New Jersey Stage Issue 73 | Page 61

“Among the many things theater does for us is to keep us honest about our desire and obligation to show up for each other and stay engaged in the present moment,” says Two River Theater’s Artistic Director, John Dias. “Two River’s family of artists are as eager to find ways to ‘show up’ as our audiences are. We’re launching this series—and partnering with other social justice/social service nonprofits—as a way to respond to our present, celebrate our past and hope for our future.” Online benefit event tickets are $25 per reading or $100 for the series of five readings and include access to live post-reading Q&As with the artists involved, hosted on Zoom. Sponsorships start at $1,000, and include additional benefits such as an invitation to a private virtual event with reading artists. All donations made to Two River Theater in support of the series will be matched by a generous donor, to benefit five organizations with a pressing need due to the impact of systemic racism and COVID-19. Benefitting organizations are identified by the playwrights and directors involved in each reading and include The Actors Fund, The Audre Lorde Project, The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and The Ruben Santiago- Hudson Fine Arts Learning Center. All artists will be paid for their involvement in the series. The series is scheduled to run from July 26 to September 30. Readings include Your Blues Ain’t Sweet Like Mine, On Borrowed Time, The Hombres, Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, and Romeo & Juliet. Ticket sales will close four hours prior to event time. Ticket buyers will be emailed a link to access each reading, three hours prior to the event’s start time. NJ STAGE - ISSUE 73 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 61