It may still be summertime, but here at McCarter we’re already gearing up for the season. For us Marketing folk, that means printing brochures, taking reservations from advertisers, and getting ready to promote the fall shows of 2008-2009.

Our season opens with Herringbone, a one-man, multi-character musical with a book by Tom Cone, music by Skip Kennon, and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh. The aforementioned “one man” is the marvelously talented BD Wong, whom you might know from eight seasons on Law & Order: SVU. Or from his award-winning turn in M. Butterfly. Or the Broadway revivals of Pacific Overtures and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Or HBO’s Oz. You get the idea.

Directing Herringbone is Roger Rees, who’s no slouch himself. As a director, he has worked for HBO, Roundabout, and Playwrights Horizons. He was also artistic director of the Williamstown Theatre Festival from 2005–2007, where he directed BD in Herringbone last summer. Also an actor, he won Tony and Olivier Awards for his performance in Nicholas Nickleby and has recurred on a few television series you may have heard of, little shows with names like Cheers, The West Wing, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Everyone on McCarter’s staff is excited about this show, especially with such an accomplished pedigree. However, we were having a bit of trouble figuring out the best way to explain it to people. Since Herringbone is not only a musical but also a one-man show, reading the script doesn’t really help one understand the tone or style of the piece. Neither does the fantastically imaginative and complex plot: a cane-twirling performer tells, with razzle-dazzle virtuosity, the story of a Depression-era 8-year-old boy who becomes possessed by the spirit of a roguish, tap-dancing, vaudevillian dwarf.

You can see how it might pose a challenge.

Luckily for us, BD Wong and Roger Rees graciously agreed to come out to Princeton and read/sing through the script for the McCarter staff, joined by the show’s pianist/musical director, Dan Lipton. One of my favorite parts of the reading was the sense of humor of the three collaborators and the enthusiasm they clearly have for this piece. Here’s an example:

It stands to reason that dancing would be a large component of a musical about a tap dancer. However, since this was just a reading: no dancing. So, to let us know when dancing would occur, BD explained that when applicable he would hold up an index card on which he’d written WONDERFUL DANCING. It got a laugh every time, especially in Act II, when he held up the card, then flipped it over to reveal the words: EVEN BETTER THAN BEFORE.

For just under two hours, we watched as BD morphed into 11 different characters, all without ever leaving the swivel stool on which he sat. Through his voice and facial expressions, he became a coy entertainer, who in turn became an opportunistic father, a lonely hotel receptionist, an eager-to-please child. I can only imagine how powerful the piece will be when lighting, costumes, and choreography are added to the mix.

Finally, we have a clear idea of Herringbone. It is quirky, spooky, funny, heartbreaking. It’s about possession and exploitation, the confusing search for identity and the destructive, intoxicating allure of show business.

I can’t wait.

Posted by Erin Breznitsky, Associate Publicist at McCarter Theatre.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 11th, 2008 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Get Connected, Herringbone. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.