“ON BORROWED TIME”
BY PAUL OSBORN
DIRECTED BY ACADEMY AND TONY AWARD WINNER
JOEL GREY
BEGINS REHEARSALS TODAY
FEATURING BLAIR BROWN, MICHAEL CUMPSTY, OAKES FEGLEY, BILL IRWIN, BEBE NEUWIRTH, PHILLIPA SOO, STEVEN SKYBELL, AND SAM WATERSTON
PART OF TWO RIVER THEATER’S
“TWO RIVER RISING” ONLINE SERIES
BENEFITTING THE ACTORS FUND
TO TAKE PLACE ON CONSECUTIVE EVENINGS –
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, AND THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 AT 7 PM
New York, NY (July 13, 2020) – Rehearsals begin today for the online reading of Paul Osborn’s On Borrowed Time, directed by Academy and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, as part of the Two River Theater’s “Two River Rising” series. Benefitting The Actors Fund, this special reading features a cast that includes Blair Brown, Michael Cumpsty, Oakes Fegley, Bill Irwin, Bebe Neuwirth, Phillipa Soo, Steven Skybell, and Sam Waterston. Act One of the live reading will take place on Wednesday, August 5 at 7:00pm ET and Act Two on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00pm ET.
“Two River Rising,” launched by Two River Theater, is a series of benefit play readings selects to reflect the past, present, and future of the theater’s diverse range of programming including reimagined classics and world premieres by the industry’s most adventurous theater artists. For more information, please visit: TwoRiverTheater.org/tworiverrising.
This rarely-produced American masterpiece is a magical fantasy about the love between a little boy and his Gramps. When Death himself pays them a visit in the form of a man named Mr. Brink, Gramps outwits him – trapping Brink in a tree and refusing to let him down. Oakes Fegley will reprise his Two River debut as Pud, the role which launched Joel Grey’s theatrical career at the Cleveland Playhouse as a nine-year-old boy.
Mr. Grey said, “Though I’m not nine anymore, I’ve revisited this play many times throughout my life, and I’m not sure I ever needed to hear what it has to say as much as I do right now.”
Online benefit event tickets are $25 per reading or $100 for the series of five readings and include access to live post-reading Q&As with the artists involved, hosted on Zoom. Sponsorships start at $1,000, and include additional benefits such as an invitation to a private virtual event with reading artists.
All donations made to Two River Theater in support of the series will be matched by a generous donor, to benefit five organizations with a pressing need due to the impact of systemic racism and COVID-19.
The special event will benefit The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and serves as a safety net to everyone in the performing arts and entertainment industry. Since March 18, The Fund has distributed more than $13 million in emergency financial assistance to more than 11,000 people in need due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, or more than six times the funds normally provided in a year.
As the emergency with Coronavirus continues to evolve, The Actors Fund has temporarily transitioned to online and phone-based services, which remain available for everyone in the performing arts and entertainment community. These services include: Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, The Career Center, Housing Resources, Addiction & Recovery, HIV/AIDS and Senior Services, Counseling and Emergency Financial Assistance, as well as The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
ABOUT THE ACTORS FUND
The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services. Visit www.actorsfund.org.
