MAKE ME GORGEOUS!, The Story Of LGBTQ+ Trailblazer Kenneth Marlowe, To Open In NYC During Transgender Awareness Week

triangle productions! will present the new York premiere of Make Me Gorgeous!, The True Story of Kenneth "Mr. Madam" Marlowe, written and directed by Donnie, and starring Wade McCollum (Wicked on Broadway; It Happened In Key West in London’s West End), who also contributed additional material. The limited eight-week engagement plays November 10 through December 31, Off-Broadway at Playhouse 46 At St. Luke’s (308 W. 46th Street). The official opening night will take place during Transgender Awareness Week, November 15 at 7PM. For tickets and further information, visit GorgeousPlay.com. 
    
Make Me Gorgeous! is the fabulous and incredible true story of Kenneth Marlowe, an oft-overlooked trailblazer in LGBTQ+ history. Described as one of mid-Century America’s gayest and most openly homosexual personalities, Marlowe took on many roles in life. Kenneth was a private hairdresser to the stars; the madam of a notorious gay prostitution ring in Hollywood; an author; a hustler; a female impersonator; a private in the U.S. Army; a call boy; a Christian missionary; a mortuary cosmetologist; a newspaper columnist … and for the final decade of an incredibly lived life, Marlowe was a woman, having transitioned to become Kate Marlowe.

Make Me Gorgeous! is adapted from Donnie’s book, Mr. Madam: The Life and Times of Kenneth/Kate Marlowe, the culmination of years of research and interviews and establishing Donnie as one of the foremost historians to chronicle Kenneth/Kate Marlowe’s life. A new edition of the book, retitled Us, further explores the life of Kenneth/Kate Marlowe.
 
“Throughout my career it’s been important to me to tell the stories of real people who have inspired me and who could inspire others. When I discovered Kenneth Marlowe, I knew I had to tell their story,” says Donnie. “Kenneth/Kate Marlow has been almost-forgotten pioneer of the LGBTQ movement. Unabashed with their life, you could say that they were a trailblazer before there was a trail to be blazed. After writing his story as a book book, I am now delighted to be debuting Make Me Gorgeous in New York during Transgender Awareness Week.”
 
Make Me Gorgeous! features Scenic Design by Walt Spangler; Lighting Design by Jamie Roderick; and Costume Consultant by Jeffrey Hinshaw. Visceral Entertainment is the General Manager. Kasson Marroquin is Production Stage Manager and Ellie Handel is Assistant Stage Manager.

Performance Details:

Make Me Gorgeous!, The True Story of Kenneth "Mr. Madam" Marlowe plays a limited Off-Broadway engagement, November 10 through December 31 at Playhouse 46 At St. Luke’s (308 W. 46th Street). Opening night is November 15 at 7PM. Tickets, now on sale at GorgeousPlay.com, range $39-$89, with table seating available for $89. An upgraded VIP package for $129 is available at the table seating, which includes a premium table seat, 2 free drinks, and an exclusive merchandise item. Additional ticketing & processing fees may apply. For groups of 8 or more, email groups@gorgeousplay.com. The performance schedule is as follows:

    
Wade McCollum

(Kenneth Marlow & Additional Material) Broadway: Wicked (Witch’s Father/Wizard/Dr. Dillamond). London’s West End: world premiere of It Happened In Key West (Carl). Broadway Tours: Lincoln Center Theatre’s My Fair Lady (Henry Higgins/Karpathy) Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (Tick), Jersey Boys (Norm). Off Broadway Triassic Parq (Velociraptor of Faith), Secondary Dominance (The Stranger) and in Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Ernest Shackleton) at 2nd Stage. While in Boston with Shackleton he garnered the prestigious Boston Critic’s Association Norton Award for “Best Actor in a Musical.” Ernest Shackleton Loves Me can currently be seen on BroadwayHD. com.Wade can be heard on the original cast albums of Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, Triassic Parq, and It Happened In Key West (June 16th release date). Select TV and film credits: “Madame Secretary” alongside Tea Leoni, “The Knick” alongside Clive Owen, “Nightcap” alongside Julianna Margulies, “At Home With Amy Sedaris” alongside Amy Sedaris, Options alongside Caissie Levy, Prodigal Son, Grandpa’s Kaleidoscope, Delicate Instruments, Submissions Only (as series regular Nolan Grigsby). Other theatre credits include: The Narrator in Fly By NIight (Theatreworks), Dracula in Steven Dietz’s Dracula (IRT, GEVA), Jeffrey in Jeffrey, (NYC Sage Theatre), Cousin Kevin in Tommy (PCPA), Jake in A Lie Of The Mind (PCPA), Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Willamette Repertory Theatre), the Emcee in Cabaret (Dallas Theatre Center DallasFortWorth Theatre Critic’s Award) and Hedwig in Hedwig And The Angry Inch (L.A.’s Celebration Theatre - Ovation, Los Angeles Critics Circle, and Garland Awards).
    

DONALD “DONNIE” HORN

(Playwright & Director) is a writer, director and playwright residing in Portland, Oregon. He founded triangle productions! in 1989, which has become one of the oldest LGBTQ-identified theatres in the nation. Donnie has been the driving force for the company since the beginning opening two theatre venues, touring shows, writing over 15 books, and over 20 plays and musicals. As a playwright his shows including Tonya and Nancy: The Rock Opera (co-author), ’69 – the sexual revolution musical, Soph: an evening with the Last of the Red-Hot Mamas, Gracie - a musical adventure, Ari-Maria, The Jim Pepper Project, TRANSformation, Life: According to Morty and Ruth, the 2019 PAMTA Award-winning Best Original Musical - Darcelle: That’s No Lady, the musical, Sex on the River, and Mr. Madam. Through his leadership, triangle has produced shows about the holocaust (Bent, Rose), AIDS, as well as Ann, Golda's Balcony, Becoming Dr. Ruth, and At Wits End. He has also been seen on Portland's stages as an actor in musicals and plays such as: Trovarich, Bleacher Bums, Once Upon A Mattress, Funny Girl, The Potting Shed, and Pal Joey. In 2014, he took to the stage again starring in his own highly successful show, The Donnie Show. He and his theater company were awarded the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for The Darcelle Project in 2021. He holds a BS and MBA from City University and has over 15 published books including, Crumbs of Love (his autobiography), and Agapi Mou. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, NAMT (National Alliance of Musical Theatre), and PATA. www.thedonnieshow.com.
    
TRIANGLE PRODUCTIONS! (Producer) was first launched with the world-premiere of Make Me Gorgeous! in Portland, 1989. Established by Donald Horn (aka Donnie), triangle productions! has enjoyed a unique niche in the arts landscape of Oregon by producing rich stories told through diverse perspectives, particularly the gay perspective. Triangle is one of the oldest theater companies in the Portland metro area and is one the oldest LGBTQ-identified theatres in the US. Using the company’s mission, material is chosen with the goal of promoting diversity and acceptance, striving to bring relevant issues to a theatrical setting allowing the audience to be both entertained and educated. Throughout the company’s history, it has staged over 250 productions and has brought professional, entertaining, and provocative theatre dealing with a wide variety of issues such as AIDS, drug addiction, homophobia, abortion, acceptance, racism, and individuality. www.trianglepro.org

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