Orange Star Benefit

Ken Roht choreographed the dance in Greta's nightclub for Bent, the play I just closed at the Mark Taper Forum. In addition to playing a prisoner and understudying Horst, I was one of the backup dancers for Greta, played in our production by Jake Shears of the disco rock band Scissor Sisters. I don't necessarily consider myself a dancer, so that sentence is even stranger than it might first appear. As I got to know Ken, I slowly found out that he is much more than a choreographer. He is something of an LA theater legend: writing, directing and producing a series of original musicals collectively known as the 99¢ shows. The Orange Star Dinner Show was one of these 99¢ shows, a country western musical farce set in an absurd and hilarious Wyoming dinner theater. Ken is directing a workshop production of Orange Star at 3LD in New York (where I did DR.C with Theater Mitu). And tonight I'm joining his LA theater company Orphean Circus to do a benefit performance of Orange Star to help raise money for the NYC workshop. Come to the Hollywood Lutheran Church tonight at 7:30 to help support this sublimely ridiculous and hilarious work of musical theater. Tickets are only $20, and you'll hear me sing beautifully arranged tenor harmony.