The new theatre company will present the first installment of its new reading series June 25 at 6:30 PM at the National Arts Club. Erica Gould directs.
Peter Sarsgaard ("Garden State," Burn This), Aasif Mandvi ("The Daily Show," Guantanamo) have been added to the cast along with Jason Antoon, Jessica Blank, David Calvitto, Judith Hawking, Laura Heisler, Sal Inzerillo, Erik Jensen, Ty Jones, Haskell King, Audrey Rosenberg, Jonathan Schaefer, Jeremy Schwartz, Paul Sparks and Mather Zickel.
They join previously announced performers Michael Cerveris (Sweeney Todd, Love Musik), Julianna Margulies (Festen, "ER") and David Strathairn (Salome, "Good Night and Good Luck").
The Salon Series is described as "staged readings of new plays that address compelling contemporary issues, followed by food, drink and intimate discussion among the artists, audience and noteworthy guest speakers."
Such playwrights as Jose Rivera, Bathsheba Doran, Cory Hinkle, Rajiv Joseph, Ryan Kelly, Peter Maloney, Lynn Rosen and Jonathan Schaefer and The Exonerated's Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen express their views on the war in Iraq in the works created for "At War." A portion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict. The Fire Dept — initially inspired by The Exonerated and Brave New World: American Theatre Responds to 9/11 — "is made up of established and emerging writers, directors, actors and designers who have come together to create and produce work that cannot be replicated inside a television box or on a movie screen," according to an announcement.
Blank (The Exonerated), Gould (Brave New World) and Audrey Rosenberg (Elle) serve as artistic directors for the troupe.
The Artistic Advisory Board for The Fire Dept includes Peter Askin, Jill Clayburgh, Emily Mann, Lynn Redgrave, Marian Seldes and Sam Waterston. Founding members of the group include Kathleen Chalfant, Constance Congdon, Chuck Cooper, Peter Gallagher, Janeane Garafalo, Jeff Goldblum, Judith Hawking, Erik Jensen, Toby Jones, Harry Lennix, Matthew Modine, Dael Orlandersmith, Jose Rivera, Jake Robards and Rebecca Wisocky.
Tickets for "At War: American Playwrights Respond to Iraq" at the National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South, are $35 and are available by calling (212) 352-3101 or toll free at (8660 811-4111. For updates and more information visit thefiredept.org.
