It’s the best kind of disaster for Tony nominee Will Swenson! The Broadway favorite will temporarily step into Disaster!, taking over for Tony winner Roger Bart as Tony Delvecchio. Swenson will assume the role from April 29 through May 6, with Bart returning to the musical at the Nederlander Theatre on May 7.
Bart will take a brief hiatus to accommodate a shooting schedule. In a statement, co-creator and star Seth Rudetsky gave his stamp of approval for the temporary replacement, saying, "When I was at Will and Audra McDonald's wedding, part of me was thinking, 'He's so funny and handsome. Perfect for Audra!' As well as, 'He's so funny and handsome. Perfect to play Tony in Disaster!.'"
A Tony nominee for Hair, Swenson most recently appeared on the New York stage in Pericles in Brooklyn. His additional credits include Les Miserables, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and 110 in the Shade on Broadway and Murder Ballad and Little Miss Sunshine off-Broadway.
Directed and co-written by Jack Plotnick, Disaster! is set in 1979 and follows a group of NYC A-listers who party at the grand opening of a floating casino/disco. Earthquakes, tidal waves, infernos, killer bees, rats, sharks and piranhas all threaten the guests. The score boasts some of the biggest hits of the ‘70s, including “Hot Stuff,” “I Am Woman,” “Knock on Wood” and more.
Swenson joins a cast that—in addition to Rudetsky—features Adam Pascal, Kerry Butler, Kevin Chamberlin, Faith Prince, Rachel York, Jennifer Simard, Max Crumm, Lacretta Nicole and Baylee Littrell. The show is currently scheduled to play a limited engagement through July 3.