An Evening at La Cage comes to Palm Springs after a 24-year run at the Riviera in Las Vegas. The show opens on May 19 at the Spa Resort Casino and plays May 20, 26 and 27.
Producer Norbert Aleman owns the name “La Cage,” but he has graciously given comedian and producer Jimmy Emerson permission to use it, saying, “I’m happy to see my kids go back to work, and only want the best for them.” By “kids,” he means the loyal cast members who worked for him over the years. It’s no secret that Jimmy and Norbert have had their differences once in a while, but in the end, they always find a way to work together.
Emerson is not only a comedic performer but also a seasoned producer whose company, Starr Pro Productions has booked over 100 different acts and performers everywhere from Las Vegas to Brazil in the past two decades. He produces up to eight new productions a year around the United States. So, it came as no surprise that Ian Hammer of the Hammer Company called him about the Palm Springs gig.
“I went and looked at the showroom at the Spa Resort Casino, and it is considerably smaller than the one at the Riviera,” Emerson said. “However, it’s the perfect intimate cabaret for a show like ours.”
Because the room seats 200, Emerson decided to keep all the high production values of the original but use a smaller cast. “Each person in the cast is so versatile that the audience will get a sensational show,” said Emerson.
Scheduled to appear in the Palm Springs show are Jimmy Emerson, who will host and perform his famous comedy numbers; Brent Allen as Bette Midler and Judy Garland; Ryan Zink as Reba McEntire and Marilyn Monroe; Wendal Jackson as Dionne Warwick and Tina Turner; and, Lane Lassiter as Michael Jackson.
