Irwin, best known early in his career as a performance artist and clown, has had a wide-ranging career as an actor, dancer, director, and writer. He last appeared on Broadway as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, a role for which he won the Tony Award for best actor in a play.

Irwin will appear in a total of seven performances through January 7, including a gala performance on New Year's Eve that will feature a series of surprise guest artists.

Die Fledermaus stars Sondra Radvanosvsky as Rosalinde, Marlis Peterson as Adele, Marina Domashenko as Orlofsky, Janez Lotric as Alfred, and Yvonne Gonzales Redman as Ida. Jacques Lacombe, the principal guest conductor of the Montreal Symphony, is the conductor.