La Cage

Playing for over twenty-five years, La Cage is a part of Las Vegas entertainment history. The show played at the Riviera until 2009 and has found a new home at the Four Queens. It is somewhat ironic a drag show plays at a place named the Four Queens. There are, however, more than four queens who perform. Frank Marino, for a significant part of the shows run, headlined the show, but now he has his separate show, Divas Las Vegas. The cast of La Cage puts on a marvelous evening of traditional drag lip synching and dancing.

The headliner Jimmy Emerson has been part of La Cage for over twenty years. Jimmy is famous for his creation of the character Tammy Spraynette. The comedy is much more adult than Frank Marino's Divas, so parents wanting to bring their children should be careful. Unlike other female impersonator shows, the show does not follow the stale format of introduction then performance. Often between musical numbers Jimmy performs monologues, tells jokes, and sometimes even performs musical numbers. Sharing the same theatre, the Canyon Club, as the Mike Hammer magic show the performers are able to have an intimate interaction with the audience.

Somewhat diverging from the traditional female impersonator part of the show is a Michael Jackson impressionist who looks so much like him it is creepy. His performance is complete with both moonwalk and the traditional thriller zombie shuffle. This performer can often be seen handing out discount fliers for the show near the entrance to the Four Queens on Fremont Street.

One performer missing from the show was Cher, which seems to be an omission that would violate drag queen performance law. However, there was a Madonna and Lady GaGa performer. Perhaps Cher has aged out of drag performance, the way Ethel Merman and Judy Garland are no longer portrayed. The cast of performers did include portrayals of Marilyn Monroe (complete with a fan blowing up her skirt), Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Barbara Streisand, and surprisingly Reba McEntire.

The show keeps the audience entertained constantly. One unique musical number had the performer removing the female components to his costume to a song about gender. Beneath the makeup and wig was a very masculine man. It is amazing with a wig and some make up the men can transform to look very similar to their intended person, and perhaps the characteristics that define gender are no more than the way people groom themselves. La Cage is one of the best shows on Fremont Street and one will have a wonderful evening seeing the queens perform at The Four Queens.

La Cage
Thur.-Sun. 9:00 PM
Four Queens
800-634-6045 (Four Queens general information)
$35.70 - $57.00.