David Schwimmer, Christopher Jackson, Cassie Beck, Jessica Hecht, Wilson Cruz, and Susan Heyward will perform at the upcoming After Orlando readings at the DR2 Theatre December 4. The benefit initiative, comprising more than 70 short plays written in response to the tragic shooting at Pulse Nightclub earlier this year, launched November 13 in New York and continues internationally through January 31, 2017.
After Orlando is presented in New York by Missing Bolts Productions, NoPassport Theatre Alliance, and Broadway producer Daryl Roth. Participating playwrights include Neil LaBute, Israel Horovitz, Leah Nanako Winkler, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Lindsey Ferrentino, and Mia Chung.
Each of the readings features a different cast, with the final New York presentation to take place December 11 at the DR2 Theatre featuring Blair Baker and Brian Quijada. Wendy C. Goldberg, the artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, directs.
“Daryl Roth and Adam Hess originally approached me about the project,” Goldberg told Playbill.com in an earlier statement. “As gun violence and hate crimes continue to plague our country, I have been increasingly interested in finding a way in my own work to respond. When this project emerged, it felt like the perfect melding of art and activism I have been seeking, and I am honored to participate.”
Additional playwrights participating in After Orlando at the DR2 Theatre include Oladipo Agboluaje, Deborah Asiimwe, J. Julian Christopher, Cecilia Copeland, Migdalia Cruz, Nathan Alan Davis, Erik Ehn, Andy Field, Mark Gerrard, Jacqueline Goldfinger, Garret Jon Groenveld, Dipika Guha, Jeremy O. Harris, Amina Henry, Rose Helsinger, Zac Kline, Jacqueline E. Lawton, David Lee, Joan Lipkin, Jessica Litwak, Anders Lustgarten, Matthew Paul Olmos, Jennifer Maisel, Rohina Malik, Oliver Mayer, Winter Miller, Viet Nguyen, Giovanni Ortega, Monica Palacios, Katie Pearl, Brian James Polak, Brian Quijada, Ian Rowlands, Madeline Sayet, Stephen Sewell, Crystal Skillman, Dave Solomon, Arturo Soria, Saviana Stanescu, Caridad Svich, Jordan Tannahill, Korde Tuttle, Sung Rno, Anne Rumberger, and Ken Urban.
Tickets, priced $50–$75, can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. All proceeds from After Orlando will go to Pulse of Orlando, a non-profit created after the Orlando attacks. The DR2 Theatre is located at 103 East 15th Street, New York.
