| "Stars In The House" Will Present An Exclusive Reading of Lydia R. Diamond's "Stick Fly" | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 02:42 pm EDT 07/27/20 | |
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| “STARS IN THE HOUSE” WILL PRESENT AN EXCLUSIVE READING OF LYDIA R. DIAMOND’S “STICK FLY” Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Will Host Special “Plays In The House” Edition August 1st in Support of The Actors Fund NEW YORK (July 27, 2020) – Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced today that Dell Howlett will direct a not-to-be-missed reading of Lydia R. Diamond’s “Stick Fly” on Saturday, August 1st at 2 PM ET as part of “Stars In The House’s” “Plays In The House” series. Tiffany Rachelle Stewart (Taylor), Jelani Alladin (Kent), Daniel J. Watts (Flip), Caroline Innerbichler (Kimber), Keith Randolph Smith (Dr. LeVay), and Renika Williams (Cheryl) will tell the story of a pair of affluent African American brothers bringing home their respective girlfriends for a family weekend on Martha’s Vineyard, leading to rising tensions and unveiled secrets, in support of The Actors Fund. Singer/songwriter Crystal Monee Hall will be composing and performing original music for this special reading. Fans can watch live on the Stars In The House YouTube channel “The caliber and abundance of talent working on this reading of Ms. Diamond’s script is remarkable,” offers Plays In The House Artistic Director Peter Flynn. “Dell’s an exceptional storyteller and he has assembled a first rate company of actors from Broadway, television, and film. Crystal’s original music brings a beautiful new aspect to our readings, and I can’t wait for our audiences to experience it all.” “Stick Fly” is the latest addition to the “Plays In The House” series, in which luminaries of stage and screen read classics and new works on “Stars In The House” to raise money for The Actors Fund to help entertainment professionals in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past performances include MACBETH, with Patrick Page in the titular role; BLITHE SPIRIT, starring Leslie Uggams and William Jackson Harper; TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, written by and starring Nia Vardalos; HAPPY DAYS with Brooke Adams and Tony Shalhoub; THE HEIDI CHRONICLES starring Cynthia Nixon, Joan Allen, and Boyd Gaines; and MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD featuring Andréa Burns and Justin Guarini, among others. On “Stars In The House,” Seth and James bring together celebrity guests to sing and share stories: Jason Alexander, Sean Hayes, Chita Rivera, Kristin Chenoweth, Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond, Jeremy Jordan, Randy Rainbow, Judith Light, Audra McDonald and Will Swenson, Peyton List, Patrick Wilson, Billy Porter and Annette Bening are just some of the stars who have joined since the first show on March 16th. And often Seth and James remind their guests how important it is to keep in touch with loved ones during this social distancing and suddenly a surprise guest will pop up like Jon Hamm, Erik McCormack, John Lithgow, Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Jessie Mueller, Iain Armitage, Rosie O’Donnell and Andrew Lloyd Webber! As the creators and executive producers of “Stars In The House,” Seth and James bring a masterful combination of music, storytelling and community to each episode, ensuring that the show goes on in viewers’ homes even while performance venues across the world are closed. “Stars In The House” airs new episodes daily at 2 PM and 8 PM on its YouTube channel ### ABOUT STARS IN THE HOUSE “Stars in the House,” which officially kicked off on March 16th, is a daily series that features stars of stage and screen singing or performing plays live (from home!) to promote support for charitable services for those most vulnerable to the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Joining Seth and James for the shows is Dr. Jon LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News. Visit starsinthehouse.com Since the first show, “Stars in the House” has raised more than $400,000 to benefit The Actors Fund and other charities – and continues to do so thanks to a generous donation from the Berlanti Family Foundation. Seth and James also received a special Drama Desk Award and a Gotham Icon Award from the Museum of the City of New York for keeping the theatre community connected, informed, and uplifted during the pandemic. In addition to its regular daily streaming and ability for viewers to watch it on their own time, “Stars in the House” has teamed up with SiriusXM. SiriusXM is the exclusive audio broadcasting partner delivering the show to listeners daily on Stars (channel 109), along with exclusive new content. Starting July 6th, SiriusXM subscribers can catch “Stars in the House” weekdays at 4:00 p.m. ET on Stars Channel 109, as well as anytime on demand on the SiriusXM app. Listeners can also follow Seth on Seth Speaks and Seth’s Big Fat Broadway, two regularly scheduled programs that air on SiriusXM’s On Broadway channel and his brand-new podcast “Seth Rudetsky’s Back To School” where he interviews celebrities like Tina Fey and Allison Janney to find out hilarious and moving stories from their high school years. “Stars in the House” will air commercial-free on SiriusXM. The program is available to subscribers nationwide on SiriusXM radios, and those with streaming access can listen on demand on the SiriusXM app, and at home on a variety of connected devices. For more info to activate your streaming access or to sign up for a trial subscription, go to www.SiriusXM.com/AtHome. ABOUT THE ACTORS FUND The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services. The Actors Fund COVID-19 Emergency Financial Assistance program has been able to distribute $14,349,519 to more than 11,900 professionals in the performing arts and entertainment community who have been impacted by the coronavirus. This has helped people in financial crisis pay for basic living expenses such as essential medications, rent, food, utilities and other needs. For the health and safety of everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Actors Fund has transitioned to online and phone-based services, which remain available for everyone in the performing arts and entertainment community. These services include: Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, The Career Center, Housing Resources, Addiction & Recovery, HIV/AIDS and Senior Services, Counseling and Emergency Financial Assistance, as well as The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. To make a tax-deductible donation to The Actors Fund, visit actorsfund.org/donate. ABOUT DELL HOWLETT Dell Howlett is a New York based Virginia born Choreographer/Director. Selected choreography highlights include: R&H Cinderella (Alabama Shakespeare Festival AL upcoming), Guys and Dolls (Ford’s Theatre), Paradise Square (Associate to Bill T. Jones, Berkeley Repertory, CA), Guys and Dolls (Guthrie Theater MN), The Wiz (Ford's Theater, Helen Hayes Nom. Washington DC), WigOut (Studio Theater, Helen Hayes Nom. DC), CA Lyons Project (Alliance Theater, Suzi Bass Award Winner, ATL),The Legend of Georgia McBride (Marin Theater Company, BATCCA Nom. SF), YoungArts Presidential Scholars Show (Kennedy Center for Performing Arts DC), Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (The Acting Company NYC), Broadway Inspirational Voices (Foxwoods Theater, NYC), Is Anybody Listening? (Sheen Center NYC), Rent (Provincetown Players, MA). Dell is full-time Professor and Associate Head of Dance at NYU/Tisch School of the Arts in the Department of Drama's New Studio on Broadway and Artistic Director of Young Performers of America. ABOUT SETH RUDETSKY Seth moved to New York in 1988 and started volunteering for God’s Love We Deliver, which brings meals to people with AIDS all across the city. He is decidedly not skilled at cooking and soon decided his talents could be better used elsewhere. At a holiday party in 1992, he connected with Hearts and Voices, an organization that brings live weekly performances to hospitalized people with AIDS. He started volunteering for them and has been a mainstay at many hospitals since 1992: Rivington House, Roosevelt Island Hospital, the prison ward at St. Clare’s Hospital and since 2005, he’s been playing the piano/booking singers at the Cardinal Cooke AIDS ward. Broadway folks love volunteering to sing and Seth’s patients have been serenaded by the likes of Audra MacDonald, Tituss Burgess and Betty Buckley! In 1998, Seth was asked to write the opening number for The Easter Bonnet Competition, which is the big spring fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He did that for many years and then began hosting the Gypsy Of The Year Competition, which is the BC/EFA fall fundraiser (and resulted in him sharing a dressing room with Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman!). In 2001, he produced and conducted "Dreamgirls” starring Heather Headley, Audra McDonald and Lillias White, the first fall concert for The Actors Fund, which was recorded on Nonesuch Records and raised almost $1 million for The Fund. He then did “Funny Girl” with Idina Menzel and Jane Krakowski, “Chess” with Adam Pascal and Josh Groban, “Hair” with Jennifer Hudson (Ghostlight Records, Grammy nomination), “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” with Terrence Mann and Jennifer Hudson and “On The Twentieth Century” with Marin Mazzie and Kathleen Turner. He also starred opposite Sutton Foster in The Actors Fund production of “They’re Playing Our Song” and hosted and played piano for an array of divas for their 2009 Nothing Like A Dame concert with Betty Buckley, Stephanie J. Block, Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara and Bebe Neuwirth. He is the afternoon Broadway host on SiriusXM Radio and recently co-wrote and co-starred in “Disaster!” on Broadway, which was co-produced by his husband, James. He was also a co-producer on the Broadway for Orlando recording of “What the World Needs Now Is Love” and Voices for the Voiceless, he and his husband’s annual foster care event on Broadway. As a writer, he was nominated for three Emmy awards for comedy writing on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” and is the author of “My Awesome Awful Popularity Plan” and “The Rise and Fall of a Theater Geek” (published by Random House), a young adult series about a teenaged gay kid named Justin Goldblatt, who’s obsessed with theater and sports a Jewfro. In response to concerns that marginalized people would suffer after 2016's presidential election, along with his husband James, Seth conceived and hosted a concert series called Concert for America. The first concert was held at The Town Hall in New York, New York January 20, 2017. Concert For America features brilliant, inspiring performances by films stars like Rosie Perez, TV stars like Piper Perabo, comedians like Caroline Rhea, recording artists like Melissa Manchester, Broadway stars like Brian Stokes Mitchell and legendary icons like Chita Rivera and Barry Manilow. ABOUT JAMES WESLEY In 2015, after devastating cuts were imposed on the only two foster care organizations working with older children and youth in New York City, James conceived and co-produced Voices for the Voiceless on Broadway starring Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski, Megan Hilty, Antwone Fisher, Charlene Tilton, Caroline Rhea, Darren Criss, Alec Mapa, Kate Shindle, and Eden Espinosa. It shined a spotlight on foster care in a unique and entertaining way, combining celebrity, music, and everyday people sharing their stories. The concert raised $500,000 for You Gotta Believe! and the Council on Adoptable Children. The following year, the concert returned to Broadway, starring Chita Rivera, Rosie Perez, Stephanie Mills, Gloria Gaynor, Liz Callaway, and Sherri Saum, among many others. In response to concerns that marginalized people would suffer after 2016's presidential election, James produced and hosted a concert series called Concert for America. The first concert was held at The Town Hall in New York, New York January 20, 2017. Over the course of the series, entertainment’s biggest stars generously lent their voices to raise money for national organizations dedicated to protecting civil rights, women’s health and environmental protection. As a writer, he wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play, “Unbroken Circle”, starring Eve Plumb and Tony nominees Anika Larsen and Jennifer Simard. He also wrote “Art and Science”, a comedy-drama dealing with the generational differences between two gay men. It starred Tony nominees Tony Sheldon and John Tartaglia. James was also proud to be one of the lead producers on Broadway of his husband’s musical, “Disaster!” James and Seth are the proud recipients of the National Leadership Award from the LGBTQ Task Force for their work on Broadway for Orlando’s What the World Needs Now is Love. |
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| Link | http://starsinthehouse.com |
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