Darius de Haas will star in the one-man musical
The Man in My Head, which will be presented as part of the 2006 New York Musical Theatre Festival from September 26th through September 30th at the 45th Street Theatre (354 W. 45th St.).
Presentedc by NYMF and Matt Kidd, the show features a book by Thomas F. DeFrantz, with lyrics and music by Michael Wartofsky.
"Drew Durango (
Darius de Haas) wants it all: a loving relationship with a rock-steady African American man, solid friendships with Chelsea party boys, and a way to share his world with his Granny in Indianapolis. But after seven years living in New York, he still hasn't quite figured it out. A naïve and effervescent soul searcher, he careens in and out of love and entanglements with Jake, a handsome attorney with a secret; Jamal, a dredlocked basketball coach; Serena, a sister on a mission to find a husband; Teddy, a hard-partying Harlem Hospital nurse; and Jonah, a high-school nephew visiting from the Midwest," state NYMF notes.
The Man in My Head is a collaborative effort of Wartofsky and DeFrantz to showcase the gifts of de Haas, and to reflect the pluralism of life experiences among African American men who love men. "We set out to craft a piece of musical theatre in a one-person format that is neither a cabaret nor a retelling of de Haas' life," said Wartofsky. "The result is a multi-character fictional narrative in which a young man begins to recognize himself, but only after falling down a rocky path of complicated relationships."
Schele Williams will direct the show.
de Haas' credits include the Broadway productions of
Kiss of the Spider Woman, Carousel, Rent, The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm, and
Marie Christine as well as extensive off-Broadway and film credits. As a concert artist, he has performed repertoire ranging from jazz to pop to art song to musical theater to the American Songbook. His solo debut CD, "
Darius de Haas: Day Dream, Variations on Strayhorn" was produced by PS Classics.
"The New York Musical Theatre Festival, now in its third year, is a three-week event in NYC that has premiered over 70 musicals in its first two years, becoming the largest musical theatre event in American history. Hailed as 'the Sundance of Musical Theatre,' it is now widely regarded among the entertainment industry as the key source for new material and talent discovery."
The show plays as follows: September 26th at 8 PM, Sept. 27th at 8 PM, Sept. 28th at 4:30 PM and Sept. 29th at 8 PM. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased after Sept. 1st online at
www.nymf.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.
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