From Rollcall
- March 16, 2006
For Bakula, ‘Shenandoah’ Role Is No ‘Quantum Leap’
Actor Has Starred in Multiple Productions
By Stephanie Woodrow
Roll Call Staff
Thirty years after starring in “Shenandoah” as Sam the suitor, Scott Bakula is
returning to the play to star as Charlie in Ford’s Theatre’s final production of
the season.
Known best for his roles as Dr. Sam Beckett on “Quantum Leap” — for which he
received a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations — and Capt. Jonathan Archer on
“Star Trek: Enterprise,” Bakula is happy to be back on stage.
“I think the theater is where I feel most at home,” Bakula said. “It’s where I
get the most satisfaction.”
No stranger to “Shenandoah,” this will be his fifth or sixth time in the show —
Bakula said he’s done it so many times, he can’t remember exactly how many times
he’s performed in this show. He has previously performed the roles of Jacob,
James, and the ensemble, for which he received his Equity Card.
Set during the Civil War era, “Shenandoah” is the story of patriarch Charlie
Anderson, who tries to protect his family as the war begins to affect their
lives.
The show’s Tony Award-winning director Jeff Calhoun, a longtime friend of
Bakula’s, brought him back to the play.
“What’s most exciting to me is he’s remade the entire show,” Bakula said. He
added that Calhoun has updated the show to fit the younger audience.
The show will run Friday through April 30, after which Bakula hopes to continue
his theater work.
“I’m very intent on looking for theater [jobs] in New York,” he said.
Now based in Los Angeles with his wife, actress Chelsea Field, and their two
sons, New York truly feels like home to the St. Louis native.
“I’m very excited about getting back to New York and doing something,” he said.
In addition to his acting work, Bakula also owns Bakula Productions Inc., a
production company based on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles.
Ford’s Theatre is a historical landmark that reopened in 1968 after closing in
1865 following President Abraham Lincoln’s death. Known not only for its
history, the theater offers features for the special needs community including
American Sign Language interpreters and a subsidized ticket program that more
than 25,000 students take advantage of annually.
Tickets for the “Shenandoah” performance are available through Ticketmaster for
$25-$52, with discounts available to students and seniors.
