Out gay actor Randy Harrison (who celebrated his 30th birthday last week) has been cast as Spencer in Garland Wright's adaptation of Christopher Marlowe's Edward the Second at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater in Manhattan, December 11-January 13.

This work is very gay-subtexty and that element can be played up or down as the director chooses. Based on the poster, I can guess which way this director's going to choose...

Randy is playing Spencer, Edward the Second's new ... oh what shall I call him... "favorite"? "Lover"?... after Piers Gaveston is assassinated. It's all more exciting than As the World Turns, really.

Randy's other stage roles included Wicked on Broadway as well as Amadeus, Equus, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Glass Menagerie, and Mrs. Warren's Profession.

And of course, he was Justin on Queer as Folk, a role that will continue to define (or perhaps haunt) him until he stops looking 16, which at this rate is going to be when he's 90.

Most modern interpretations of this work make Edward's homosexuality even more explicit than the text (which makes it very clear on its own). This is the play gay filmmaker Derek Jarman used for the basis of his very gay film Edward the Second. More info can be found at the company's website.