LAZARUS' Michael C. Hall Says Bowie's Death Felt Like An 'Internal Fist Clench'.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Michael C. Hall, currently portraying the role David Bowie took on in "The Man Who Fell to Earth" in the off-Broadway original musical Lazarus, shares his thoughts and sadness over the rock legend's recent passing.

Hall, most recently seen on Broadway in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, shares that playing the role of Thomas Newton, a man who is unable to die, has had a profound effect on him, more so since Bowie's death. "I did feel that a part of my work was to empty myself out and let it move through me," says the 44-year-old. "As is often the case when you're performing, but in this case, all the more so. Since he has passed, there's probably been a more potent sense of his presence."

Since Bowie's passing, the actor has used his music as a way to help him through the mourning process.
"This is what he gave us so I'll take it," he explains. "It's heavy but soothing. So much of what I love about him characterized what I loved about doing the show [opening night] - it was simultaneously heavy and light as air."

He also shares that Bowie's recent death stirred up memories of his own father's passing when he was only 11 years old. Hearing the devastating news early last week, made him feel a familiar "internal fist clench." "Some sort of old survival mechanism kicks in," the actor says. "I think it's about holding on, it's about mirroring what I see to not be victimized by trauma. To not be a pitiful, fatherless son."

Read the interview in full here

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) is currently presenting Lazarus by David Bowie and Enda Walsh (Once, Tony Award), inspired by the novel The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis, and directed by Ivo van Hove (Hedda Gabler, More Stately Mansions, Obie Awards). Lazarus officially opened December 7, 2015, and will now run through January 20, 2016 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003).

The cast of Lazarus includes Golden Globe winner and six-time Emmy nominee Michael C. Hall(Hedwig and the Angry Inch, "Dexter") as Thomas Newton, Tony Award nominee Cristin Milioti(Once) as Elly, and Michael Esper (The Last Ship) as Valentine, as well as Krystina Alabado(American Idiot),Sophia Anne Caruso (The Nether), Nicholas Christopher (Whorl Inside A Loop), Lynn Craig (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Bobby Moreno (Year of the Rooster), Krista Pioppi (Spring Awakening Nat'l Tour), Charlie Pollock (The Wild Party), and Brynn Williams (Bye Bye Birdie).

Following his revelatory production of Ingmar Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage, the internationally acclaimed director Ivo van Hove returns to New York Theatre Workshop with Lazarus. Mr. Walshmakes his return to NYTW after the successful run of Once. Lazarus features songs specially composed by Mr. Bowie for this production as well as new arrangements of previously recorded songs.

The New York premiere of RED SPEEDO, written by Lucas Hnath (The Christians) and directed byLileana Blain-Cruz(Hollow Roots), will begin performances at New York Theatre Workshop in February 2016. The 2015/16 Season will conclude with the world premiere of a new folk opera, HADESTOWN, by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. HADESTOWN was developed with and is directed by Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), and will begin performances in May 2016.

Photo Credit: Jan Versweyveld