Abingdon Theatre Company will present a star-studded benefit reading of Orson Welles' War of the Worlds October 24 at 7 PM at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place, NYC).

Newly announced musical guests for the evening include Lindsay Mendez (Wicked, Dogfight, Everyday Rapture) and Sally Ann Triplett (The Last Ship, Finding Neverland).

Directed by Abingdon artistic director Tony Speciale, the company includes Mario Cantone (Sex and the City, A Room of My Own), David Greenspan (five-time Obie recipient, She Stoops to Comedy), Martin Moran (Titanic, The Tricky Part), Stark Sands (Kinky Boots, Minority Report) and Michael Urie (Ugly Betty, Buyer & Cellar).

Welles’ electrifying radio presentation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, according to press notes, “threw America into nationwide hysteria when broadcast on the eve of Halloween, 1938. Many listeners tuned in late, mistakenly took the show for a real news broadcast, and believed that Martians were invading New York City. The controversy and widespread media outrage regarding the science-fiction play's realism and subsequent panic catapulted Orson Welles' career as a director, actor, and writer. Today, as the most contentious election of our generation draws nearer, we are witnessing actions and ideas alien to our way of life invade our country. War of the Worlds resonates as a timely allegory of our Nation's deep-rooted prejudices and fear of the other.”

Tickets, starting at $25, are now available at nyuskirball.org/calendar/waroftheworlds.

(Updated October 4, 2016)