Alan Cumming Featured on 'Downstage Center,' May 5

Threepenny Opera star Alan Cumming will be featured on the 100th episode of XM's "Downstage Center" beginning Friday, May 5th at 6:00 PM. Cumming will discuss his return to Broadway in the Roundabout revival with "Downstage Center" hosts John von Soosten (XM) and Howard Sherman (American Theatre Wing). The weekly show airs on XM's On Broadway Channel 28 and on ATW's website (www.americantheatrewing.org).

Roundabout Theatre Company's The Threepenny Opera began preview performances on March 24th, and opened on April 20th at Studio 54 as a part of their 40th Anniversary Season. Featuring a translation and adaptation by Wallace Shawn (Aunt Dan and Lemon), the Kurt Weill-Bertolt Brecht musical will run through June 18th.

The Threepenny Opera, directed by Scott Elliott (Barefoot in the Park, Hurlyburly) and choreographed by Aszure Barton, features Lauper as Jenny Diver, Ana Gasteyer (Wicked in Chicago) as Mrs. Peachum, Tony Award-winner Jim Dale (Barnum, Candide) as Mr. Peachum, Tony Award-winner Alan Cumming (Cabaret, Design for Living) as Macheath and Nellie McKay (the best-selling album "Get Away From Me") as Polly Peachum. Also in the cast are Christopher Innvar as Tiger Brown, Carlos Leon as Filtch, Brian Charles Rooney as Lucy and Adam Alexi-Malle, Terry Burrell, Brian Butterick, David Cale, Romain Fruge, John Herrera, Nehal Joshi, Christopher Kenney, Maureen Moore, Brooke Sunny Moriber, Deborah Lew, Valisia Lekae Little, Kevin Joseph Rennard, and Lucas Steele.

"The Threepenny Opera serves up a deliciously dark satire of 'respectable; society, with dashing thieves, saucy prostitutes, and lingering melodies. Based on Elizabeth Hauptmann's German translation of John Gay's eighteenth-century The Beggar's Opera, The Threepenny Opera thrusts the audience into the seedy underworld of Mack the Knife, a dapper criminal and his wry love affair with Polly Peachum," state production notes.

Lauper's career as a performer has taken her from a flamboyant, rainbow-haired '80s chart-topper to a respected interpreter of pop songs and the American Songbook. Lauper's albums include "She's So Unusual," "Hey Now!," "True Colors," "Shine" and an album of standards called "At Last." Hit songs have included "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," "She Bop" and "I Drove All Night." Lauper won an Emmy Award for her guest appearance on "Mad About You."

The Threepenny Opera's design team comprises Derek McLane (sets), Isaac Mizrahi (costumes), and Jason Lyons (lighting).

The Threepenny Opera tickets are available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300 or online at www.roundabouttheatre.org. The show will play Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00PM with a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:00PM. Tickets are $36.25 - $111.25. For more information, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.