Tessa Thompson​ to Lead Live Reading of Play Nora Highland

Following its successful launch, ​Play-PerView, the new live-streaming theater initiative co-founded by producer ​Jeremy Wein​ (NYC PodFest, ​”Kevin McDonald: Alive”)​ and actor and producer ​Mirirai Sithole (Black Mirror: Smithereens, ​”School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play,” “​If Pretty Hurts…”​) that ​delivers unique, one-time-only, live-streamed theatrical events and original series​ into the homes of theater fans around the globe, announces programming for the coming week. ​Proceeds from all events will be directed to arts organizations impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Virtual tickets starting at just $5.00 are available by clicking here.

On Wednesday, April 1 at 7:00pm​, ​Play-PerView will stream a live reading of Ryan Spahn’s comedy ​”Nora Highland” featuring ​Tessa Thompson​ (​Thor: Ragnarok​, Men in Black: International, Between Two Ferns: The Movie, Lady and the Tramp, HBO’s Westworld, Second Stage Theater’s ​”Smart People​”) and Drama Desk Award winner ​Michael Urie ​(Ugly Betty, “Buyer and Cellar​,” “Grand Horizons​,”​ “Torch Song​”). The play—a semi-finalist for the O’Neill Playwrights Conference and previously presented in the inaugural Pride Plays at Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre—examines the complexities of casting an openly gay performer in a gay role when everyone wants to hire a straight actor to play the part. ​This reading will benefit the Broadway Cares COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund and Covenant House New York.

RELATED: See the Valkyrie Shirt Tessa Thompson Asked CS’s Max Evry to Make!

“Family Friday,” Play-PerView’s original, non-scripted weekly series focusing on families in the theater community, will continue Friday, April 3 at 8:00pm with “LIVE from Putnam County.” ​This second installment will feature alums of the Broadway production of ​The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee​, including Tony Award winner ​Celia Keenan-Bolger (​”To Kill a Mockingbird​”) and her husband Tony Award nominee ​John Ellison Conlee​ (“​The Full Monty”)​ , joined by Tony Award winner ​James Monroe Iglehart​ (​”Aladdin”)​ and Tony Award nominee D​ errick Baskin​ (​”Ain’t Too Proud​”). ​Adrienne Campbell-Holt ​(Artistic Director of Colt Coeur) and Tony Award nominee ​Hunter Bell​ will drop in to discuss their new musical ​”Other World.”​ ​T​his episode of “Family Friday” will directly benefit Colt Coeur, a Brooklyn-based theater company on whose board Ms. Keenan-Bolger sits, and the Parent Artist Advocacy League COVID Childcare Relief Fund.

On Monday, April 6 at 8:00pm, Play-PerView will present a one-time-only reading of ​”Cadillac Crew​,” written by ​Tori Sampson​ (​”IfPrettyHurts…,” “This Land Was Made​”) and directed by Chalia La Tour​ (​”Slave Play”)​. The reading will feature​ Dria Brown​ (Bedlam’s ​”Hamlet/Saint Joan​” national tour), ​Ashley​ ​Bryant​ (“​The Play That Goes Wrong,” “A Free Man of Color”​), 
Brontë England-Nelson​ (​”Three Tall Women”)​, and ​Ms. La Tour ​as four civil rights activists at the height of the movement, who—on the day of a highly-anticipated speech by Rosa Parks—find themselves wondering whether the proclamation of equality for all mankind… includes women? ​This reading will benefit The National Black Theatre and Women In Need.

RELATED: There Is Some Justice After All in Westworld Episode 3.04 Promo

Future Play-PerView events will feature the works of Bess Wohl ​(​”Grand Horizons,” “Small Mouth Sounds”)​, ​Micah Stock (Tony nominee, ​”It’s Only A Play”​), ​Sharr White ​(​”The True,” “The Other Place​”), ​Johnathan Caren ​(​Canyon​, The Sinner), Martyna Majok ​(Pulitzer Prize winner, ​”Cost of Living​”) and others, to be announced in coming weeks.

Movie News
Marvel and DC
X