With a book by Charlie Schulman and music and lyrics by Michael Roberts, The Fartiste will begin performances at the Harry de Jur Playhouse Aug. 11. The limited engagement — featuring direction by John Gould Rubin and choreography by Richard Move — will play through Aug. 20.
The cast comprises Kevin Kraft in the title role with Mark Baker as Toulouse Lautrec, Jim Corti as Charles Zidler, Rebecca Kupka as Elizabeth, Lyn Philistine as La Goulue and Nick Wyman as Aristide Bruant with Molly Curry, Tom Gamblin, Rachel Kopf, Lindsay Northen, Charly Seamon and Steven Scott.
The Fartiste, according to press notes, is “the strange but very true story of Joseph Pujol. Pujol was an ordinary French baker with a case of ambition and an unusual and ass-tonishing talent — the ability to manipulate a limitless supply of odorless gas from his rectum — fashioning an amazing assortment of musical numbers, imitations and ass-tounding tricks. With focused determination, Pujol took his talent to the famous Moulin Rouge where he put his baker’s hat behind him as his derriere soon catapulted him to stardom.”
The creative team includes John Baxindine (music direction, arrangements and orchestrations), Clint Ramos (set design), Nicole Pearce (lighting design), Melinda Basaca (costume design) and Elizabeth Rhodes (sound design).
Performance dates are Aug. 11 at 10:15 PM, Aug. 13 at 3:45 PM, Aug. 18 at 9:45 PM, Aug. 19 at 5:15 PM and Aug. 20 at 7 PM. The Harry de Jur Playhouse is located at 466 Grand Street. Tickets, priced $15, are available by calling (212) 420-8877 or (888) FRINGENYC. Visit www.fringenyc.org for more information.