Brent Barrett Returns in Silence —
Silence of the Lambs Parody, That Is
By Ellis Nassour
Fresh from his record-breaking and acclaimed run in the title role in The Phantom of the Opera: The Las Vegas Spectacular and reprising his Billy Flynn on Bway in Chicago, Olivier nom Brent Barrett is returning to the boards in the iconic role of Dr. Hanibal Lecter.
Silence! The Musical, the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs [a homage to the 20th anniversary of the Oscar-winning film], costars Lucille Lortel Award-winner Jenn Harris [Modern Orthodox] as rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling.
Performances begin June 24th [through August 13th] at Theatre 80 [80 St. Marks Place, between First and Second Avenues]. Producers are Rich Affannato, Victoria Lang and Donna Trinkoff. M.D. is Mark Hartman, with arrangements and orchestrations by Brian J. Nash.
Silence! has book by Tony nom Hunter Bell [co-writer/performer, [title of show]] with music and lyrics by Al and Jon Kaplan. Christopher Gattelli [Tony nom, choreography, LCT’s South Pacific; also Roundabout’s Sunday in the Park with George revival] is director/choreographer.
The musical began as a 2002 collection of songs on the internet and attracted a staggering number of fans. In its stage adaptation at the 2005 FringeNYC Festival, it shattered box office records and won Fringe Best Musical. Last season, the show garnered positive reviews at the London’s Above the Stag Theatre.
Barrett [Frank Butler opposite Reba McEntire in the Annie Get Your Gun revival], one of Bway’s most beloved artists, received an Olivier nom in his West End role as Fred/Petruchio in the Kiss Me, Kate revival.
So have some fava beans and a nice Chianti as a chorus of floppy-eared lambs tunefully narrates edge-of-the-seat action as a rampaging kidnapper/killer known as Buffalo Bill dances a hoedown. Tkts for Silence! The are $38 and available by calling (212) 352-3101 or online at www.SilenceTheMusical.com.
