Randy Harrison takes on explosive new musical, ‘Atomic’ beginning June 16

So there will be no Randy Harrison in the Berkshires this summer. That’s because it has just been announced that he is joining the cast of Atomic, a new musical that also stars Sara Gettelfinger, Jeremy Kushnier and Euan Morton with David Abeles, Alexis Fishman, Jonathan Hammond, James David Larson, Preston Sadlier and Grace Stockdale.

Randy Harrison often made the Berkshires his getaway home in the summer where he could try out new roles. But the acclaimed actor has not been seen in these parts for a couple of years now, with other commitments stealing him away from our bucolic setting. We miss him terribly, he is one of the finest actors of his generation and every show he has appeared in from Equus to Waiting for Godot to Tommy has been a revelation. He takes classic plays and makes them his own with fresh interpretations that are daring they sometimes make your jaw drop.

But this has also been very hard on those who have been following his theatre career which followed his role as Justin in Queer as Folk. When he did that series you could turn on the tv and there he was, week after week, year after year. But when he began to do live theatre it was often in places like the Guthrie in Minneapolis where he starred in another classic, The Glass Menagerie, and Red at the Cleveland Playhouse, all to rave reviews. Anders Cato, who directed him in Waiting for Godot at the Berkshire Theatre Group has also been missing in action locally. We theatre people are used to “the luck of the draw” as it is strictly a local and regional part of show business.

With the news that Harrison will be part of the off-Broadway production in a theatre not far from Times Square, is perhaps the best news that his fans could get. New York City is within striking distance by plane, train and automobile for millions of ticket buyers and it is a good long run, from June 26 – August 16 at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues). The official opening is set for Sunday, July 13.

The new musical has already been tested during its well received run in Sydney, Australia. Ihe subject matter of Atomic is also fascinating, and it makes for an exhilarating and provocative new musical based on the real history of the creation of the atomic bomb.

With book & lyrics by Danny Ginges and Gregory Bonsignore, and music & lyrics by Philip Foxman, Atomic is choreographed by Dean Walsh and directed by Damien Gray.

Its run, while long, is strictly limited to eight weeks. And the Acorn is not a big Broadway House with Big Broadway Prices. It is an intimate theatre of under 200 seats which will be good news for those who like to see their stars close up. It should also come as good news that tickets are $69.25 and can be arranged online at www.telecharge.com or by calling 212.239.6200 Yeah, we don’t like all those tacked on service charges, and you can avoid them by visiting the Theatre Row Box Office located at 410 West 42nd Street.

Atomic the Musical blasts open the doors of The Manhattan Project, a government funded program of top scientists with the task of creating the world’s first atomic bomb. Leo Szilard is the mastermind behind atomic power, but his heart has reservations. Ethics, scientific progress, and true love are tested as Leo discovers exactly what he’s capable of when someone believes in him.”

More about the musical "Atomic."

The award-winning cast is led by Randy Harrison, Sara Gettelfinger (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Jeremy Kushnier (Jersey Boys) and Euan Morton (Taboo) with David Abeles, Alexis Fishman, Jonathan Hammond, James David Larson, Preston Sadlier and Grace Stockdale.

Scenic design for Atomic is by Neil Patel; costume design is by Emma Kingsbury; lighting design is by David Finn; and sound design is by Jon Weston. Christopher Jahnke is music producer and Andrew Peterson is music director. Atomic is produced by Dreamingful Productions and Graymatter Entertainment.

DANNY GINGES (Book & Lyrics). For most of his life, Danny has been a copywriter, creative group head and creative consultant to the advertising industry. He has worked for agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, The Ball Partnership, EURORSCG, JWT and BWM, and has won a list of Australian and international awards for his efforts. Danny would still be working in advertising today, but the story of the forgotten man behind the atomic bomb has rewritten him.

GREGORY BONSIGNORE (Book & Lyrics) trained in writing at the BBC, London before graduating with honors from NYU. His theatrical writing credits include A Matter of Fact (as Playwright in Residence at the Library of Alexandria, Egypt), 3 (Off-Broadway & City Theatre, Miami, Sam French Festival Finalist), Us & Them (Mildred’s Umbrella, Houston) and The Kevin Meaney Show (NY Musical Workshop). He also developed new work with Disney on Broadway. In television, his credits include: “Homeland,” “Transformers Rescue Bots,” “Lie to Me” (Ep.”Who’s Afraid of Virginia Tech”), “Bunheads,” “Anatomy of Violence (Pilot),” “Three Rivers,” ABC’s “Logic Quiz Show – Million Dollar Mind Game” and “In Plain Sight.” Gregory created the pilots “Squad 85″ (Executive Producer: Justin Lin), “Yearbook for Fox,” and “Rare” (developed by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Emily Ziff’s Cooperstown Prod. for HBO); Film credits include: Or Die (Writer/Co-Director, Winner of HBO Film Fest in NYC), BrosB4Hos (Jeff Marx & Jeff Witzke), and a new film for Hurwitz/Schlossberg. He has also written speeches for the Anti Prop 8 campaign and is a member of the Writer’s and Dramatist’s Guild.