As previously announced, the readings of the new work from the author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, will be presented as part of the York Theatre Company's Developmental Reading Series. Free public readings are scheduled for Aug. 8 at 7:30 PM and Aug. 9 at 3 and 7:30 PM.

Annette Jolles will direct a cast that features Donald Grody (Grey Gardens), Quentin Mare (Coram Boy), Alysia Reiner, Jane Summerhays (The Wild Party, Cabaret), Matthew Arkin (Losing Louie, The Sunshine Boys) and Richard Todd Adams (The Day Before Spring, The Pirate Queen).

"Light fireworks! Stop presses! Run a news-crawl on TV!," read Premiere press notes. "This newly-discovered play by The Bard of Avon is clearly the event of the century! Announcing the premiere of a new play by William Shakespeare: The Tragedy of ALCIBIADES. Unless…could it possibly be a fake? A forgery? A prank played on an audience of several billion Bardolaters? Ridiculous! Who could hope to get away with forging a play by William Shakespeare? Who could hope to fool everyone — experts, scholars, critics and an audience of cheering, applauding Bardomaniacs? And for what purpose?"

Wasserman also wrote the book for the Tony-winning musical Man of La Mancha.

The York Theatre Company is located in Manhattan at 54th Street just east of Lexington Avenue. Reservations for the free reading may be made by emailing [email protected] or by calling (212) 935-5824, ext. 24.