Composer Mark Mulcahy Steps-In for 5 Shows with 'Slug Bearers'

Composer Mark Mulcahy, also known as a solo artist and the former lead of the indie-rock band Miracle Legion, makes his Off-Broadway debut February 21 when he joins the cast of Vineyard Theatre's new hit musical The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (Or, The Friends of Dr. Rushower), which he co-created with librettist and noted cartoonist Ben Katchor, for five performances only through February 24, at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street).

Mulcahy joins the original Off-Broadway cast of The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island – led by Tony Award-nominee Peter Friedman, Bobby Steggert, Tom Riis Farrell, Jody Flader, Matt Pearson and Will Swenson -- in the role of George Klatter, originated by Stephen Lee Anderson, who returns the role on February 26, following his absence due to a family emergency.

Directed by Bob McGrath, The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island recently extended through March 16, due to strong ticket sales and on the strength of reviews that praise the musical, which features Katchor's drawings as an animated background for a story set in and around Manhattan and on a tropical island of exploited factory workers. The critics also had praise for the musical's score by Mulcahy.

In addition to his collaborations with Ben Katchor, which include The Rosenbach Company and The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island, composer Mark Mulcahy is the former front-man of Miracle Legion, an indie-rock band formed in 1984. As a solo artist, he has performed throughout the US and abroad. His CDs include "In Pursuit of Your Happiness," "Smilesunset," "I Just Shot Myself in the Foot Again," and "Fathering."  His solo show was described by one critic as "sixty minutes of a brand new heaven." He has opened for a variety of bands and solo artists including Oasis, Jeff Buckley, Elliot Smith, The Unbelievable Truth, and Seal.

Ben Katchor is the recipient of a MacArthur ("Genius Grant") Foundation Fellowship. His books include: "Cheap Novelties," "Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer: Stories," "The Jew of New York," and "The Beauty Supply District." His comics and strips appear in Metropolis Magazine, The Forward, The New Yorker, and newspapers around the country.

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island features choreography by John Carrafa (Urinetown); set and projections by Jim Findlay and Jeff Sugg; costume design by Mattie Ullrich; lighting design by Russell H. Champa; sound design by David Arnold and Brett Jarvis; and musical direction by Erik James.

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island (Or, The Friends of Dr. Rushower) run through March 16: Tuesdays at 7pm, Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3pm. Tickets are $60; 2 hours prior to curtain, students may purchase any available seats for $20 each. Valid student ID required; limit 2 tickets per ID. For reservations and additional information about Vineyard Theatre, call 212-353-0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.