Soap Opera Digest: You're in a play right now. What is it called?
Julian Stone: It's called The Body.

Digest: What is it about?
Stone: It's a biting, political comedy in the tradition of Dr. Strangelove.

Digest: Describe your character.
Stone: I play a bumbling policeman who can't keep his trousers on. [Stone pauses] I'm not sure that's the kind of thing I should publicize [laughs]. Although they've taken the press pictures, so chances are the pictures are going to pop up somewhere.

Digest: Any other information about it?
Stone: It's running at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles through June 6, Thursdays through Sundays. The Web site is www.thebody.web.com. All the proceeds are going to the Dome Village Homeless Shelter in downtown L.A.

Digest: Since GH, have you done a lot of theater?
Stone: I was a theater actor in New York before I came out [to L.A.] 12 years ago. I did a play here last year, but I don't do as much theater as I used to just because of TV commitments. But The Body is the U.S. premiere of the play. It's timely, so it was a very exciting project to get involved in.

Digest: Have any of your soap pals come to see The Body?
Stone: Jackie Zeman [Bobbie, GH] came to see it and loved it.

Digest: Have you kept in touch with anyone else from the show?
Stone: I see people around town occasionally. Jackie and I get together and have lunch every so often. We were great friends on the show, and we kept that going.

Digest: Would you return to GH, or any other soap opera, if asked?
Stone: Absolutely, I keep that door open. I had a brilliant time when I was on GH. It was very much to do with the people I was working with, and it was a blast. I think when I left, the character was obviously still very much in the fans' hearts.

Digest: Well, the show certainly left the door open for Jerry's return.
Stone: Yes, it did. It was a fun time for me. The biggest issue would be the integrity of the storyline. That is the one thing, for me, over and above things like actual air time and other peripherals. The reason that a soap like GENERAL HOSPITAL survives for all those years is because of storyline. Actors come and go, but the fans buy into the story and the integrity of it. If the right opportunity came up, and it was an intriguing storyline, I would definitely be interested.

Digest: Are you still recognized as Jerry?
Stone: It's funny. About a month ago, someone came running up to me in the supermarket and said, "Your father just died!" And I said, "Sorry?" I had a short panic attack for a minute, but then I realized what they were talking about [laughs]. I went, "Ah, oh, right." It's funny how that line between life and fiction actually gets very blurred.

This limited engagement runs through Sunday, June 6 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 and 7 p.m.
Tickets are $25. For reservations call (323) 960-4418.