Reams as Dolly (Credit: Amy Pasquantonio)
I was so pleasantly surprised to find out that Randy Slovacek of The Randy Report is not just a fine blogger (shockingly, most bloggers have other jobs!), but also an accomplished man of the theater—he directs and choreographs, and it sounds like he's got a great project going at the moment.
In Boca Raton, Florida, Randy is rehearsing a production of Hello, Dolly! at the Wick Theater that stars Lee Roy Reams.
Reams in the '70s with Helen Hayes, Carol Channing and Myrna Loy
Reams is starring as Dolly, making him the first man in American to play the role in drag ... except he's not playing it as a man in drag, but as a woman. Divine would be proud.
According to this informative post on Randy's blog, Reams says of his portrayal:
"Danny La Rue did it years ago in England," Reams says. "But I never saw that show. In England they are accustomed to men playing women's roles and vice versa."
Reams has a history of making history: In 1970, he was the first actor to play an out gay character on Broadway (in Applause).
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