After a sold out debut, get ready to grab another shot glass and toast the end of tyranny at one more concert of The Glorious Death of Comrade What’s-His-Name on Monday, March 2, 2020, at 7.00pm, at Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street). Doors open at 5.00pm.
Set in Stalin’s brutal Soviet Union, Semyon, an unemployed grumbler, becomes convinced that suicide is his ticket to fame and glory. Before long, friends and neighbors are plotting to exploit his impending death for fun and profit, and while they’re at it, topple an entire regime. The story is based on a farce, The Suicide, written by Nikolai Erdman in 1928. Stalin hated it, banned it, and sent its author to Siberia for twenty years. Critically acclaimed playwright Bridel creates a timely adaptation of this black comedy that crackles with wit and snowballing insanity. The score by Gray and Bokhour (both recipients of BMI’s Harrington Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement) is potent and exciting, filled with one killer song after another.
The Glorious Death of Comrade What’s-His-Name has a book by David Bridel (Dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts), music by Simon Gray (BMI), and lyrics by Raymond Bokhour (Chicago), and is directed by Don Stephenson (The Producers, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder).
The concert will again feature Christine Bokhour (Chicago, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Raymond Bokhour, Jim Borstelmann (Bullets Over Broadway, The Producers), Madeleine Doherty (The Producers, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Maia Guest (Granite Flats, The Dakota Project), Christopher Gurr (CATS, All The Way), John Jellison (Come From Away, Motown The Musical), Drew McVety (Spamalot, Billy Elliot), and Andy Taylor (Sunset Boulevard, Once).
Fred Lassen (Once, South Pacific) music directs, with Marcus Rojas (Metropolitan Opera, American Symphony Orchestra) on tuba, and Paul Woodiel (The Color Purple; Caroline, or Change) on violin. Jen Bender (The Lion King, Avenue Q) serves as executive producer, with Raymond Bokhour and Drew McVety also serving as creative producers. Fifth Estate Entertainment (A Christmas Carol, In Residence on Broadway) serves as general manager. Graphics by Zachary Bokhour.
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