The inaugural play at the new Stage Door Theatre in Drury Lane, is announced as a new production of the multi award nominated The Tailor-Made Man.
The Tailor-Made Man, by Claudio Macor, is the powerful true story of the Hollywood studio system in its heyday, its hypocrisy and the star who gave up everything for the man he loved.
William “Billy” Haines was a popular MGM movie star in the 1920’s who was fired by studio boss Louis B. Mayer because he was gay and refused to give up his lifelong partner, Jimmie Shields, and marry the silent screen vamp Pola Negri in a sham lavender marriage.
As punishment, his films were pulled from release and sealed in the MGM vaults never to be seen again, and his official studio photographs were destroyed. It was an attempt to erase him completely from movie history. But Billy and Jimmy’s turbulent, passionate love affair was to survive and lasted over 50 years. This is their story.
The Tailor-Made Man, directed by Robert McWhir, will run at the Stage Door Theatre from Wednesday 17 April to Saturday 18 May. Then returns Tuesday 4 – Wednesday 12 June
