A new work by playwright Tony Kushner will be part of fresh play reading series called "Food for Thought," set to debut at The Producers Club in New York City, Sept. 25. The Kushner play, not yet produced or published, is called East Coast Ode to Howard Jarvis. The Jarvis of the title is the infamous "tax revolt leader" of California. Two actors play 23 characters in the play.
"Food for Thought" is subtitled "lunch hour theatre" and every reading in the fall series takes place from 1 PM to 2 PM. The 30-minute readings also include a gourmet box lunch and a discussion with the playwright and/or actors. The cost is $25.
Other scheduled works are Peter Stone's Commercial Break; John Ford Noonan's When It Comes Early; Edward Pomerantz's Nothing Personal and A Change of Pace; and Susan Charlotte's Love Divided By.
A number of well-known actors are expected to participate, including Blair Brown, Judith Ivey, Judith Light, Anne Meara, Rita Moreno, Cliff Robertson, Marlo Thomas, Maria Tucci, and the cast of Off-Broadway's The Countess.
The schedule runs as follows: Sept. 25: Kushner
Sept. 26: Charlotte
Sept. 28: Pomerantz
Oct. 2: Stone
Oct. 3: Noonan
Oct. 5: Kushner
Oct. 9: Charlotte
Oct. 10: Kushner
Oct. 12: Stone
Oct. 16: Noonan
Oct. 17: Pomerantz
Oct. 19: Charlotte
Oct. 23: Pomerantz
Oct. 24: Stone
Oct. 26: Noonan
Oct. 30: Kushner
Oct. 31: Charlotte
Nov. 2: Pomerantz
Nov. 6: Stone
Nov. 7: Noonan
The Producers Club is located at 358 W. 44th Street. For more information, call (212) 362-2560.
--By Robert Simonson