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.
