My interview with Chad Allen...

It's not surprising that Chad Allen had to reschedule our interview a few times before we finally got the chance to talk this week. The 34 year old actor is as in demand as he's ever been in a career that began when he was still a child.

While wrapping up a run in the play "Looped" in Pasadena, Chad landed a juicy role on "General Hospital: Night Shift." Already completed were two films close to his heart that are out this month: "Save Me" and "Ice Blues." Chad also managed to squeeze in an episode of "CSI: Miami" that casts him as some kind of psycho killer.

"It's a blast, I'm having a good time," Chad said. "All of it is a surprise."

It shouldn't be. Chad proved long ago as Matthew Cooper on the long-running "Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman" that he has the acting chops. But after becoming a highly-visible out gay actor, he has had to work harder to create opportunities for himself.

"I came out at a time when they point blank told me I'd never work again," he said. "I said, 'I'm doing it amyway.' It's nice to be working and on projects that are making me happy and that I'm really enjoying. It's just a fun trip."

Since there's so much to talk with Chad about, I'm splitting this post into two parts with the second portion running on Friday.

First, we talked about his new role on "Night Shift" which airs on ABC-owned SOAPnet. He has so far shot one episode of the series and is set to appear in at least three. He plays Eric Whitlow with his first appearance coming on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

"A friend of mine who used to work at Logo became an ABC daytime executive and called and asked if I'd be interested in doing daytime," Chad said. "I fell in love with the character and what they wanted to do and the way they wanted to treat the relationship and the character. I thought, 'What the hell, let's try it.'"

In the storyline, Eric is introduced as a patient in need of a liver transplant. First-year resident Kyle Julian (Adam Grimes) will help Eric's family find a suitable donor, while developing a relationship with him in the process.

"He comes in pretty sick and needs a liver transplant If he doesn't get one, it's looking pretty grim. While I'm waiting, sparks ignite. I don't even know where it's going or what's
going to happen next. We're just getting to know each other. It's really nice and sweet."

So far, so good. Chad is pleased with his storyline and his co-star, Adam.

"He's awesome," he said. "I walked into the room that first day and he popped up and ran over and was so excited to meet me. I'm really impressed with their commitment to good acting, to finding interesting moments and finding good stories and the development of this relationship."

Chad is open to the character continuing past the limited number of episodes he is signed for. But whatever happens, he will remain plenty busy with the shooting of two more "Donald Strachey" movies planned for next year and his suddenly very busy stage career.
Before he did "Looped" earlier this summer opposite Valerie Harper as Tallulah Bankhead, Chad had a three-month run in "Little Dog Laughed" in Hartford Connecticut. The production was such a success that it is being brought to the St. Louis Repertory in October.

"I was on the set of 'Ice Blues' and one of the actors, Darryl Shuttleworth, and I were sharing theater stories and I said it had been years since I'd been on the stage. The next day, I got a call from Theaterworks to do 'Little Dog Laughed' in Hartford. I loved the play but was terrified on how we'd make (the schedule) work but we did."

Tomorrow: Chad talks about his new Here!TV movie "Ice Blues," part of the popular Donald Strachey Mysteries series, his activism in the fight agaist Proposition 8, and the long-awaited release of "Save Me."