Porn Star Ryan Idol to Make Broadway Debut

I'm not sure how this one slipped past us, but I just uncovered this little tidbit that former porn star Ryan Idol (AKA Marc Anthony Donais) is set to make an appearance in the upcoming revival of Terrence McNally's The Ritz which opens at The Roundabout Theater Company's Studio 54 on October 11th.

For those not familiar with the play, it originally opened in 1975 and is set in a 1970's bathhouse. Don't fret Broadway purists; Idol doesn't have a starring role, but rather plays one of the patrons who frequent said bathhouse. I guess the producers just wanted that special bit of verisimilitude that only a porn star and Playgirl model can bring to a bathhouse.

The play itself is actually one of those wacky, fish-out-of-water stories that unfolds when a fellow named Gaetano hides out in what he thinks is a Turkish bath. When he tumbles to the fact that The Ritz is a gay bathhouse, he pretends to be a hot-shot Broadway producer. Because that makes a lot of sense, right?

This actually isn't Idol's first foray into the non X-rated thespian world. He also appeared in Making Porn when it was Off-Broadway several years ago and he took it on the road as well. Just call him the male Traci Lords. A little research dug up some info that Idol was strictly gay-for-pay and nearly died several years ago when he fell from his girlfriend's apartment window.

Joining Ryan will be Broadway stalwart Seth Rudetsky (who writes amusingly about having to model briefs during the audition) along with Kevin Chamberlin and Rosie Perez. Could be interesting!