Erik Larson makes role debut at Billy Bigelow

Erik Larson as Billy Bigelow

We first met Erik Larson busting out of his pants two years ago and we instantly fell so in love with the Midwestern barihunk. Now he's singing "So In Love" for the first time ever as Billy Bigelow in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical Carousel. It's is role debut and it played for two nights at the Middleton Players Theatre in Wisconsin. He'll also sing the beautiful Soliloquy, which is one of the most famous baritone arias from a Broadway musical 

Gordon McRae sings Soliloquy from Carousel:

Known as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s favorite of all their collaborations, Carousel tells the beautiful and heartwrenching story of a young woman who falls in love with a roustabout carnival barker. Carousel is based on Ferenc Molnár's Hungarian-language drama, Liliom, which premiered in Budapest in 1909. Except for the ending, the plots of Liliom and Carousel are very similar.

Famous interpreters of Billy Bigelow have included John Raitt, Gordon MacRae, Stephen Douglass, Robert Goulet, Nathan Gunn, Bruce Yarnell, Michael Hayden, Howard Keel and Patrick Wilson.

David Adam Moore to star in Oklahoma! in Chicago

One of David Adam Moore's pictures from the 2013 Barihunks Calendar

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that 2013 Barihunks Calendar model will be starring as the farmhand Jud Fry in their upcoming performances of the musical Oklahoma! Last year, the company scored a huge success with another musical, Show Boat, starring barihunk Nathan Gunn.

The performances mark the 70th anniversary of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic that remains one of the greatest musicals ever written. Thirty-seven members of the Lyric Opera Orchestra will perform the original orchestration. The production will feature a 24-person singer-dancer ensemble (including 12 members of the Lyric Opera Chorus) plus three solo dancers. The cast also includes Broadway stars John Cudia as Curly and Ashley Brown as Laurey.

Oklahoma! premiered on Broadway in 1943 and was the first musical written by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It ran for 2,243 performances with many songs becoming American classics, including “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning,” “People Will Say We’re In Love,” and “Surrey With The Fringe On Top.” Based on Lynn Riggs‘ 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs, the story is set in the Oklahoma Territory of 1906 near Claremore and tells the story of two pairs of young lovers.

The production of Oklahoma!, which includes the original choreography by Agnes de Mille, will have sixteen performances (including seven matinees) between May 4-19 at the Civic Opera House. Lyric subscribers will receive a 10% discount through December 15. Visit the Lyric Opera of Chicago's website for additional information and tickets.

Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Stanley Kowalski

Moore will also be starring as Stanley Kowalski in the April 2013 performances of Lyric’s “Student Night at the Opera” performance of Andre Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire. The regular cast will feature fellow barihunk Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Stanley and Renee Fleming as Blanche.

Buy the calendar featuring David Adam Moore and 13 additional barihunks by clinking on the button below. All proceeds go to benefit young artists: