Mary Faber to Join David Cale in Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky

Mary Faber, who is currently appearing on Broadway as Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut in Avenue Q, has signed on to co-star with David Cale in his new musical Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky at Playwrights Horizons. The show, featuring book and lyrics by Cale and music by Cale and Jonathan Kreisberg, begins previews at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater on November 10, opening December 5. The limited engagement, directed by Joe Calarco Shakespeare's R&J, Boy is scheduled to continue off-Broadway through December 17.

Described as a freewheeling musical journey from Montana to Austin with a side trip to Hollywood, Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky tells the story of a burned-out former country & western star Cale who joins forces with a 20-year-old free spirit with an electrifying voice Faber. Their meeting and unlikely friendship, and the musical partnership that arises from it, form a tale of sweet heartbreak—a parable about finding the strength, against all odds, to keep on keeping on.

Cale appeared in the recent Broadway revival of The Threepenny Opera and starred in the solo show Lillian at Playwrights Horizons, for which he received an Obie Award. His other solo shows include A Likely Story, Deep in a Dream of You, Smooch Music and The Redthroats. His monologues have been featured on NPR's This American Life, The Next Big Thing and Bette Midler's The Mondo Beyondo Show on HBO. He appeared off-Broadway in Curtains.

Faber is making her Broadway debut in Avenue Q. She played Shy in the Actors' Fund benefit concert of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and appeared in previous concert versions of Hair and Chess. Off-Broadway credits include Slut, Junie B. Jones and The Tutor. She has also performed sketch and improv comedy at The Riot Act, Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City.

Composer and jazz guitarist Kreisberg has released a number of CDs, including Kreisberg Trio, Trioing, Nine Stories Wide, New for Now and Unearth. Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky will feature scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Anne Kennedy, lighting design by Tony Award winner Chris Lee, sound design by Ken Travis and music direction and orchestrations by Kreisberg.

During Faber's leave from Avenue Q, Kelli Sawyer, a veteran of the Las Vegas company, will appear from October 30-December 18. Sawyer's credits include the off-Broadway production of Summer of ས and the national tour of South Pacific with Robert Goulet. Faber is scheduled to return to Broadway on December 19.