May 21-22: BD Wong to Star in Live Concert Recording of HERRINGBONE to Benefit Dixon Place

Dixon Place is proud to announce a staged live concert recording of the one-man-musical Herringbone, starring the Tony Award-winning star of TV’s “Law & Order: SVU,” BD Wong.

The concert, which will benefit Dixon Place, will have two performances: Monday May 21, and Tuesday May 22, both at 7:00PM. Dixon Place is at 161A Chrystie St. (between Rivington and Delancey). Tickets and more information are available at dixonplace.org.

BD Wong in Herringbone. Photo by Lia Chang

Wong has headlined three critically-acclaimed productions of the demanding musical – in which he enacts, sings and dances at least 11 characters – at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (2007), McCarter Theatre (2009), and La Jolla Playhouse (2010), all directed by Tony Award-winner Roger Rees (Nicholas Nickleby, Peter And The Starcatcher). Wong also starred in another earlier production at the American Musical Theatre Festival in 1994.

Herringbone, with a book by Tom Cone, music by Skip Kennon and lyrics by Ellen Fitzhugh, was first produced in New York at Playwright’s Horizons in a memorable 1982 production starring David Rounds. The difficult-to-perform musical is rarely revived, and this concert (to be recorded live for future release as a CD), will be BD Wong’s first appearance in New York of the material, timed with the 30th Anniversary of the original New York production.

BD Wong stars in Herringbone at Dixon Place in New York on May 21 and May 22. Photo by Lia Chang

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 partner in a Vaudeville act, Chicken Mosely. George’s parents, Arthur and Louise, are torn asunder by George’s astonishing new ability to sing and dance, shlepping across the country as Lou seduces them into believing that exploiting George’s newfound 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 Williamstown Theatre Festival, McCarter Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse productions are Darren Lee (choreography), Dan Lipton (music direction), Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg (sound design), and William Ivey Long (costumes).

BD Wong stars in Herringbone at Dixon Place in New York on May 21 and May 22. Photo by Lia Chang

BD Wong won the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Clarence Derwent, Theater World and Tony Awards for his performance in M. BUTTERFLY. He has appeared in more than 20 films and on television in six seasons of HBO’s “OZ,” eleven seasons of “LAW & ORDER: SVU,” and the inaugural season of the critically-acclaimed NBC drama “AWAKE” (currently airing).

ABOUT DIXON PLACE
Dixon Place is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 to provide a space for literary and performing artists to create and develop new works in front of a live audience. While other venues of its kind have since died off, or now only present established artists, Dixon Place remains at the heart of the New York experimental performance scene. Taking risks is crucial to the life of Dixon Place, its artists and audiences. Dixon Place’s primary commitments are to bring artists and audiences together through live performance in
order to expand the understanding of the creative process and its final product, and to provide a supportive environment for emerging artists to present new work. Over the last twenty-five years, Dixon Place has successfully maintained its intimate atmosphere and unique environment while increasing its programming to fulfill the need for performance opportunities for the New York community of performing and literary artists.

Other Articles by Lia Chang: 
Photos: BD Wong, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Brandon Victor Dixon, Tom Viola at “Passing It On: An Evening of Mentorship to Benefit Rosie’s Theater Kids” 
Photos: BD Wong in Rehearsal for “Passing It On: An Evening of Mentorship to Benefit Rosie’s Theater Kids”
Tony award-winning actor BD Wong stars in NBC’s Awake; video preview and interview
Herringbone is BD Wong’s Tour de Force 
Click here for more BD Wong articles.

Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.