Tony winners Joel Grey and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, and more will direct a series of works during the Two River Rising reading series from New Jersey's Two River Theater. Among those slated to perform are Tony winners Bebe Neuwirth and Blair Brown, Tony nominee Phillipa Soo, Steven Skybell, and Brandon J. Dirden.
Each reading begins at 7 PM ET via Zoom; proceeds will go to to a charity supporting COVID-19 relief aid.
The series kicks off with Santiago-Hudson directing his Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine July 26. The one-act play explores America's racial divide through the relationship between Zeke, "a walking outburst," and Judith, "a seeker of truth." Some of the original 2015 world premiere cast reunites for the reading, including Brandon J. Dirden, Andrew Hovelson, Merritt Janson, and Rosalyn Ruff, with Glynn Turman coming on to play the role of Zebedee.
Act 1 of Paul Osborn's On Borrowed Time, directed by Grey, streams August 5, with Act 2 and a Q&A following August 6. The performance stars Neuwirth, Brown, Soo, Skybell, Michael Cumpsty, Bill Irwin, and Sam Waterston. Oakes Fegley will reprise his 2013 Two River debut as Pud.
Streaming August 19 is the Annie Tippe-directed The Hombres by Tony Meneses, which was originally scheduled to run at the regional theatre in April. The production's cast will perform the virtual reading.
Silverman then directs Madeleine George's Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England September 9 and 10. The series concludes September 30 and October 1 with a modern verse translation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Hansol Jung in partnership with NAATCO, directed by Chay Yew.
For more information and tickets, click here.
