Well Strung | Classiques Modernes

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Creating a boy band is probably as cliché as big hair in Texas. Thankfully, it’s clearly not the case with Well-Strung, a new all-male quartet that dares to meld classical works and techniques with their more edgy contemporary counterparts.

Conceived by Chris Marchant and Mark Cortale, four amazing performers take their otherwise classically standard instruments into new modern heights. Watch these handsome boys put their own spin while singing to and playing the music of Mozart, Vivaldi, Rihanna, Adele and more. Alas, if being a boy band means anticipating that girls (and boys!) will be fawning over their idols then-in that sense-yes, Well-Strung is a boy band. But otherwise, there is nothing really boyish about these performers or their performances.

The group had a sold-out debut last year at Joe’s Pub in New York City then proceeded to a sizzling summer performance at the Art House in Provincetown, MA before returning to New York City. In 2013 they return for a limited three-week engagement at The Marjorie S. Deane Theater from February 28 to March 16th. The show is directed by theater veteran, Donna Drake, with musical arrangements by David Levinson and additional arrangements by Daniel Shevlin. So why go? Well, if all these dashing men do on stage is stand, they’d already be dazzling. But let them play the instruments they clearly love and they sizzle! But why such enthusiasm? Ask yourself, “when was the last time a string quartet and Mozart made you dance and drool?"

Edmund Bagnell's (first violinist and vocalist) played Tobias in the 1st National Tour of "Sweeney Todd" directed by John Doyle. Recent credits include Charlie Brown in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" (Summer Theater of New Canaan), Charlie in "The Big Holiday Broadcast of 1959" written by Joanna Gleason (Fairfield Theater Company), and Oramel Howland in "The Great Unknown" written by Jim Wann ("Pump Boys and Dinettes") and Bill Hauptman ("Big River") as a part of NYMF.

Chris Marchant (2nd violinist, vocalist) grew up singing and playing violin, but was not involved with theatre until the end of his time at Malone University in Canton, OH. Since then, he has been involved in a number of productions using his talents as a vocalist, actor, and musician. Favorite productions include Tobias (Sweeney Todd, nat'l tour), violinist (Spring Awakening nat'l tour), Dennis (Sanders Family Christmas), and Provincetown's Naked Boys Singing.

Daniel Shevlin (cellist and vocalist) appeared off-Broadway in "The Sandbox" written and directed by Edward Albee, had toured the U.S. and Asia in productions of "Rent" and "Cabaret" (Studio 54 version), and has worked regionally as both an actor and cellist in many theaters including the Arvada Center (CO), The Maltz-Jupiter Theatre (FL), Riverside Theatre (FL), and Mason Street Warehouse (MI) to name a few. Trevor Wadleigh (Violist) is from Seattle and currently a member of The String Collective of New York. He has taught viola at the University of Pudget Sound Community Music Community and is also a co-founder of the Pudget Sound Animal Rescue.

Trevor Wadleigh (Violist) is from Seattle and currently a member of The String Collective of New York. He has taught viola at the University of Pudget Sound Community Music Community and is also a co-founder of the Pudget Sound Animal Rescue.

Donna Drake (director) was in the original Broadway casts of A Chorus Line, Sophisticated Ladies, Woman of the Year, The Wind in the Willows, 5678-Dance, It's so nice to be Civilized and the original production of The 1940s Radio Hour. She has received an Emmy nomination for Dear Alex and Annie, 4 Drama Desk Nominations, A Mac Award Nomination and a Theatre World Award. She choreographed Catherine Zeta Jones for the American Film Institute Awards. She directed John Tartaglia's Imaginocean which ran Off Broadway at New World Stages.

David Levinson, arranger collaborated with Stacey Weingarten and Donna Drake on Les Enfants de Paris (world premiere NYMF 2011). David is also currently working on music and lyrics for Boys Lost, The Elliot's, and Who Is Prester John?, which are in development.