Van Zeiler will take on the title role of the iconic country crooner in Hank Williams: Lost Highway, presented by the Arizona Theatre Company. The first staging of the off-Broadway hit by a resident company, it will also feature other actors who performed in the show in New York.
Lost Highway, after its engagement at the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson from November 26th to December 17th, will hit the road for other ATC stints in Phoenix (the Herberger Theater Center from December 29th through January 22nd, 2006) and Mesa (Mesa Arts Center from February 3rd through 12th), as well as stops in Kansas City (Kansas Repertory Theatre, from March 1st through 26th) and Dallas (Dallas Theater Center from April 18th through May 14th); the latter two dates are presented by ATC with the Kansas Rep. Written by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik (co-writers of The Immigrant), and directed by Myler, the show will retain many of its performers from its successful production at the Manhattan Ensemble Theatre, where it ran from December 2002 to July 2003. Zeiler (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story) was a replacement performer for Hank, and also played him at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. The show will also feature Mississippi Charles Bevel, H. Drew Perkins, Stephen G. Anthony, Margaret Bowman, Patricia Dalen, Mike Regan, Regan Southard, Myk Watford and Russ Weaver.
The show "follows the life of a country music legend who begins as a poor and sickly child raised by his opinionated and church-going mother, Lilly, and learns about music from Tee-Tot, an African-American blues musician. As Hank puts together his band, The Drifting Cowboys, it becomes clear that he is something special, and by the time Hank is on-top-of-the-world playing at the Grand Ole Opry, it seems that life cannot get any better. But despite all his success and fame, he is unable to shake his troubles with alcohol, drugs and women," state press notes.
The show's design team includes Vicki Smith (sets), Robert Blackman (costumes), Don Darnutzer (lighting), Eric Stahlhammer (sound), as well as Dan Wheetman (music direction).
For ticket information on the Phoenix and Mesa engagements of Hank Williams: Lost Highway, call ATC's box office in Phoenix at (602) 256-6995 or visit www.arizonatheatre.org.
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