Musical’s Writer Is Called to Star Onstage

Joel Ryan/Associated Press Ayub Khan Din.

At least he knows the part really, really well.

Ayub Khan Din, writer of the book and lyrics for “Bunty Berman Presents…” and a co-composer of the music, is replacing Erick Avari in the title role of the new musical comedy.

Last week, Mr. Avari left the production from The New Group because of an injury he suffered during a near-fall at a rehearsal.  That led to the cancellation of seven shows, after previews that began on April 12. But performances resume Wednesday with Mr. Din, also an actor (“Sammy and Rose Get Laid”) stepping into the role of a movie producer at an unsuccessful 1950s Bollywood studio. Opening night is May 9 at the Acorn Theater.

“You couldn’t have written this if you had tried,” Mr. Din (whose previous plays include “East is East” and “Rafta, Rafta”) said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “I trained as an actor but I haven’t been on the stage in 20 years. Everyone has been incredibly patient with me, after being the writer behind the desk. Everyone else has had six weeks of rehearsal but I started rehearsing last Thursday.”

“For the past 15 years that we’ve been collaborators, I’ve tried to get him onstage,” Scott Elliott, the director, said of Mr. Din in the cast change announcement. “That it’s happening at this moment, in the first musical he’s written, is thrilling to me.” He seemed not to be able to resist adding: “I truly think he’s written himself the perfect part.”