Neil to star in Broadway ‘Company’

Neil Pattrick Harris will star in the Stephen Sondheim musical ‘Company’.

Los Angeles: Actor Neil Patrick Harris will star in the Stephen Sondheim musical ‘Company’ at the New York Philharmonic in April, the orchestra announced on Friday.

Harris will play perennial bachelor Robert, who has similarities to his ‘How I Met Your Mother’ TV sitcom character, Barney. "I think one could see Bobby as a bit of a playboy, a sort of serial dater without much behind it," Harris told the New York Times. "I don`t know that Barney has the deep-seated desire to couple up like Bobby probably does. But then again, Bobby doesn`t have to respond to laugh tracks." The show will run from April 7-9, and be produced by Lonny Price, who also oversaw the orchestra`s productions of ‘Sweeney Todd’ and ‘Candide’. ‘Company’, based on a book by George Furth, was last revived on Broadway in 2006. Harris said Sondheim fills "every beat and note and moment with some intention...It just allows the performer a great opportunity to mine as deep as they choose. My day job requires a shallowness that will be fun to play against." Harris next has roles in movies "The Smurfs" and "A Very Harold Kumar Christmas". He will also be hosting the Spike TV Video Game Awards. Bureau Report