Photo Flash: Judy Kaye, Wesley Taylor, et al. in A.C.T.'s TALES OF THE CITY

The glam-rock band Scissor Sisters signed on to write the music and lyrics for ARMISTEAD MAUPIN'S TALES OF THE CITY; the set, which features a lofty set of stairs and landings at 28 Barbary Lane, is by Broadway vet Douglas Schmidt. The cast includes Judy Kaye as Anna Madrigal, Betsy Wolfe as Cleveland transplant Mary Ann Singleton, Wesley Taylor as the book's gay lead Michael "Mouse" Tolliver and Mary Birdsong as bisexual Mona Ramsey. The A.C.T. production, aimed at Broadway but with no up-front commercial backers or specific New York plans at the moment, is a big-budget undertaking at $2.5 million.

ARMISTEAD MAUPIN'S TALES OF THE CITY is currently in previews and runs from June 1 to July 10 at the American Conservatory Theater, 415 Geary St., San Francisco. $40-$127. (415) 749-2228. For more information, please visit: www.act-sf.org.

Photo Credit: Kevin Berne