TourGuideTed reviews Looking For Billy Haines

Theater Row's Lion Theater, 42nd Street, New York, NY

March 2010

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. The play, Looking For Billy Haines, had been written by Di’s favourite author, Suzanne Brockmann, with William McCabe, aka novelist (and Brockmann’s husband) Ed Gaffney. It was also her directorial debut.

The play was to star their son, Jason Gaffney. Di told me it would be worth flying 3400+ miles for, but I wasn’t so sure (cut me some slack, I’m a bear, I don’t read much! Especially Navy SEAL romantic suspense fiction!) [Shut up, Bear! – Di]

The story is about Jamie Hollis, a young – and gay – actor’s attempts to get a dream leading role in a ‘true-story’ movie about openly gay silent movie star Billy Haines.

Haines had successfully made the transition from silent movies to talkies, but gave up a promising career when he refused to give up his life partner, Jimmie Shields, for a Louis B Mayer-style, Hollywood-friendly, ‘regular’ guy-girl marriage. That's why you've never heard of him.

TGTips
There's a bar at the Lion Theater. The drinks are reasonably priced - especially for New York - but drink up before the show starts. You can't take them into the auditorium.


The writers and their cast
(Left to right) Annie Kerins, Joseph Cullinane, Ed Gaffney, Eric Ruben (behind), Jason Gaffney (in front),
Suzanne Brockmann, Apolonia Davalos, Jason Michael Butler


When she bought the tickets, Di emailed Suz (as Di likes to refer to Ms Brockmann) that she would be going to see the show, together with my regular assistant Paul, my pal Kelley and Kelley’s mom, Jo. I’m not convinced Di mentioned me, as Ms Brockmann didn’t seem that thrilled to see me. Anyway, Suz arranged to meet all of us prior to the performance so we could chat beforehand. She gave us signed copies of the script, too. It was pretty cool to have the director do that, you know, even when you’re as famous as I am!


On arrival at the Lion Theater, Theater Row on 42nd Street, we were made very welcome by Suz and Ed (check out his books too, they’re more my scene, being a little grittier, and much lighter on the romance! Well, so Di tells me – she reads them too.) Suz took the trouble to remember that it was K’s 42nd birthday - on 42nd Street no less. It’s rare I see K speechless! Funny too. Ed showed us to our seats and we settled down for the show.

In the play Jamie, and his roommates, suffer their own problems. In parallel to the choices made by Haines, back in the 1930s, Jamie analyses his own relationship with his boyfriend, Harlan, who is still in the closet and not planning on coming out anytime soon. There's also an actor boyfriend touring Europe, identity theft, a boyfriend (or not) in Iraq, with all the stories intertwined [in typical Suz-style - Di].

The funniest part of the show, I thought, was when Jamie interrupts a lunch between Harlan and Harlan’s mother, played – for reasons of a limited cast, a brilliant casting decision and, of course, laughs – by the excellent Eric Ruben. I could so recognise the ‘mother’, with scarf, attitude and…a beard? Haines chose love over the closet, but what should Jamie do?
For me, some of the switches into tap dancing – did I mention this was a musical? – occasionally jarred, but the choreography, by Joseph Cullinane, who has also choreographed for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular (go read my Radio City Tour) was brilliant.

He also played Billy Haines. I’ve got to say it was pretty cool to see the excellent dance sequences, and please, no falling in the sink jokes, okay?

The story delivers on multiple layers [just like Suz’s books – Di], in this case delving into how gay and straight people struggle with relationships, and why it should anyone settle, or choose between life or career. Why not both? The parallels with Haines certainly give Hollis pause to think about his own relationship. If Harlan is ashamed of himself, doesn’t that make him also ashamed of Jamie?
I’ll admit this play/musical isn’t going to appeal to everyone. Certain closed-minded people will definitely hate it – and they won’t even have to see it to know they hate it – but who cares what they think? It was wonderfully funny, well written by Suz and Ed (they won’t disappoint the fans) and the actors were well cast, all of them.

If I’m honest (when am I not?) Jason’s dancing was a little overshadowed by the professional choreographer, but Jason is still young, and he has a great teacher. He was certainly perfect casting for the role of Jamie Hollis.

I believe a larger theatre would have made the tap dancing a little less intense, but then, maybe so would seats further back than the third row, but overall it was a great show.

I crossed the Atlantic to see this show and would recommend it. It was funny, it was a musical and it made you think. Di’s favourite part? She laughed every time a character pulled out a book to read – she’d recognise those Suzanne Brockmann covers anywhere!
The run continues until 22 May, so you still have over a month or so to catch the show. Go see it. “I’m out of town” – unless you’re in Australia (or maybe the International Space Station) – just doesn’t cut it.

If I can swing by from England (I know I'm a bit of a jet-setter), you can surely get the bus a few miles. It’s not like America’s well, big or anything. I think I won the farthest audience member prize, but you still have time to take my crown! Go do it!

I should tell you that almost all of these photos were stolen from Suz - either the Billy Haines or Suzanne Brockmann websites. I'm sure she won't mind...I hope...
In fact, I happen to know the photos were taken by Shirin Tinati if you'd like to check her out


TourGuideTed