From dog to dogged, Tony Award winner Roger Bart replaces Mark Setlock as the stressed-out reservations clerk at New York City's hottest four star restaurant in the Off-Broadway production of Fully Committed Sept. 12. Setlock moves to Los Angeles' Coronet Theatre on the same date, where he will continue to portray the role he originated.
As Snoopy in 1999's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Bart won both the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor. Other credits include Harlequin in Triumph of Love, Jonathan in King David, Tom Sawyer in Big River, Cousin Kevin in The Who's Tommy and Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Bart was the singing voice of Hercules in the Disney film of the same name. "Go The Distance," the song he sang in the film, was nominated for an Academy Award. Word on the street has it he's also up for the role of Carmen Ghia in the Broadway-bound adaptation of The Producers.
As well as appearing in the workshop production of Rent, Setlock understudied the lead role of Angel with the original Broadway company, later returning to the show in the ensemble as Gordon, Mr. Grey and others. Other credits include stints at Primary Stages, HERE, NADA and Ontological/Hysteric, but his real success came with Committed, netting him an Outer Critics' Circle Award in a tie with Olympia Dukakis.
His real-life experiences as an out-of-work actor desperately trying to find tables for a series of wealthy and outlandish patrons at a trendy Manhattan restaurant were the basis for Becky Mode's Fully Committed. Her other credits include writing for TV's "Cosby," HBO, Nickelodeon and Disney.
Fully Committed first opened Off-Broadway Sept. 30, 1999 with fully-committed reviews, extending, at the time, through Oct. 30 at the Vineyard. The show then moved to the Cherry Lane Theatre, where Bart assumes the role. For tickets to the Cherry Lane run ($45), call Tele-Charge at (212) 239 6200. The Cherry Lane Theatre is located at 38 Commerce Street.
