"Well, butter my behind and call me a biscuit!"
I'm really happy to be back "on the boards" again, my first time on stage since 2014's Setting the Record Gay. (Though I must confess, I haven't been looking that hard for theatre roles until recently -- and this one almost literally fell into my lap!)
This time, it's in Valentine's Last Dance, a dramedy about lost love and female friendship set in the deep South. It's written & directed by Destiny Fletcher-Dwyer, and plays until Feb 12 at the venerable Hudson Theatre Mainstage on Hollywood's famed "Theatre Row."
I play "Xavier Lenox," the "one who got away," in an flashback sequence told by "Pamela" (Alex G-Smith) to her girlfriends.
After so many years away from the theatre, I'm actually grateful to play a small supporting role this time -- it's just what I needed to get my confidence back. But it's also been harder than I expected!
Xavier is described by Pamela as confident, handsome, self-assured, and to the point. Gulp! After a couple of decades of playing neurotic need-bags, sassy best friends, and agoraphobes, portraying smooth-as-Southern-silk Xavier has been a challenge -- but one that I've really enjoyed!
It also gives me a lot of time in my dressing room, time I utilize by multi-tasking during the second act -- making one last swipe at the manuscript of my upcoming book Expletives Not Deleted (coming out in June!) for one thing.
And fair's fair. I've half-joked to the female leads that, after a century of actresses taking a back seat to actors, I'm happy to help counter that inequity and play "the boyfriend" to one of the leads.
If you're in the Los Angeles area between now and Feb. 12, I hope you'll come on down for this unique mix of Real Housewives and Steel Magnolias! For info & tix, click HERE!
The cast of Valentine's Last Dance: (l-r) Michelle Redman, George Oliver Hale, Shelly Day, Damian Dwyer, Destiny Fletcher-Dwyer, Leon Acord & Alex G-Smith
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