Shhh! Duncan Sheik ‘Whisper House’ Concert

Tony and Grammy Award winner Duncan Sheik performs in concert with members of his touring band and special guest David Poe at The Old Globe on Jan. 11 at 8 p.m., prior to the world premiere of his new musical, Whisper House. Sheik has toured extensively this year and will perform songs from Whisper House and his other acclaimed albums.

Sheik initially found success as a singer, most notably for his 1996 debut single, “Barely Breathing,” which spent 55 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100. He has since expanded his work to include compositions for motion pictures and the Broadway stage. Sheik won two Tony Awards, as composer and arranger, for the Broadway production of Spring Awakening. Written with lyricist Steven Sater, Spring Awakening also received the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Set in 1942 at the height of World War II, Whisper House is the story of an 11-year-old boy, Christopher, who lives with his Aunt Lilly in a haunted New England lighthouse following the death of his father. All of the songs in the musical are performed by the ghosts, played by David Poe and Holly Brook, and embody the boy’s subconscious thoughts and fears. Previews for Whisper House open Jan. 13, with opening night Jan. 21.

Sheik is currently developing two additional musical theater projects. Nero (Another Golden Rome) had a workshop production this summer at Vassar College, featuring Wicked star Idina Menzel and Spring Awakening ingénue Lea Michelle. The Nightingale is slated for a 2010 opening at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater.

For tickets to the concert, call the Old Globe Box office at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623) or log on to www.oldglobe.org. Proceeds from the Jan. 11 concert benefit the Globe’s education activities.