A new Hysterium will greet Whoopi Goldberg when she takes over for Nathan Lane Feb. 13 in A Funny thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Broadway's St. James Theatre. Mark Linn-Baker, a Drama Desk nominee for his performance in this revival, will relinquish the role Jan. 4 to work on a TV pilot in development at CBS.
He will be replaced Jan. 6 by Ross Lehman, a Chicago actor who won a Joseph Jefferson Award for Hysterium when he did the role at the Goodman. During his 16 years acting in Chicago, Lehman also won "Jeffs" for Where's Charley? and The Hot Mikado. His performance of Koko in the latter was reprised at the Queen's Theatre in London's West End and earned him an Olivier Award nomination.
Lehman made his Broadway debut last season as Trinculo in the Tempest. He just received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from Penn State University.
