The world premiere of Gross Points, starring filmdom's Alec Baldwin in the lead, ends its performances at Long Island's Bay Street Theatre Sept. 30. Stephen Hamilton directs the comedy.
Gross Points spoofs America’s idea of royalty as personified by Baldwin's character, a star of the entertainment industry. Baldwin took part in a reading of Paddy Chayefsky’s The Latent Heterosexual at Bay Street last summer. In New York, he was seen this season in a City Center Voices! reading of Arsenic and Old Lace. Broadway appearances include A Streetcar Named Desire. Among his many films are “State and Main,” “The Hunt for Red October,” and “Malice.”
Also in the cast are Chip Zien (Falsettos, Into the Woods), Aria Alpert, John Beuscher, James McCaffrey and Jack Ryland.
Tickets are $35-$45. For reservations, call (631) 725-9500. The Bay Street Theatre is on the web at http://www.baystreet.org. *
The 2001 Bay Street season schedule included : • Jar the Floor, by Cheryl L. West, beginning May 22.
• Seascape by Edward Albee, beginning June 19, the Pulitzer-Prize winning drama in which two human meets two lizards on a beach. Josef Sommer stars.
• Accomplice by Rupert Holmes, beginning July 17. Daniel Gerroll directs and stars.
• Hair, the 1960s counter-culture musical by Gerome Ragni, Jame Rado, and Galt MacDermot, which will receive a concert revival courtesy of City Centers Encores! later this spring; beginning Aug. 14.
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The above roster reflects the Bay Street's new artistic mission to present revivals of classics or recent New York successes. During its initial years, the company presented premieres by the likes of Jon Robin Baitz, Lanford Wilson and Joe Pintauro. Often shows which played the Bay Street were later seen Off-Broadway, including Baitz's Three Hotels, Bob Kingdom's Elsa Edgar, and Terrence McNally, Joe Pintauro and Lanford Wilson trio of one-acts, By the Sea, by the Sea, by the Beautiful Sea.
The Broadway-bound version of Hedda Gabler, starring Kate Burton, played the Bay Street last year, as did the Janis Joplin musical, Love, Janis, now playing Off-Broadway.
—By Christine Ehren
and Robert Simonson
