Donal Logue has joined the cast of CBGB and will co-star opposite Alan Rickman in the movie about the famed New York music club.
Logue will play Merv Ferguson, the right-hand man to CBGB owner Hilly Kristal (Rickman).
The film is a look at New York’s punk rock music scene and is centered on CBGB, the seminal club where such acts as Talking Heads, Ramones and Television got their start and honed their craft. The club closed in 2008.
CBGB, which features a diverse cast that also includes Malin Akerman, Joel David Moore, Stana Katic and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, is being directed by Randall Miller (Bottle Shock), who co-wrote the script with Jody Savin. Also joining the cast for a cameo is Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome, who will be played by Rupert Grint in the film.
Miller and Savin’s Unclaimed Freight Productions will produce. Former senior vp of Warner/Chappell Music-turned-producer Brad Rosenberger also will produce. Kristal’s daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, who controls her late father’s estate, is on board as a co-producer of the film. Rampart Films’ Gerry DeKlerk, Irene Nelson and Melanie DeKlerk are executive producing, as are the new owners of the CBGB property, who are planning a CBGB film festival July 5 in New York.
The story centers on Kristal and his efforts to turn a tiny club into a groundbreaking rock ‘n’ roll venue where the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers played. The venue started out as a home to country, bluegrass and blues musicians, but when those acts became tough to book, Kristal turned to local artists.
Production is slated to begin June 25 in Savannah, Ga., before moving to New York.
Logue, who recently starred on the FX series Terriers and the Fox series Grounded for Life, is represented by UTA, Kipperman Management and Katz Golden Sullivan & Rosenman.
Email: Daniel.Miller@THR.com
Twitter: @DanielNMiller
