Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Directed by Robert O’Hara
Theatre News by David Roberts
Theatre Reviews Limited
Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins joins the cast of La Cage Aux Folles (running June 17 – 28, 2026) as Jacqueline, along with Peter Francis James as Edouard, and Rachel Webb as Anne. They join previously announced Emmy Award winner Wayne Brady (Georges), Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Billy Porter (Albin), Encores! alum Alaman Diadhiou (Jean-Michel), James Jackson Jr. (Jacob), Michael McElroy (Francois), Sharon Washington (Marie), and Lance Coadie Williams (Renaud).
The cast also includes Jordan Alexander, Sai Anthony, Jordan Chin, Joshua Dawson, Jamal Christopher Douglas, Michael Samarie George, Aaron Graham, Ari Groover, Jaquez, Karma Jenkins, Christian Kidd, Kendall Lashanti, Andre Malcolm, Kareem Marsh, Morgan McGhee, Ernest Mingo, Wesley Ryan, Julian Amari Smith, Jordan Simone Stephens, Wade Watson, Anthony Wayne, and Travon Williams.
Featuring an all-black cast led by Director Robert O’Hara and Guest Music Director Joseph Joubert with choreography by Edgar Godineaux and tap choreography by Dormeshia, the Tony-winning La Cage Aux Folles by Harvey Fierstein (book) and Jerry Herman (music and lyrics) closes out the 2026 Encores! season.
The musical tells the story of longtime partners Albin and Georges, proprietors of a vibrant drag nightclub in St. Tropez whose world turns upside down when their son brings home his fiancée’s conservative parents. What ensues is a whirlwind of farce, heart, and “A Little More Mascara.” This Encores! production highlights the lush original 1983 orchestrations, not heard since its original Broadway run.
NEW YORK CITY CENTER (Michael S. Rosenberg, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city for more than 80 years. The distinctive Neo-Moorish building was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia in 1943 as Manhattan’s first performing arts center with the mission of making the best in theater, dance, and music accessible to all audiences. This commitment continues today through celebrated dance and musical theater series like the Fall for Dance Festival, Artists at the Center, the Tony-honored Encores! series, and the annual season by Principal Dance Company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. City Center welcomes audiences to experience internationally acclaimed artists including Kyle Abraham, Matthew Bourne, Ayodele Casel, Manhattan Theatre Club, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Twyla Tharp, on the same stage where legends made their mark. Dedicated to a culture built on the values of curiosity, collaboration, accessibility, and inclusivity, City Center’s dynamic programming, art exhibitions, and studio events are complemented by a full slate of education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to thousands of New York City students, teachers, and families every year. NYCityCenter.org
