Entitled First Vote '08 Trust Us — This Won't Hurt at All, the celebratory event begins at 7:30 PM and features a mix of short plays, songs, sketches and toasts. Gordon Elliott, the Food Network producer/host, serves as the master of ceremonies.
The line-up for the evening boasts Anthony Arnove, David Auburn, Mia Barron, Stephen Belber, Zak Berkman, Leila Buck, Julia Cho, Kathleen Chalfant, Lynn Cohen, Jon de Vries, Colman Domingo, Melissa Friedman, Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros, P.J. Gibson, Adam Green, Rachael Holmes, Bill Irwin, Tony Kushner, Neil LaBute, Teri Lamm, Craig Lucas, Jennifer Maisel, Anne Nelson, Richard Nelson, Seth Numrich, Najla Said, Karenna Gore, Schiff, Thomas Sadowski, Jeremy Shamos, Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr., Nilaja Sun, David Strathairn, Judy Tate, Sarah Winkler, David Zellnik, the cast of the Off-Broadway play The Castle (Rory Anderson, Velma Ortiz, Angel Ramos, Casimero Torres) and members of the Epic NEXT Ensemble.
The evening, according to press notes, honors "student alumnae from Epic's innovative, civic-minded education programs who will be voting for the first time the next day. This one-hour benefit weaves together a collection of short plays, spoken op-eds, music, comedy sketches, and toasts that take a satiric, passionate, and most often personal perspective on citizenship, democracy, and the experience of voting."
Tickets for First Vote '08 are priced $25-$50 ($10 for students with code "ST10" and student ID); $250 VIP tickets include a pre-show reception with the performers. For general admission and student tickets call (212) 279-4200 or visit www.ticketcentral com; for VIP tix e-mail [email protected] or call (212) 239-1770.
The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College of Criminal Justice is located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Streets. *
Epic Theater Ensemble is a company of Citizen-Artists "using theatre to inspire dialogue about vital social, ethical, and political issues. Epic's mission is to build citizenship in communities throughout the city by producing socially-minded plays Off-Broadway, and connecting these plays to the NYC Public Schools via ground-breaking, fully-integrated artist residencies."
