Anthony Rapp to Join Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell

Producers Eric Falkenstein and Michael Alden have announced that Obie Award-winner and original Rent star Anthony Rapp will join the cast of the acclaimed Naked Angels production of Spalding Gray: Stories Left To Tell beginning Tuesday through Sunday, May 27 at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane).  Mr. Rapp will perform the role of "Journals," succeeding the departing Ain Gordon.

In addition to his ground-breaking role as Mark Cohen in Rent (which he reprised in the 2005 film version), Rapp also starred on Broadway in Precious Sons (Outer Critics Circle Award), Six Degrees of Separation and the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.  His film and television work includes Adventures in Babysitting, School Ties, Dazes and Confused, Six Degrees of Separation, A Beautiful Mind, Winter Passing, "The X-Files," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Kidnapped."  He is also the author of Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss and the Musical Rent, which was released in 2006 and became a national bestseller.

Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell features an ensemble cast of five including Lisa Kron, Hazelle Goodman, Rapp, Tony-winner Frank Wood and a rotating special guest actor.

This week's guest actor (through Sunday) is WLTW radio personality Valerie Smaldone.  Other upcoming guests include television stars Dylan Walsh ("Nip/Tuck") May 15 -22 and David Boreanaz ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Bones") May 23-27.  Since the show opened to rave reviews on March 6, Richard Kind, Fisher Stevens, Estelle Parsons, Josh Lucas, Rachel Dratch and Bruce Vilanch have filled the 5th guest actor position.

"Spalding Gray is one of the most revered and irreverent storytellers of our time.  He became an indelible image: sitting alone at a desk on a bare stage, delivering hilarious and moving monologues that had a singular resonance with his audiences.  Conceived by Kathleen Russo, Gray¹s widow and directed by Lucy Sexton, Spalding Gray: Stories Left To Tell assembles both well-known and never-before-seen work spanning Gray¹s extraordinary life and career," state press notes. 

Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are priced at $35 - $65 and are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or phoning (212) 307-4100.  In addition, tickets can be purchased directly from the Minetta Lane Theatre box office by phoning (212) 420-8000.

Photo of Anthony Rapp by Craig Brockman