La Cage aux Folles (Encores!) (2026)

Encores is sometimes hit-or-miss. The whole conceit is they revive lesser known shows. But La Cage was revived on Broadway not that long ago. It's a show that deserves revival. It's hilarious, the melodies are lush and hummable and with Republicans attacking gay rights, it's unfortunately timely (and it's Pride!). Billy Porter plays a phenomenal Zaza. He of course won a Tony for Kinky Boots, and the Zaza character is not so dissimilar, including the heels. He sings a show-stopping I Am What I Am and The Best of Times. And with not much rehearsal, he was on-book for one book scene and also missed an entrance and hilariously ordered the orchestra to start again. Wayne Brady too is excellent. The two of them make a convincing pair. It's a huge all-black cast, paying homage to the black divas: Whitney, Beyonce, Rihanna, Grace Jones, etc. The hair and costumes are great. That opening number is so much fun with the choreography and all the showgirls on stage. I think this may have been the most enjoyable Encores production I've ever seen. Loved it. 

Jelly's Last Jam (Encores!) (2024)

I was blown away by Jelly's Last Jam. The plot is a little muddy but every single song is a showstopper. The music is infectious, the dancing is energetic and the cast is on fire. The first half is a little more exciting than the second half. The tap dance numbers are mesmerizing, the large ensemble really carrying their weight. The supporting cast each get their moment in the spotlight, and they make the most of it, commanding the stage with authority. Tiffany Mann and Okieriete Onaodowan steal their scenes. Leslie Uggams and Joaquina Kalukango too are incredible. Billy Porter's grim reaper-esque character suits him. And Nicholas Christopher as the leading man is fabulous. The Hunnies look amazing considering the three of them are returning to the role some 32-years later. It's a huge production for a two-week run (we caught the last show). Though the set is sparse, it's very handsome with the band onstage. The music is Jelly Roll Morton's himself. I loved the big band orchestrations. 

 There is a complex story about race. Jelly Roll Morton was a light-skinned Creole man who struggled to fit-in with both white and black people. He alienated his friends for it and was left lonely. His superiority complex and insistence that he invented jazz not only damaged his reputation (which needed no burnishing as his accomplishments were nevertheless vast), but also was an insult to the other black forefathers of jazz. There is a paradox that he didn't see himself as black but thought himself the inventor of a quintessentially black genre. And it is this that haunts him in purgatory in the final moments of his life that make up the show.

There was way more use of the N-word than I was expecting and I suspect that is partly why the show is not oft revived. But surely this production must be Broadway bound. They've spent lavishly on it and it deserves a Broadway run.