Saturday 12 November 2011

Playbill.com - 12/Nov/2011

[Source]

Begin the Beguine: Luke Macfarlane Stars in Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir, Starting Nov. 12 in Pittsburgh
By Kenneth Jones
12 Nov 2011

Luke Mcfarlane in Sam Bendrix...
Photo by Kristin Martz
Luke Macfarlane, star of the TV series "Brothers & Sisters" and Broadway's recent Tony Award-winning production of The Normal Heart, plays the title role in the world premiere of Keith Bunin's 1950s-set show tune-studded play Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir, Nov. 12-Dec. 18, at City Theatre in Pittsburgh.

Mark Rucker directs the work, which features music by Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein and the Gershwin brothers. Performances play City Theatre's intimate Hamburg Studio Stage. Opening night is Nov. 18.

According to City Theatre notes, "The drinks and the music flow at the legendary Bon Soir. In 1958 Greenwich Village, a young singer and his band take the stage for a final performance before he quits New York City forever. While a chair he's holding for a special someone sits empty all night, Sam Bendrix tells a classic tale of an era not yet ready for the revolutionary changes on the horizon."

Macfarlane recently played Scotty Wendell on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters. His credits also include FX's "Over There" and the feature film "Kinsey."

"Sam Bendrix requires an actor loaded with charisma and charm," City Theatre artistic director Tracy Brigden said in a statement, "someone who can tell an emotional story, and — most importantly — someone who can perform these wonderful songs. Luke's magnetic star power on the very intimate Hamburg stage is going to make for an unforgettable evening of theatre."

The musicians are R.J. Heid (percussion), Douglas Levine (pianist), Jeff Mangone (double bass, alternating) and Paul Thompson (double bass, alternating). Levine is music director and penned original arrangements.

The design team includes Tony Ferrieri (scenic), Angela M. Vesco (costume), Andrew David Ostrowski (lighting) and Brad Peterson (sound).

City Theatre is at 1300 Bingham Street in Pittsburgh, PA. Visit CityTheatreCompany.org.

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