Cullum will tour in 'La Mancha'

Two-time Tony Award winner John Cullum will star as Don Quixote in the touring production of "Man of La Mancha" coming to the Lyric Opera House from May 23 to June 4. Though he is currently best known as bartender Holling Vincoeur on CBS' "Northern Exposure," Cullum has a long and distinguished stage career that includes playing Quixote in the original Broadway production of "La Mancha."

He won Tony Awards in 1975 for "Shenandoah" and in 1978 for "On the Twentieth Century." His most recent Broadway credit was Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Aspects of Love." Cullum last appeared in Baltimore in 1986, when he starred in "Cyrano de Bergerac" at the Mechanic Theatre.

"We're thrilled to have him in this production," Steve Goldstein, general manager of the Baltimore Center for the Performing Arts said yesterday. "I know he'll really be terrific in it. He's been dazzling audiences on Broadway for 30 years with his voice."

Cullum's co-star will be Ann Crumb, who is also an alum of the Broadway production of "Aspects of Love." "Man of La Mancha" will be directed by Albert Marre, who staged the original 1965 production. The revival opens a 10-week tour in Houston next week before playing Baltimore, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Atlanta and Kansas City.