First Look: Christopher J. Hanke Takes Over for Michael Urie

Michael Urie has had an extraordinary run so far in playwright Jonathan Tolins's one-man show Buyer & Cellar, in which he plays Alex More, a struggling actor who takes an unusual job working for Barbra Stresiand. Even James Franco showed up and raved in a review. But now the actor is preparing to embark on a national tour--leaving actor boyfriend Ryan Spahn back home to care for their dog while he's on the road. Today, the show's producers announced that fresh-faced Christopher J. Hanke, who played Bud Frump in the 2011 Broadway revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, will begin performances in the role on March 18 (although understudy Clancy O'Connor got a brief shot and got great attention and reviews).

Urie begins his national tour in Chicago at the Broadway Playhouse (May 6-June15), followed by D.C.'s Harmon Center for the Arts (June 20-29), L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum (July 9-Aug. 17), and ending at Toronto's Panasonic Theatre (Nov. 12-30).

Read our profile of Tolins and an interview with Michael Urie about inhabiting the many roles required in the play (including Babs herself).