2nd Annual Gay Fest NYC to Benefit Harvey Milk High School
The second annual Gay Fest NYC will do more than premiere new GLBT-themed stage works; this year, proceeds from the event will benefit students of Harvey Milk High School.
The festival will run from May 14-June 15 at the TBG Arts Center, 312 West 36th Street, New York City.
The five-week Festival commences May 14, and features Equity member casts and gay-themed plays or plays by gay authors.
From the press release: "The five-week event, produced by Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, presents professional Off-Broadway productions of new works by LGBT authors or spotlighting gay issues."
Continues the release: "Five fully-staged professional productions featuring Actors’ Equity Association casts, talk-backs with the authors of the Festival plays, appearances by celebrated members of the LGBT community, plus other events are planned."
Gay Fest NYC has had the luxury of choosing works submitted from international sources. Selected plays include David Brendan Hopes’ Edward the King (directed by Sidney J. Burgoyne), a story of regal life and forbidden love in the 1500s; Brian Dykstra’s Spill the Wine (directed by Margarett Perry), which examines a widow’s personal flowering, and her discovery of the love of other women; and Philip Gerson’s Jumping Blind, a World War II love story, as well as Hollywood Reunion, an autobiographical, comic look at Hollywood’s glory days written and directed by Steve Hayes, and The Wrath of Aphrodite, a new twist on an old Greek tragedy by Tim O’Leary (directed by Martin Casella).
Individual tickets are available now, as are Festival Passports for admittance to all productions, online at www.Theatermania.com or via phone at 212-351-3101.
The press release quotes Festival co-producer Jack Batman, who says, "GAY FEST NYC’s mission is to develop new voices for the LGBT community and expand the reach and accessibility of both emerging and established playwrights, composers and lyricists, while providing high level entertainment to a very discerning and supportive audience."
Continues Batman, "At the same time, we are committed to giving back to the LGBT community, through our fundraising efforts and the generosity of our sponsors, advertisers and supporters."
Adds Batman, "To that end, we established a scholarship fund to benefit students of Harvey Milk High School, and last year GAYFEST NYC awarded eleven scholarships to graduating seniors and established an after-school acting program for the students.""
From the press release: "Harvey Milk High School (HMHS) is a fully-accredited, voluntary NYC public high school focused on the educational needs of teenagers who are in crisis or at risk of physical violence and/or emotional harm in a traditional educational environment."
Says Bruce Robert Harris, also a co-producer of the Festival, "GAYFEST NYC is also committed to producing plays that will have a life outside the Festival, plays that will represent the Festival in productions around the English-speaking world and which might also be brought to life in television and/or film presentations."
Says Harris, "Board members of GAYFEST NYC include Terrence McNally, Kate Clinton, Charles Busch, Douglas Carter Beane, Mario Cantone and a distinguished group of Broadway producers, actors, writers, artistic and executive directors of regional theatres plus other entertainment professionals."
Adds Harris, "The play choices present a balanced program that will give audiences a comprehensive educational and entertainment experience."
From the press release: "On April 14, 2008 GAYFEST NYC will host a major fundraising event as a kick-off for this year’s Festival and a benefit for the Harvey Milk High School scholarship fund."
The release continues, "The evening includes a performance by Emmy Award-winning actor Leslie Jordan and will be held at New World Stages, 340 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10036, with a reception to follow."
Jordan, Emmy Award-winning veteran of the gay comedy Will & Grace, presents his one-man comic work Leslie Jordan: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (directed by David Galligan), which runs one night only at New World Stages, / Stage 3, located at 340 West 50th Street (Between 8th and 9th Avenues) in New York City. Tickets cost $75 (premium seating $100). All proceeds benefit Harvey Milk High School.
Tickets to My Trip Down the Pink Carpet available at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200.
