Front and Center : Chad Allen gets serious about The Little Dog Laughed

By: Brian Scott Lipton · Jan 23, 2008 Chad Allen (© Greg Gorman)

As one of the few openly gay stars in Hollywood, Chad Allen is, at first blush, an unusual choice to play Mitchell, the closeted movie star battling his love for a call-boy, in Douglas Carter Beane's The Little Dog Laughed. But Allen had very specific reasons for taking on the role in the Hartford Theatreworks production of the play, which debuts this week. "This offer came up while I was shooting two films, and when I read the script, it was such a funny sarcastic commentary on the city where I grew up and have lived my entire life, that I didn't think I could pass it up," he says. "I was really impressed with the depth that Douglas has in understanding the way this town moves."

As those who have seen the play knows (spoiler alert), Mitchell is eventually persuaded by his rapacious agent Diane (to be played here by Broadway veteran Candy Buckley) to settle for a sham heterosexual marriage in order to further his career. "I know what it's like to be in that place, and I certainly understand the fear Mitchell has. I know what it's like to be in a room and have people talk about your sexuality and tell you that you won't fulfill your dreams if you're openly gay. It's a scary place to be," he says. "The direction I took is not common. For most human beings, it's hard to follow your heart -- and it isn't always met with cash and prizes. And I think if Mitchell had made the same decision I did, it might not have been as interesting to me to take this part."

The show, at least as written, has a nude scene between Mitchell and his paramour, and Allen admits to a bit of trepidation about taking it all off. "It's scary, but I think baring one's soul is more scary than baring one's body," he notes. "The most important thing to me is that I don't want this to become a show about a nude scene; I can't stand when nudity takes over a show. The way Douglas has written this part is very specific and the act of them both taking their clothes off says so much about who they are."

Being in the public eye, however, is second nature to Allen -- who began his acting career at age 4 and gained fame early on TV's Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. "I've never not lived in a world where people didn't know about my private life. And when I first came out, I felt like I had to personally represent the LGBT community, and so I did a lot of public events," he says. "But right now, I'd like to pass the mantle. I have a partner, and a dog, and a life, and a career -- I'm doing two more of the Donald Strachey films," he says. "I would love to see other actors come out and become famous, but I know it's still a painful decision. However, I wouldn't change what I've done for anything."