thought-about for the perform of Albin sooner than. And it was an beautiful feeling that someone trusts you generally is a co-pilot, along with Cheyenne, of this. You acknowledged it — it’s an iconic piece; huge 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.

That signature amount significantly 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. Now we have been rehearsing sooner than the election, after which after the election, we now have been nonetheless in rehearsals, nonetheless I’ve to say the dynamics and the vitality shifted. There was a high-octane gasoline, let’s assume. You’ll have the ability to’t ignore what’s taking place on this planet spherical you when there’s 700 people 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 night time, and also you’ll’t ignore it. So we had an thought to do a kind of CBGB mannequin of “I Am What I Am,” when you’ll. There’s an precise sort 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 way of 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 trying 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 marvel and the optimism {that a} terrific musical can. It’s most likely probably the most optimistic art work sort to me. Take “Les Miz.” Everyone’s ineffective on the end of “Les Miz,” nonetheless they’re all singing “Tomorrow’s gonna be greater, tomorrow’s gonna be a higher day”! That’s why I like musicals so much. 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 will probably be completed as an ‘80s interval piece or set throughout the present day. However it certainly feels desire it’s meant to exist out of time. The one part that mainly marks it as present-day is the utilization of a hoop gentle if you find yourself doing your whole 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 wished to modified to make it actually really feel each updated or just unfixed in time. If one thing, the political aspect feels modern as soon as extra.

Throughout 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 should have. Nevertheless there’s one factor attention-grabbing in that they’re nonetheless trying to ban drag golf gear 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, just about ‘25, and we’re nonetheless talking about conservative people trying to shut down a drag membership.

Throughout 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 most likely probably the most dead-serious second throughout the current.

It’s a expertise, and I’m sort 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 stand up, I imagine: Oh my God, I can’t think about I did that remaining night and I’ve to do it as soon as extra tonight.

It’s thrilling. I can’t think about we solely have two further weeks. I’m gonna merely be heartbroken, and working spherical my house, doing it alone, almost definitely. I’ll title 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 probably 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 sort of the luck of the draw, and they also’ve helped me finally.

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 desire to say. … Carol Channing was thought of certainly one 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.

When the current goes off-stage, so to speak, for its further 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, eventually, someone in that relationship is doubting: Am I adequate? Do I nonetheless have it? Is that this particular person nonetheless seeing me the equivalent methodology? 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 gorgeous and really easy.

Jerry Herman wrote “Whats up Dolly,” and he wrote “Mame,” which might 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 cast recordings… So these things 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 most likely did “Star Search” when you’ve got been just about 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 acknowledged “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 one way or the other we ended up in L.A. and I was on that current and acquired 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,” nonetheless one way or the other it occurred. We shot it on the Aquarius Theater on Sunset, which grew to change into the Nickelodeon theater. Actually, from the street, it’s possible you’ll 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 acquired, I acquired.” 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 started 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 perform in a Broadway current may also be the hardest one to get, and my first principal perform was throughout the genuine cast 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 consider 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 searching for its methodology. And John’s writing and Stephen (Trask)’s writing have been so prophetic. They really seen the world in a way that totally different people didn’t, and seen 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 cast me in “Hedwig.” I was able to be perceived as moreover a vital actor and likewise a bit bit downtown rock and roll, a bit edgier than they may have thought. So it was a tricky decision: Am I gonna go away “The Lion King,” this principal perform in its first yr of its run, to go downtown to try this current that probably acquired’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 Wedding ceremony ceremony Singer” was good for you.

Successfully, yeah, “Wedding 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 further auditions for performs, and additional auditions for hour-long dramas or movies. And it in no way 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, huge 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?”

You had seen “La Cage” when you’ve got been 10, correct?

Yeah, I seen “La Cage” in New York — genuine, genuine cast — 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 pictures in that current I’ll in no way, ever overlook.

What does it suggest 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 must be shy about their bodily affection and the way in which so much they love each other and the way in which so much they’re like each different married couple. I imagine that Albin can’t think about that someone like George, who’s so lovely and magnetic and charming, likes him. So that’s part of the beauty of 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 people 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 probably certainly one of many first true gay anthems — not one different tune that was already written that the gay group has adopted, nonetheless 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 sort 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 acknowledged, there are any number of strategies it could 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, one way or the other, 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 Folks. And with every step in course of progress — marriage equality, and all the other examples — it seems like there’s 5 further 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 certainly’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 just about feels to me Shakespearean. It seems like a terrific soliloquy, and an deal with to the viewers saying, that’s an instantaneous problem. You must 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 power to do, and it’s terrifying.

It’s easy to consider how so much that ought to take out of you.

After which you’ve like 15 or 20 minutes to get properly, to get the entire 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 in a position to 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 chatting with 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 satisfying to see the viewers, play with the viewers. Which Peanut in “Shucked” does a lot, too. He would have these sort of monologues that he would deal with to the viewers, sort 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, nonetheless it’s thrilling to get to do.

Speaking of “Shucked,” proper right here’s a question about that perform, 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 certainly’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 number of folks that he may uncover that facet of himself with. And I’ve seen these people in rural communities sooner than, who’re singular, who’re thought of certainly one of a form. And I consider tribal cultures too. Similar to the people who we would say are are trans, nonetheless 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 methodology. He was sort of the thinker, sort of the preacher. He married the parents, he buried the parents. He was such an integral part of that group and the mechanics of that group, and other people people are such a gift to irrespective of group that they’re in. I always thought of Peanut in that methodology — 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 possible be even higher subsequent month.” I always thought of him as having a connection to the land, and I had so many traces about him chatting with completely totally different animals. I assumed, Peanut’s associated to everybody, chatting with everybody. People suppose he’s crazy on account of he’s over there chatting with a pig, nonetheless I guarantee you, he’s getting some very important knowledge. 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 sort of shamans. They’re sort of on this mystical totally different place that folk take a look at with shock and amazement, that they’re in a position to do what they do, separate from all people else, they usually’re communing with the world in a extremely completely totally different methodology. I merely maintain contemplating of a shaman, like a healer, a thinker. It’s an unimaginable issue to have the power to be given roles the place I’m having fun with these sort of larger-than-life characters which is likely to be hovering above all people else on such a methodology.