London's Torchlight Theatre Company presents the U.S. Premiere of Claudio Macor's The Tailor-Made Man Sept. 30 at Center Stage, NY.
Directed by Macor, Tailor-Made depicts the life of gay movie star William Haines, who scandalized Hollywood in the '30s by living openly with his lover, Jimmy Shields. The controversy over their relationship seriously damaged Haine's career.
The New York cast for Tailor features Matt Walton as Haines, Dennis Matthews as Shields, Roger Rathburn as Howard Strickling, J.M. McDonough as Louis B. Mayer, Kelly Corvese as Victor Darro, Sarah Burns as Marion Davies, Helen Buck as Carole Lombard, Rick Meese as Roderick and Franca Barchiesi as Pola Negri.
Design and choreography for Tailor-Made are by Phil Lea and Elizabeth Blake, respectively.
The show was first broadcast on radio in London in May 1995. That cast featured Judd Hirsch as Mayer and Robert Dirkse ("Burning Blue") as Haines. Previews begin Sept. 30 and the show opens officially Oct. 3. The show runs through Oct. 24. Performances run Thur.-Sat. at 8 PM with Sun. Matinees at 3 PM. Tickets are $12 for all shows. Center Stage NY is located at 48 West 21 Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. For reservations and information call (212) 929-2228.
-- By Murdoch McBride