Theater News

Hadestown's Damon Daunno Steps Into the Title Role in Beardo

The actor replaces Kenyon Phillips in the new Dave Malloy musical.

Damon Daunno takes over the title role in Beardo, making its New York debut at St. John's Lutheran Church.
Damon Daunno takes over the title role in Beardo, making its New York debut at St. John's Lutheran Church.
(© Tristan Fuge)

Pipeline Theatre Company has announced that Damon Daunno (Hadestown, Brief Encounter) will take on the title role in Beardo, a new musical by Dave Malloy (The Great Comet) and Jason Craig (Beowulf — A Thousand Years of Baggage). He replaces Kenyon Phillips (The Life and Death of Kenyon Phillips), who was originally announced to play the role of Beardo.

Directed by Ellie Heyman at St. John's Lutheran Church, Beardo is described as "a Russian indie rock musical" exploring the inner workings of Rasputin, the infamous mystic who sexed his way to the fall of the Russian monarchy. Pipeline Theatre Company is collaborating with Craig and Malloy on a revised version of Beardo, which will include a brand-new character and additional music.

Daunno was last seen playing Orpheus in Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Chavkin’s Hadestown at New York Theatre Workshop. He joins previously announced cast members Alex Highsmith (Angels in America) as Tsarista, Liz Leimkuhler (If You Wanna See the Devil) as Shack Sister, Brian Bock (Three Sisters) as Yusapoof, Willy Appleman (Clown Bar) as Tsar, Rolls Andre (CANT) as Shack Man, Shaye Troha (Beowulf – A Thousand Years of Baggage) as Shack Woman, and Ben Langhorst (The Pirate La Dee Da) as Person of the Court.

The creative team includes music direction by Ian Axness, set design by Carolyn Mraz, costume design by Katja Andreiev, lighting design by Mary Ellen Stebbins, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier and Joshua Reid, props design by Jess Adams, and choreography by the Kuperman Brothers.

The band for Beardo is conductor Sam Kulik (guitar), Blake Allen (viola), Ezra Gale (bass), Sarah Haines (violin), Serena Miller (cello), and Hajnal Pivnick (violin).

Performances begin February 3 in advance of a February 12 opening. The limited engagement will run through February 26.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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Beardo

Closed: February 26, 2017