Matt McGrath Will Lead MISTER HALSTON World Premiere at Bay Street Theater

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced that Matt McGrath will take on the titular role in the world premiere of Mister Halston, running June 2 through June 21, 2026, as part of the theater's 35th Anniversary Summer Season.

Set against the glamorous and volatile worlds of 1970s and 80s New York, Mister Halston traces the meteoric rise, dazzling fame, and ultimate fall of one of America's most iconic fashion designers. Executive Produced by Donna Karan and produced in association with Tony-Award winning producer Bruce Robert Harris, the production marks a defining moment for a project that has grown at Bay Street from early development to full world premiere.

Directed by Michael Wilson (Bay Street's Grey Gardens, Fellow Travelers) and written by Raffaele Pacitti, Mister Halston will be presented in Bay Street's intimate theater, offering a strikingly personal portrait of the man behind the myth while revealing the human cost of ambition, artistry, and reinvention.

Matt McGrath is known for his work on stage, including Broadway's Cabaret and Off-Broadway productions such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as well as appearances in films including Still Alice.

McGrath shared his excitement about stepping into the role: “I'm beyond thrilled to step into the role of Halston. 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.”

A familiar artist to Bay Street audiences, McGrath has appeared in multiple productions over the years, including Japes, The Lady in Question, Beyond Therapy, Bell, Book & Candle, and Romance, and directed My Brilliant Divorce. His return marks a meaningful continuation of a long standing artistic relationship with the theater.

“Matt is a deeply transformative actor,” said Scott Schwartz, Artistic Director of Bay Street Theater. “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.”