Peter Friedman Heads Cast in New Musical The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island

Tony Award nominee Peter Friedman will lead the cast of the new musical The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island Or, the Friends of Dr. Rushower at the Vineyard Theatre. Featuring a libretto and drawings by Ben Katchor and music by Mark Mulcahy, the show will begin previews on January 25 and open on February 12 at Vineyard's off-Broadway home. Bob McGrath is the director, with choreography by John Carrafa.

Joining Friedman in the cast of The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island are Stephen Lee Anderson Footloose, Tom Riis Farrell Coram Boy, Jody Flader, Matt Pearson, Bobby Steggert 110 in the Shade and Will Swensen 110 in the Shade, Adrift in Macao.

Ben Katchor's drawings form the animated background for The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island Or, the Friends of Dr. Rushower, set in and around Manhattan and on a tropical factory-island of exploited workers. Katchor was inspired by the tradition of the "picture reciter," a form of live entertainment from 17th century India. Updating and exploring this tradition, he has created original, hand-drawn still and animated sequences which complement Mark Mulcahy's indie-rock score. The musical was originally commissioned and presented by The Kitchen.

Friedman received a Tony nomination for his performance as Tateh in Ragtime and appeared on Broadway in Twelve Angry Men, The Tenth Man, The Heidi Chronicles, Execution of Justice and Piaf, among many others. He can currently be seen in the feature film The Savages and played a district attorney in an episode of Damages.

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island features 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.

In April 2008, the Vineyard will present its third mainstage production of the season, Jenny Schwartz's God's Ear, directed by Anne Kauffman, which follows a young couple struggling with the loss of their child.