From The Washington Post - 1/16/08
Not Such A Quantum Leap
Scott Bakula Has Always Been Partial To the Stage, and
Hopes to Be There More
by: Jane Horowitz
Special to The Washington Post
Fans of Scott Bakula's star turn in the 1989-1993 TV series
"Quantum Leap" or his more recent four-year stint as Capt. Jonathan Archer on
"Star Trek: Enterprise" already know he can sing. At Sidney Harman Hall on
Friday, they'll be able to hear him perform an evening of show tunes, in a
benefit for the Ford's Theatre renovation.
"I never set out to be on TV or in a movie. Theater's my first love," says
Bakula, and he hopes to do more of it now that his kids are older.
Before his "Quantum Leap" days, he was nominated for a Tony Award as the male
lead in "Romance/Romance." Recently in Los Angeles, he starred in the play
"Quality of Life" and in a revival of Richard Rodgers's "No Strings."
Bakula says he's tried to squeeze singing into his television work whenever
possible. He just shot an episode of "Boston Legal" in which he plays the piano
and croons "Once Upon a Time" to Candice Bergen. Tunes from "Man of La Mancha"
figured in a "Quantum Leap" episode when his character, Dr. Sam Beckett,
mind-and-body-melded with an understudy to go on as Don Quixote. He'll sing some
"La Mancha" songs at the Ford's benefit.
"A lot of the 'Quantum Leap' fans who will be there on Friday night will enjoy
that," says the actor. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts Female Ensemble
will harmonize as Bakula's chorus on some numbers. (Visit
http://www.fords.org, then
click on "Performances.")
Bakula has a soft spot for Ford's. He marked his return from intergalactic
travel in 2006 to star in a well-reviewed revival there of the Civil War musical
"Shenandoah."
The first half of Friday's performance, shaped with director Dennis Deal, will
trace Bakula's "own personal journey through the musical world," including his
debut at age 13 as Amahl in "Amahl and the Night Visitors." The second half will
be "more of a sit back, relax and here come some standards, here comes some
Rodgers & Hart . . . here comes some jazz, here comes some me at the piano,"
Bakula says.
"I think it's going to be fun. I'm scared to death of the whole night."
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