Brandon Ruckdashel (work/stage)

The Next Big Thing

2008-08-10T21:48:00.002-07:00

Release Date: Thursday, July 10, 2008

(Los Angeles) Brandon Ruckdashel stars as Chip in the world premiere musical The Next Big Thing, which opens on Saturday, July 19th, and continues through August 16th at Art Works Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Set in 1983 The Next Big Thing is about Chip and his budding garage band, who are desperately looking for a new sound to take them to the next level. The songs performed by Chip and his band are straight 80s retro pop dominated by the ubiquitous DX7, the first commercially successful digital synthesizer. As Chip, Brandon plays guitar and keyboards and is a singer in the group.

Brandon recently moved to Los Angeles and immediately landed a lead role in the network series The Lair and last month was the lead in the Jerry Zucker pilot National Debt. He played Virgil, a naïve young man caught in the decadent 1920's Parisian demimonde, in the independent feature Virgil and will play Rick, a young struggling actor, in the upcoming feature One Degree.

In addition to film and television Brandon has continued his stage work. He played Twist in the Los Angeles production of Twist, nominated for a Drama Desk Award. He most recently returned to New York for George Carr's A Body Without A Head, based on the work of former Calvin Klein Creative Director Zack Carr and designed by its current Creative Director Kevin Carrigan.

Brandon made his professional stage debut as the lead in the hit play Ascension. Anita Gates in the New York Times wrote "the 23-year-old Mr. Ruckdashel is making his Off Broadway debut and it is a stunning one. This is partly because he has the intense blond good looks of a young Brad Pitt with a soupcon of James Dean." Elyse Sommer called him “a young Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Brandon is available for interviews in New York and in Los Angeles. For Press Passes and Press Kits and for more information about him, contact his management company at 212-410-9404 or 213-840-6224 or barney@barneyoldfield.com

A Body Without A Head

2008-08-10T21:48:00.001-07:00

Press Release 05/02/08

The Reviews are in and Body Without A Head is a major creative success. Playing to sold out houses, Body Without A Head tells the story of renown gladiator Saint Torpes, who gave his name to St. Tropez. He is played brilliantly by Brandon Ruckdashel.

Director George Carr wrote the play about unconditional love as a tribute to his late brother. Carr previously wrote and directed Jamie ... Another Side Of James Dean. Kevin Carrigan, Creative Director of Calvin Klein, designed the classic costumes.

The limited performance show finishes its run with added performances today at New York's Manhattan Theater Source.

The unique look and feel of Body Without A Head was based on the sketches of the late Zack Carr. who joined Calvin Klein in 1970 and, as his Creative Director, played an integral role in creating the spare, streamlined aesthetic associated with the fashion house.

Zack Carr oversaw the design teams who produce Mr. Klein's men's, women's, CK, and home collections. and was also instrumental in conceiving the company's well-known advertising campaigns and in attracting celebrity clients.

The Zack Carr Foundation in his memory is dedicated to the inspiration of the human spirit.

Twist

2008-08-10T21:47:00.002-07:00

Twist
The New Hit Musical Drama
That Los Angeles Is Talking About

Brandon Ruckdashel, Chris Carlisle, and
the other boys in the Los Angeles Production
at the Avery Schreiber Theater

Ticket Are Available On Theatermania

Dickens scholars and workhouse tyrants have long appreciated the masochistic element underlying the iconic orphan's plaintive "Please, sir, I want some more." But why settle for subtext?

It's a question asked and answered (repeatedly) in the tune-lashed saga of Oliver, here transformed from underage boy into "an attractive youth of indeterminate (but legal) age," convincingly portrayed by Brandon Ruckdashel.

The concept behind Twist is good, dirty, campy fun. You get the feeling that someone got the idea for it when noticing that Oliver Twists' famous "Please sir, can I have some more?" sounds suspiciously like something a masochist might say during a beating session....

But the core - the sad youth who says "It's what I know" - is never too far from the surface of this Oliver. Brandon Ruckdashel plays him (here called Twist) with a simple earnest innocence. Even though the sort of thing that makes his face light up with joy isn't what most would call "innocent."

Ruckdashel's Twist is basically just looking for a place where he can feel safe. And putting that sort of heart into the piece, from beginning to end, grounds the entire production.

From the poignant “Bound and Tied,” sung beautifully by Ruckdashel, to the Artful Dodger’s infectious “Sucker” (“fill up my mouth and I’ll be a sucker for you”), to the rousing Act 1 finale “You Can’t Choose Your Family,” this is one of the best original scores I’ve heard in a long time. (There’s also the Abba-esque “Clothing Makes the Man” and the touching “Reflection,” a gorgeous love song for Twist and Dodger, among other winners.)

Director Storiale spent several months casting Twist, and it shows in the musical theater talent he has assembled. The title role was the hardest to fill until, at the end of several months of searching, Ruckdashel arrived from New York and blew the competition away. Looking and singing like an angel (with a naughty gleam in his eye), Ruckdashel is, as they say, “a find.”

Ascension

2008-08-10T21:47:00.001-07:00

Red Light District
presents the world premiere of
Ascension
by Edmund De Santis
directed by Marc Geller

with
Stephen Hope
Lucy McMichael
& Brandon Ruckdashel

set design Aaron Mastin
costume design Dennis Ballard
lighting design Frank DenDanto III
stage manager Christy Thede
general press representative KPM Associates

Fri., October 6th - Sat., October 21st

The Lion Theatre on Theatre Row
410 West 42nd Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues)

Previews: Friday, Oct. 6th through Monday, Oct. 9th
Opening Night: Wednesday, October 11th
Monday through Saturday performances at 8:00
Sundays performances at 3:00 & 7:00
No performances on Tuesday, October 10th
or Monday, October 16th
Tickets: $18 For reservations call: (212) 279-4200
or visit www.ticketcentral.com

NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED AFTER
THE PERFORMANCE HAS BEGUN

Surf's Up!

2008-08-10T21:46:00.000-07:00

My First musical with TNT