Newsies Broadway star Ben Fankhauser is taking on a very different set of roles in his latest gig, Off-Broadway's upcoming world premiere musical The Ghost of John McCain. He'll be playing Lindsey Graham, Roy Cohn, Joe Biden, and others. And in a new video from rehearsals for the show, he's wearing a dog collar and singing about being a very "Good Boy." Watch above.
The irreverent new political musical begins performances at Soho Playhouse September 3 ahead of a September 24 opening night. The limited engagement will continue just past election night, with the final performance set for November 10.
Joining Fankhauser in the cast are Jason Tam as John McCain, Luke Kolbe Mannikus as Donald Trump, Aaron Michael Ray as Donald Trump's Brain, Zonya Love as Kamala Harris, and Lindsay Nicole Chambers as Hillary Clinton, Daughter-Wife, and Sexy Lady Fox News Anchor. Understudies Anthony Zambito, Gisela Adisa, and Joshua David Robinson round out the company. Casting is by Jason Thinger.
Featuring a book by Scott Elmegreen and a score and lyrics by Drew Fornarola, the work is a psychological exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition. When the late solider-turned-senator awakens in the afterlife, he finds himself trapped inside the mind of President Donald Trump, alongside a quasi-Greek Chorus of other public figures, including Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Perón, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, and Lindsey Graham. In order to escape, the motley crew is forced to engage in a high-stakes debate over life, legacy, and "American values." Catie Davis will direct.
The production features choreography by Sunny Min-Sook Hitt, scenic design by Lawrence E. Moten III, costume design by Mieka van der Ploeg, hair and wig design by Ashley Rae Callahan, lighting design be Colleen Doherty, and sound design by Daniela Hart for Uptown Works NYC. Vadim Feichtner is music directing.
The musical previously had an NYC reading in January.
The Ghost of John McCain is produced by Quixote Productions and Max Fose.
For tickets and more information, click here.
