Photo Flash: Justin Kirk Visits SILENCE! THE MUSICAL

Justin Kirk took advantage of his first night off since joining the Broadway cast of Other Desert Cities to catch SILENCE! The Musical this past Monday, January 16th. SILENCE! The Musical, the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs, with book by Hunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Christopher Gattelli, opened on July 9, 2011 and  recently celebrated its 100th performance at The 9th Space Theatre at Performance Space 122, 150 First Avenue (at 9th St.)

The original cast recording of SILENCE! The Musical, produced by Michael Croiter and Rich Affannato, is now available in stores and at Amazon.com on the Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records label. Finally, musical comedy fans outside of New York can enjoy the critically acclaimed score, including such song selections as “If I Could Smell Her C---” and “Put the F--king Lotion in the Basket.”

About Justin Kirk: Justin Kirk earned international acclaim for his starring roles on “Weeds” and HBO’s “Angels in America.” He created the role of Bobby Brahms in Love! Valour! Compassion! on Broadway and in the subsequent film version. Kirk’s Off-Broadway credits include Old Wicked Songs, Ten Unknowns and The Understudy, in which he appeared with SILENCE! Star Jenn Harris.

In the Academy Award-winning Best Picture, The Silence of the Lambs, rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill. Clarice must face her own demons and race the clock to unlock Lecter’s clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Bill. It’s a hair-raising thriller that’s kept countless millions on the edge of their seats and permeated the pop lexicon with delightfully creepy quotes like “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti” and of course “It places the lotion in the basket.” At long last, this delicate symphony of suspense has been turned on its ear and retold in the only way it can be – as a musical. A singing chorus of floppy eared lambs narrates the action; Buffalo Bill gleefully dances a hoedown while kidnapping hapless Catherine Martin; and even Dr. Lecter, scary as ever, sings about the life he’d like to lead someday outside the prison walls.

David Garrison (Hannibal Lecter), Jenn Harris (Clarice Starling) and Stephen Bienskie (Buffalo Bill) head the cast of SILENCE! The Musical, which also features Callan Bergmann, Harry Bouvy, Ashlee Dupré, Deidre Goodwin, Howard Kaye, Topher Nuccio, Pamela Bob, and Doug Trapp. Music Supervisor is Mark Hartman, with orchestrations by Brian J. Nash.

Created by Jon and Al Kaplan in 2002, SILENCE! began as a collection of songs on the internet which immediately attracted a staggering number of fans. The Kaplans' subsequent screenplay SILENCE! The Musical was adapted by Hunter Bell into a live stage show, which also featured newly composed songs by the brothers. Fueled by a rabid cult following, SILENCE! shattered every box office record at the 2005 FringeNYC Festival, winning the award for Best Musical. SILENCE! The Musical met with further success in London where it garnered ecstatic reviews at the Above The Stag Theatre.

SILENCE! The Musical is produced Off-Broadway by Theater Mogul. The playing schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 8 PM; Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM; and Sunday at 5 PM. Running time is 89 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $25 - $79 and are available by calling 212-352-3101 or through www.SilenceTheMusical.com.

Photo credit: Ritchard Druther

David Garrison, Justin Kirk, Jenn Harris

Justin Kirk with the cast and crew of SILENCE! The Musical at Performance Space 122

Callan Bergmann, David Garrison, Justin Kirk, Jenn Harris, Ashlee Dupre