Dixon Place to Present BD Wong in HERRINGBONE, Directed by Roger Rees, 5/21-22; CD Release Planned

Dixon Place will present BD Wong in the one-man musical Herringbone. Wong, best known for his Tony Award winning performance in M. Butterfly and his role in the long running hit series Law & Order: SVU, will appear in Herringbone for two performances only on Monday May 21, & Tuesday May 22, at 7:00pm.

Dixon Place is at 161A Chrystie St. (between Rivington and Delancey). Tickets and more information are available at dixonplace.org and at 212 219-0736. The production will be recorded live for a future CD release.

Wong has headlined four critically-acclaimed productions of the ambitious musical - in which he enacts, sings and dances at least 11 characters - including the Williamstown Theatre Festival (2007), McCarter Theatre (2008), and La Jolla Playhouse (2009), all directed by Tony Award-winner Roger Rees (Nicholas Nickleby, Peter And The Starcatcher).

Herringbone has a book by Tom Cone (based upon his play), Music by Skip Kennon and Lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh. It was first produced in New York at Playwright’s Horizons in a memorable 1982 production starring David Rounds. The Dixon Place production will be Wong’s first appearance in New York of the show, timed with the 30th Anniversary of the original New York production. Herringbone is written as a traditional two-act musical with a score of more than 14 songs and 11 characters. The conceit of a single performer enacting all of the characters underlines its theme of the human struggle to negotiate the light and dark sides within.

In the musical, set in Alabama during the Great Depression, 8-year-old George Nookin is possessed by the vengeful spirit of Lou, a jaded hoofer who was murdered by Lou’s Vaudeville partner, Chicken Mosely. George’s parents, Arthur and Louise, are torn asunder by George’s astonishing new ability to sing and dance, schlepping across the country as Lou seduces them into believing that exploiting George’s new found talent is the family’s ticket on the train out of hard timeS. Wong plays George, Lou, Mosely, Arthur, Louise, as well as George’s Grandmother, a floozie hotel clerk, and a host of other supporting characters.

Reprising their work on this project from the other productions are Darren Lee (choreography), Dan Lipton (music direction), Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg (sound design), and William Ivey Long (costumes).