Playwrights For A Cause 2017 – The Protest Plays

“This is an excellent group of plays… and players!” says Brock Harris Hill, curator of this year’s annual Playwrights for a Cause benefit, hosted by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. The celebrated event addresses powerful social and topical issues in our society through the works of prominent playwrights. This year, the event will be Sunday, July 23, and will benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union with “The Protest Plays,” stories of standing up to injustice, are world premieres  written by celebrated authors, Catherine Filloux, Lyle Kessler, Jose Rivera, David Stallings, and Regina Taylor specifically for Playwrights For A Cause.

Glory Kadigan, founder and curator of Planet Connections Theatre Festivity’s Playwrights For A Cause, said, remarking about this year’s plays and playwrights, and now, the creative team. “I’m so proud of the activist artists involved with Planet Connections for continuing to connect with audiences in so many creative ways while drawing attention to organizations who are on the front lines of this important work.”

This year, the event will be Sunday, July 23, and will benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union with “The Protest Plays,” stories of standing up to injustice:

Mean Girls by Lyle Kessler
Directed by Glory Kadigan
Assistant Director: Adam Chisnall

Starring Carol Kane, Margaret Ladd, Geany Masai, Kathleen O’Neill

Baby Monitor by David Stallings
Directed by Brock H. Hill
Assistant Director: Anna Hogan

Starring Antonio Minino, Dan Shaked and Kelly Zekas

Resistance by ReGina Taylor
Directed by Tonya Pinkins
Assistant Director: Ashley Marinaccio

Starring Linda Gravatt and Endea Owens

Snow Day by Catherine Filloux
Directed by Susan Tenney
Assistant Director: Lu Bellini

Starring Ivette Dumeng and Grayson Taylor

Fall of the Sparrow by Jose Rivera
Directed by Kat Yen
Assistant Director: Vinny Eden Ortega

Starring Mehret Marsh and Alfredo Narcisco

 

Lighting Designer: Benjamin Ehrenreich

Scenic Designer: Raye Levine

Costume Designer: Ariel Pellman

Sound Design: Jacob Subotnick

Casting Director: Robin Carus

Production Stage Manager: Kathryn Meister

Assistant Stage Manager: Maayan Voss de Bettancourt

Producer: Brock Hill

Associate Producer: Glory Kadigan

Assistant Producer: Jazmyn Arroyo

Assistant to the Producer: Vinny Eden Ortega

Event Director: Joyce Laoagan

Front Of House Manager: Britt Lafield

“I’m so pleased to be working alongside Lyle Kessler on this hilarious comedic protest playlet, ‘Mean Girls,” Ms. Kadigan continued “we come together for a cause and this year we are benefitting the NYCLU which has always worked for the benefit of Racial rights, LGBT rights, Reproductive Rights, Immigration Rights and more. I’m so proud of the activist artists involved with Planet Connections for continuing to connect with audiences in so many creative ways while drawing attention to organizations who are on the front lines of this important work.”

The annual Playwrights for a Cause benefit, hosted by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, addresses powerful social and topical issues in our society, through the works of prominent playwrights. This year, the event will be Sunday, July 23, and will benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union, one of the nation’s foremost defenders of civil liberties and civil rights, with “The Protest Plays,” stories of standing up to injustice. A reception will follow the performance.

Event location of the event and how to reserve tickets will be announced shortly. Benefit tickets for reserved seating will be $20 – $125. Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York’s premiere socially-conscious theatre, music and film festival. The entire festival is aligned to help artist shine a light on the issues facing our society and support the organizations working to make a difference.

“I’m honored to collaborate on Playwrights For A Cause with ReGina Taylor for this important artistic benefit for the NYCLU. Planet Connections mission of combining theater and social justice while nursing activist artists is to be commended,” commented celebrated African-American director Tonya Pinkins.

Chiming in was director Kat Yen “Proud to be working with Planet Connections, an organization that not only creates art that both represents and serves our community, but also consistently supports and invests in young artists.”

Understudies:

RICHARDA ABRAMS

SUSAN G. BOB

MOLLY COLLIER

AZARIAH GUNN

ADIN LENAHAN

MATEO MORENO

MISTI TINDIGLIA

KARA YOUNG