Exclusive: Duncan Sheik on His New Show Noir, American Psycho Casting & Spring Awakening Film's Delay

Tony and Grammy winner Duncan Sheik has a very busy year ahead. Although it looks like production on the Spring Awakening film has been delayed, the Tony-winning musical will return to the Main Stem this fall. His musical adaptation of American Psycho will then take its first Broadway bow in the spring. But before any of that, he’s focusing on an even newer project. One with less angst and chainsaws, but still plenty of edge.

Sheik and Kyle Jarrow will present a reading of their musical Noir with New York Stage and Film and Vassar College from July 31 through August 2. The show, inspired by live radio plays and classic film noir, tells the story of a recluse whose fascination with the couple next door fuels an obsession. Rachel Chavkin will direct.

“It has a mystery thriller vibe,” Sheik, known for his blending of traditional stories and modern sound, recently told Broadway.com. "But now it feels more legitimately contemporary; it’s not a pastiche of that style.” Still, aspects of both film noir and radio plays permeate the production, including a live foley artist: “We’re playing around with the foley becoming a part of the percussive soundtrack…sometimes, the foley can be musicalized.”

We spoke with Sheik in the midst of final callbacks for the Spring Awakening revival (so far, only Marlee Matlin has been announced). The Deaf West production, directed by Michael Arden, incorporates American Sign Language in the dialogue and choreography. “I’m a little bit along for the ride,” he said of revisiting the Tony-winning show. “I’m learning about this culture of deaf theatre. It’s thrilling.”

As Sheik prepares to debut American Psycho, featuring a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, he has his eye on the theatrical landscape. “It’s an almost absurdly competitive year,” he says, thinking about the other musicals on tap this season. That doesn’t dissuade him from tinkering with the material; perhaps it motivates him to. “Nothing major. I think everyone’s happy with the general thrust.”

Sheik promises that many faces from the New York workshop that took place earlier this year will return for the Broadway premiere, though nothing is official. When discussing Benjamin Walker, the likely frontrunner, Sheik likened him to the on-screen Patrick Bateman: “In terms of his manner, look and who he is as a person, he has a lot of aspects of the Christian Bale [portrayal.]” Still, being asked to compare him to Matt Smith, who took on the role in London, is an absurd notion: “It’s like having two best friends…you feel extremely protective.”

As for another highly-anticipated project of his, that Spring Awakening movie, fans will have to hold still. “There continues to be many meetings….but we’re not going into production next spring, as far as I know.” Sheik revealed that director McG is no longer attached (after an “amicable parting”), but several directors have expressed interest.

Something tells us Sheik is occupied enough for now, though.