World Premiere of ‘Mister Halston’ Opens Bay Street Theater’s 35th Anniversary Summer Season

Following a Bay Street Theater workshop last summer starring playwright Raffaele Pacitti, the new play about fashion icon Roy Halston Frowick makes its world premiere with Matt McGrath in the title role and Donna Karan serving as executive producer.

Bay Street Theater launches its 35th anniversary summer season with the world premiere of “Mister Halston,” a new play chronicling the life, fame and legacy of legendary American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick.

Starring acclaimed stage and screen actor Matt McGrath, “Mister Halston” begins performances June 2 and runs through June 21 at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor. Opening night is June 6.

A Visionary Designer’s Rise to Global Fashion Icon & 1970s Excess

Written by Raffaele Pacitti and directed by Michael Wilson, the production explores Halston’s rise from visionary designer to global fashion icon, set against the glamour and excess of 1970s and 1980s New York. The play examines the man behind the brand, tracing his meteoric success, cultural influence and eventual downfall.

From A Workshop at Bay Street to Donna Karan as Executive Producer

The production follows a workshop presentation at Bay Street Theater last summer, when Pacitti portrayed Halston. Now making its world premiere, the play features McGrath in the title role and an accomplished creative team that includes internationally renowned designer and philanthropist Donna Karan as executive producer.

Bold, intimate and deeply human, “Mister Halston” explores themes of artistry, ambition, identity and the price of fame through the story of a designer whose work helped define an era.

Matt McGrath Returns to Bay Street in this Iconic Role

McGrath, a familiar face to Bay Street audiences, has appeared in productions including “Japes,” “The Lady in Question,” “Beyond Therapy,” “Bell, Book & Candle” and “Romance.” He also directed “My Brilliant Divorce” at the theater. His stage and screen credits include “Cabaret,” “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” and the film “Still Alice.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to step into the role of Halston,” McGrath said. “It’s not every day you’re asked to portray a titan of industry, and revisiting the energy of the 1980s through the lens of his genius feels especially meaningful right now. In times of turmoil, great art rises, and Halston’s story reminds us how powerful that can be.”

“Matt is a deeply transformative actor,” Bay Street Theater Artistic Director Scott Schwartz said. “He brings an intensity and precision to his work that allows him to fully inhabit the people he portrays. That is essential for Halston, a figure defined by vision, control and contradiction. Matt has the ability to reveal both the public icon and the private man in a way that feels immediate and authentic.”

An Award-Winning Production Team

Bay Street Theater has partnered with Tony Award-winning producer Bruce Robert Harris to bring “Mister Halston” to the stage. Harris’ recent Broadway credits include “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Death of a Salesman.”

Karan’s involvement adds another layer of fashion-world credibility to the production. One of the industry’s most influential designers and a longtime East End resident and philanthropist, she serves as executive producer of the world premiere.

“Mister Halston” opens Bay Street Theater’s milestone 35th anniversary summer season, which includes theatrical productions, special events, educational programs and live performances designed to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.

Tickets for “Mister Halston” and other productions in the 2026 Mainstage Summer Season are available at baystreet.org or by calling the box office at 631-725-9500.

For more information, visit baystreet.org.

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .